Page 93 - 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 92

92 ADDITIONAL GRADES OF MEMBERSHIP CHAPTER 16
will enter most fully into the Divine plan, which has required the
union of the Holy Spirit and Mary in the work of regenerating the
world. As a consequence, their legionary efforts cannot fail to be
attended by a great addition of force and success.
The first prayers ever said by legionaries were the invocation and
prayer of the Holy Spirit, followed by the Rosary. The same prayers
have opened each Legion meeting ever since; so that it is most
appropriate to place under the same holy auspices the ceremony
which opens the legionary membership itself. It returns to the idea of
Pentecost, when the apostolic grace was conferred by the Holy Spirit
through Mary. The legionary, seeking the Holy Spirit through Mary,
will receive abundantly of his gifts, and among these gifts will be a
truly enlightened love of Mary herself.
Moreover, the proposed form of promise would be in conformity
with legion ary devotion as pictured by the Standard, which shows the
Dove presiding over the Legion and its work, through Mary, for
souls.” (Extract from the Minutes of the 88th Meeting of the
Concilium Legionis)
[This quotation does not form part of the Legionary Promise]

16

ADDITIONAL GRADES OF
MEMBERSHIP

In addition to the ordinary active membership, the Legion
recognises two other grades of membership:

1. THE PRAETORIANS

The Praetorian* degree is a higher grade of active member -
ship, consisting of those who to the ordinary obligations of
membership undertake to add: (1) The daily recitation of all
the prayers comprised in the Tessera of the Legion; (2) daily
Mass and daily Holy Communion. No one should be deterred
from undertaking the praetorian degree by fears that he will
not succeed in attending Mass or receiving Holy Communion
absolutely every day. No one can be certain of such exact

*The Praetorian Guard was the picked regiment of the Roman Army.