Page 294 - 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 289

CHAPTER 39 CARDINAL POINTS OF THE LEGION APOSTOLATE 289
7. VISITATION IN PAIRS A SAFEGUARD OF
LEGIONARY DISCIPLINE
Visitation should be carried out in pairs. In prescribing thus,
the Legion has in view the following purposes:— First, the safe -
guarding of the legionaries. Ordinarily, it will be less the streets
than the actual homes being visited, which will call for this
precaution. Second, the visitation in pairs is a source of mutual
en courage ment. It is a help against the movements of human
respect or common timidity when visiting difficult places or
homes where one is exposed to a cold reception. Third, it puts
the seal of discipline on the work. It secures punctuality and
fidelity in the carrying out of the appointed visitation. If left to
one self, one is easily led to alter the time of, or postpone alto -
gether, one’s weekly visitation. Fatigue, bad climatic conditions,
natural reluctance to face the unpleasant visit all operate freely
if there is no appointment to be kept with another. The result is
that the visitation becomes disorderly and irregular and
unsuccessful, and eventually is abandoned altogether.
The usual practice in regard to the situation which arises as a
result of a legionary failing to keep an appointment with his co-
visitor is the following. If the work is, say, hospital visitation, or
other work where there is, obviously, no element whatever of
risk, the legionary may proceed to it alone. If, on the other hand,
it is work which would throw the legionary into difficult cir cum -
stances, or where disreputable surroundings are in question, the
legionary must forego the visitation. It is to be understood that
the above permission to visit alone is exceptional. Repeated
failures on the part of the co-visitor to keep appointments should
be viewed very seriously by the praesidium.
This requirement as to visitation in pairs is not to be read as
meaning that the two must together address themselves to the
same persons. For instance, if a hospital ward is in question, it
would be in order, and in fact the proper course, for the two
legionaries to move about separately and devote themselves to
different individuals.

8. THE INTIMATE NATURE OF THE LEGIONARY
WORK MUST BE SAFEGUARDED
The Legion must guard against the danger of being made
use of by too ardent social reformers. The work of the Legion