Page 234 - 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 229

CHAPTER 36 PRAESIDIA REQUIRING SPECIAL MENTION 229
time for growth which ought to progress ‘in wisdom, age and grace
before God and people’.” (Lk 2:52) (CL 46)
2. SEMINARY PRAESIDIA
“It is particularly important to prepare future priests for
coopera tion with the laity. The Council says ‘they should be
willing to listen to lay people, give brotherly consideration to
their wishes and recognise their experience and competence
in the different fields of human activity...’ The recent Synod
too has insisted upon pastoral solicitude for the laity: ‘The
student should become capable of proposing and introducing
the lay faithful, the young especially, to the different
vocations . . . Above all it is necessary that he be able to teach
and support the laity in their vocation to be present in and to
transform the world with the light of the Gospel, by
recognising this task of theirs and showing respect for it’.”
(PDV 59)
It is evident that a competent knowledge of such an
effective and widespread organisation, as is the Legion, would
be a valuable asset to future priests and religious. Academic
knowledge of it, however, is a feeble substitute for that
imparted by actual member ship. The establishment of
praesidia for seminarians there fore, assumes great importance.
In cases where internal prae sidia are not possible, those in
formation would greatly benefit from member ship of external
praesidia. In both internal and external praesidia the
members would be thoroughly grounded in the theory and
practice of the Legion and given what one might call a
complete philosophy of the apostolate. When eventually they
proceed to their assignments, they will have a good grasp of
how the Legion and other apostolic groups should operate.
In regard to internal praesidia especially, the following
should be noted:
(a) It is essential that a fair amount of time be available for
the weekly meeting. It would be difficult to conduct a
meeting in less than an hour, and every effort should be made
to allow it a little more time. The order of the meeting, as
described in this handbook, shall be followed exactly.
(b) A main consideration is the allocation of active work to
each member. Without substantial work there is no praesid -