Legion of Mary |  Mary's Notebook |  Issue 8 of Mary's Notebook

Handbook Study - The Standing Instruction (part 4)




Vexillum


A deeper look at the fourth part of the Standing Instruction:

 

Text of fourth part of standing instruction:

"Legionary duty requires from each legionary: ...Fourth, absolute respect for the confidential nature of many matters discussed at the meeting or learned in connection with the legionary work:" (Handbook 18:7)

 
The contents of the fourth part of the Standing Instruction, quoted above, are dealt with particularly in section 20, chapter 19, and section 4, chapter 33, of the handbook. The following are some extracts from the handbook:

 

Confidentiality of paramount importance.

The Standing Instruction, read to the members month after month, should bring home to them the all important place of confidentiality in the Legion's scheme of things. Lack of courage in a soldier is accounted shameful, but treachery is infinitely worse. It is treachery to the Legion to repeat outside matters of a confidential nature, learned or discussed at the praesidium meeting. At the same time, there must be reason in all things. Sometimes overzealous people may urge that in the interests of charity legionaries should withhold from the praesidium all names and reports which involve neglect of religion. In this apparently plausible suggestion there is an error, and a threat to the Legion's life, as the praesidium could not function satisfactorily under such conditions." (19:20)

 
"InviolabIe confidence must be preserved by the legionaries in regard to what they hear at their meetings or in the course of their work. This knowledge comes to them because they are legionaries, and it would be an intolerable treachery to the Legion for them to divulge it. Reports must, of course, be made to the praesidium meeting, but even here there must be circumspection. This question is more fully discussed in section 20, chapter 19, The Meeting and the Member." (33:4)

 
In dealing with the question of reports to the praesidium meeting, section 20, chapter 19, says among other things: "The unit of action and knowledge and charity is neither the individual member nor the pair of co-visitors. The praesidium is that unit, and the detail of all ordinary cases is due to that unit. If the reports are withheld, the unit becomes ineffective. Under the plea of charity real interests of charity are prejudiced." To remove from members the obligation to furnish adequate reports is also to remove that sense of minute control which means so much in the Legion system. No effective advice or guidance or criticism can be given so that the essential idea of the praesidium is frustrated. The education and safeguarding of the members, which are based on the reports, are rendered impossible, Unless the members' weekly reports are adequately detailed to enable the minute control already referred to, indiscretions will almost certainly occur, with perhaps, detriment to the Legion.- "Strangest of all, the bond of confidentiality itself becomes loosened. For the guarantee of legionary confidentiality (so wonderfully honored at present) is the praesidium grip upon the member. If this grip is weakened, the bond of confidentiality weakens with it. In a word, the praesidium is not only the unit of charity and confidentiality, but also their mainstay."

"It is recognized of course that an occasional extreme case may be encountered in which the circumstances will suggest an absolute privacy. Recourse should at once be had to the Spiritual Director (or, if he be unavailable, to some other competent adviser) who will decide the point."