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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 118

118 THE MEETING AND THE MEMBER CHAPTER 19
than to drop it altogether. It is true that little business will be
transacted at such a meeting, but at least the praesidium will
have acquitted itself of its most important duty, and the
business of its future meetings will gain immeasurably from
the enhanced respect which its members will instinctively
have for something which goes on almost in spite of those
who compose it, which stands steady in the midst of their
weaknesses, mistakes, and miscellaneous engagements, thus
reflecting in some faint fashion the chief characteristic of the
Church itself.

5. Heat and light. The room should be well-lighted and of
comfortable temperature. Defects in this direction will
convert to a penance the meetings that should be a pleasure,
and will prejudice fatally the prospects of the praesidium.

6. Seating accommodation. Chairs, or at least benches
should be provided for seating purposes. If the members are
scattered around on school-desks or on other improvised
seating-accommodation, an air of disorder will be created, in
which the Legion spirit, which is a spirit of order, will not
thrive.
7. Praesidia must meet at suitable times. The fact that
most persons are at work during the day, dictates that
meetings be ordinarily held in the evening or on Sunday. But
there are many who work during the evening and at night,
and these must be provided for by having meetings at hours
which suit them.
Likewise, shift-workers, that is, those whose working-hours
change periodically, must be catered for. Two praesidia with
widely different meeting-times should co-operate to receive
them. Those legionaries would alternate between the
praesidia according to their free time. To ensure the
continuity of attendance and work, the praesidia would need
to keep in close touch with each other.

8. Duration of meeting. The meeting shall not last longer
than one hour and a half from the appointed time for
opening. If, in spite of efficient handling of the meeting, it is
found that the business is frequently cut short or unduly