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Legion HANDBOOK D10944_1 26/02/2014 15:53 Page 84

14

THE PRAESIDIUM

1. The unit of the Legion of Mary is called a praesidium.
This Latin word was used to designate a detachment of the
Roman Legion performing special duty, that is, a section of a
military line, a fortified post, a garrison. The term praesidium
is, therefore, appropriately applied to the branch of the
Legion of Mary.
2. Each praesidium is named after a title of Our Blessed
Lady, for example, Our Lady of Mercy, or from one of her
privileges, for example, The Immacu late Conception, or from
an event in her life, for example, The Visitation.
Happy the bishop who throughout his diocese sees
praesidia suffi cient in number to form, as it were, a living
Litany of Mary.
3. The praesidium has authority over all its members and
power to control their activities. The members on their part
shall loyally obey all the legitimate orders of the praesidium.
4. Each praesidium must, either directly or through an
approved council, as hereinafter defined, be affiliated to the
Concilium Legionis. Otherwise there is no Legion member -
ship. It follows that no new praesidium shall be instituted
without the formal per mis sion of its Curia, or (failing a
convenient Curia) of the next-highest council, or in the
ultimate resort, of the Concilium. The praesidium shall
depend directly upon such governing body.

5. No praesidium shall be established in any parish without
the consent of the parish priest or of the Ordinary. The parish
priest or the Ordinary shall be invited to carry out the
inaugural ceremony.
6. The praesidium shall hold a meeting every week which
shall be conducted after the manner described in chapter 18,
Order of the Praesidium Meeting.
This rule is absolutely invariable. Again and again, it will be
suggested that, for various excellent reasons, it is difficult to

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