Page 125 - 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 123

CHAPTER 19 THE MEETING AND THE MEMBER 123
must be shunned in the Legion like a veritable plague. This
refers to things like self-assertiveness, fault-finding, ill-temper,
cynicism, and airs of superiority, at whose entry to the
meeting harmony forthwith departs.

19. Work of each one a concern of all. The meeting
begins with prayer, in which all realise that they have
participated equally. This feeling of equal participation by all
should characterise each item of the subsequent business of
the meeting. Hence conversation or laughter between
individual members must find no place there. Members
should be taught that each case is a concern not merely for
the one or two members who may be engaged upon it, but for
all present, in such a degree that each one pays a spiritual
visit to every person or place recounted as having been the
subject of the work. Without this realisation, members will
follow with a mere attention the reports and consideration of
the work of others, whereas every moment must be full, not
merely with the attention which one gives to an interesting
account of work done, but with a sense of intimate contact, of
personal concern.

20. Confidentiality of paramount importance. The
Standing Instruction, read to the members month after
month, should bring home to them the all important place of
confidentiality in the Legion’s scheme of things.
Lack of courage in a soldier is accounted shameful, but
treachery is infinitely worse. It is treachery to the Legion to
repeat outside matters of a confidential nature learned or
discussed at the praesi dium meeting. At the same time, there
must be reason in all things. Sometimes over-zealous people
may urge that in the interests of charity legionaries should
withhold from the praesidium all names and reports which
involve neglect of religion.
In this apparently plausible suggestion there is an error, and
a threat to the Legion’s life, as the praesidium could not
function satis factorily under such conditions:
(a) The adoption of this course would be contrary to the
general practice of Societies, all of which are accustomed to
discuss their cases.