Page 94 - 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 93

CHAPTER 16 ADDITIONAL GRADES OF MEMBERSHIP 93
regularity as this. Anyone, who does not fail normally more
often than once or twice a week, may register with confidence
as a praetorian; (3) the daily recitation of an Office approved
by the Church, especially the Divine Office or a substantial
part of it, for example Morning and Evening Prayer. A shorter
breviary containing these hours with night prayer has been
approved for use.
Occasionally, comes the suggestion that meditation be
substituted for, or made an alternative to, an Office. But this
proposal would not accord with the essential idea of
praetorian membership, which is that of uniting the legionary
to the great official acts of the Mystical Body. The active work
of the legionary is a participation in the official apostolate of
the Church. Praetorian membership aims at immersing him
still deeper in the corporate life of the Church. Obviously, it
must prescribe Mass and Holy Communion, because these are
the central ceremonies of the Church, renewing daily the
paramount Christian act.
Next in the Liturgy comes the Office, the corporate
utterance of the Church, in which Christ prays. In any Office
which is built upon the Psalms we use the prayers inspired by
the Holy Spirit and thus get close to that corporate Voice
which must be heard by the Father. That is why an Office,
and not meditation, is a condition of praetorian membership.
“As grace develops in us, our love must take on new forms,”
said Archbishop Leen to his legionaries. The reciting of the
entire Divine Office, for those in a position to do it, would
represent such an expansion of love.
The following is to be understood:
(a) This is only a degree of membership and not a separate
unit of organisation. Thus, separate praesidia of praetorians
shall not be set up;
(b) the praetorian degree of membership is to be regarded
as no more than a private contract of the individual
legionary;
(c) nothing implying the smallest degree of moral
compulsion is to be resorted to for the gaining of praetorians.
Thus, while legionaries may, and should frequently be
recommended to undertake this degree, no names are to be
taken or mentioned publicly;