Page 251 - 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 246

246 SUGGESTIONS AS TO WORKS CHAPTER 37
the above direction. Sometimes they are without parents
altogether; some times they are the victims of bad parents.

(f) The conducting of children’s clubs, Boy Scout and
Girl Guide Troops, J.O.C. units, Sewing Classes, branches
of the Holy Childhood, etc. Probably these would be carried
on rather as the employment of the work-obligation of part of
the membership of a praesidium than as the whole work of a
praesidium. But it would be quite in order that a praesidium
should devote itself solely to some special work, such as those
mentioned. In this case, however, it must be understood that
a distinct praesidium meeting shall be held and carried out
fully according to rule. It will not supply the place of the
meeting if, as has been suggested, the members are gathered
together, as an item of the evening’s Special Work, for the
purpose of reciting the prayers, reading the minutes, and
rushing through a few reports. Possibly in this manner the
essentials of a meeting might be conformed to, but a reading
of chapter 11 on the Scheme of the Legion will show how
little of the spirit of the rules is reflected in such an expedient.
It is the desire of the Legion that during each session of a
Special Work which is under the control of the Legion, the
Legion prayers should be recited at the opening, intermediate,
and concluding stages. If it is not possible to include the
rosary, at least the remainder of the Tessera prayers should be
said.

(g) A Legionary youth formula. It would seem to be
necessary to propose some guiding principles to legionaries
who are running Clubs or Youth groups. Usually the methods
being followed depend entirely on the individuals in charge of
such groups, so that wide diversity of system prevails, ranging
from a daily to a weekly session, and from pure amusement or
pure technical instruction to pure religion. Obviously these
variants will work out to very different results, not always for
the best. For instance, unmixed amusement represents dubious
training for the young, even on the supposition that it ‘keeps
them out of trouble’. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy” — runs the well-known saying. But this has been wittily
complemented by another one which is still more true: “All
play and no work makes Jack a mere toy.”