Page 87 - 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 86

86 THE PRAESIDIUM CHAPTER 14
10. The Spiritual Director shall have decisive authority in
all religious or moral questions raised at the meetings of the
praesi dium, and he shall have a suspensive veto on all the
proceedings of the praesidium, with a view to obtaining the
decision of the parish priest or of the Ordinary.
“This right is a necessary weapon; but, like any such
weapon, must be used with great discretion and cautiously
lest it become an engine of destruction, not of protection. In
an association well constructed and well guided, it will never
be necessary to use it.” (Civardi: A Manual of Catholic Action)

11. The officers of the praesidium, other than the Spiritual
Director, shall be appointed by the Curia. Should there be no
existing Curia, the officers shall be appointed by the next-
highest governing body.
It is desirable to avoid open discussion as to the merits of
possible officers, some of whom may actually be present.
Therefore, it is the practice, on the occasion of a vacant
officership, for the President of the Curia, after careful inquiry
(above all from the Spiritual Director of the praesidium in
question) with a view to ascertaining the most suitable
person, to submit a name to the Curia; and the Curia, if it
thinks fit, may appoint that person.

12. Every appointment of an officer (other than the
Spiritual Director) shall be for a term of three years and may
be renewed for one further term of the same length, that is six
years in all. On the expiry of office, an officer must not
continue to fulfil its duties.
The transfer of an officer to another office, or to the same
office elsewhere, shall rank as a new appointment.
An officer may, after an interval of three years, hold anew
the same office in the same praesidium.
Where an officer for any reason whatsoever does not
complete the full term of three years, he is to be regarded as
having served the term of three years on the date on which
he vacates the office. Then the ordinary rule governing
renewal of office applies, that is, (a) if a first term was in
question, he may during the unexpired period be appointed
to a second term in that office, and (b) if a second term was in