Page 117 - 聖母軍團員手冊（英文版，2014年5月-2022年1月更新版）

Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 115

CHAPTER 18 ORDER OF THE PRAESIDIUM MEETING 115
the hearts of men, he is looking all the more earnestly and anxiously
for big things from those who are faithful to him still. He cannot,
perhaps, gather a large army round his standard, but he wants every
man in it to be a hero, absolutely and lovingly devoted to him. If only
we could get inside that magic circle of generous souls, I believe there
is no grace he would not give us to help on the work he has so much
at heart, our personal sanctification.” (Life of Father William Doyle
S.J.: Msgr. Alfred O’Rahilly)
12. On the completion of the Allocutio, the sign of the
cross is made by all present. Then the taking of the Reports
and the other business of the meeting is continued.
“The historic fact is that the speech of Our Lady was the speech of
an extraordinarily refined woman. Her natural bent would easily have
made her a poet. Each time she spoke, her words flowed in a rhythm
that was actually poetry. Her phrasing was the picturesque language
of the artist of words.” (Lord: Our Lady in the Modern World)
13. Secret bag collection. Immediately after the allocutio,
a secret bag collection is made, to which every member shall
con tribute according to means. The purpose is the defraying
of the various expenses of the praesidium and the con -
tributing to the Curia and the higher councils. It is repeated
that these latter bodies have no means of support or of
discharging their functions of government and extension
other than what comes to them from the praesidia. (See
chapter 35, Funds)
The meeting is not to be interrupted for the making of this
collection. The bag should be passed unostentatiously from
member to member, and each one should place his hand in the
bag, even though he may not be contributing anything to it.
A proper bag should be provided for the purpose of
receiving the members’ offerings. A glove or a paper bag is not
a proper recept acle.
The collection is secret because it is necessary to place those
who have resources and those who have not, on precisely the
same level before the praesidium. Therefore, the principle of
secrecy should be respected, and no member should disclose
to another what his contribution is. In the second place, all
should appreciate that not alone the praesidium, but also the
main running of the whole Legion, depends on what is put
into the secret bag by the individual legionary. Accordingly,
the matter is not to be viewed as a mere formality. The
obligation to subscribe is not complied with by the giving of a