"Legionary duty requires from each legionary. - ...... Third, the performance of a substantial active legionary work, in the spirit of faith, and in union with Mary, in such fashion that in those worked for and in one's fellow-members, the Person of our Lord is once again seen and served by Mary, his Mother- (Handbook 18:7)

The following are just a few extracts from the wealth of material in the handbook dealing with the contents of the third part of the Standing Instruction quoted above:

"This work should he "substantial", that is, the legionary should spend a couple of hours a week at it ... The work must represent some definite active duty assigned by the praesidium, not something dictated by the pleasure of the individual legionary. Prayers or other spiritual exercises, however considerable, do not satisfy this obligation, or even supply in part the place of active work:' (33:2(a))

"The Legion is built in the first place upon a profound faith in God and in the love he bears his children ... The legionionaries' essential mainstay must be this knowledge of the companionship of God, their good Father, in their two-fold work of sanctifying themselves and serving their neighbour. Nothing can stand in the way of success except want ot trust. It there be but faith enough, God will utilise us to conquer the world for him." (5)

"As no one call even attempt the, service of his neighbour other than in the company of Mary, aimilarly no one can discharge this duty worthily except by entering to some degree into the intentions of Mary. It follows that the more close the union with Mary, the more perfectly is fulfilled the divine precept of loving God and serving one's neighbour. (l Jn 4:19-21 )" (9:2)

"At the very first meeting of legionaries the supernatural character of the service, which they were undertaking, was stressed. Their approach to others was to he brimful of kindness, but their motive was not to be that merely natural one. In all those whom they served they were to see the Person of Jesus Christ himself. What they did to those others - even the weakest and lowest - they were to remember that they did it to Our Lord himself, according to his own words: "Truly, t tell you, Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." (Mt 25:40) As at the first meeting, so ever since. No effort has been spared to bring home to legionaries that this motive is to be the basis of their service, and likewise that the discipline and internal harmony of the Legion rest chiefly upon the same principle. In their officers and in each other they must recognise and reverence Christ himself: In order to ensure that this transforming truth will remain impressed on the minds of the members, it is incorporated in the Standing Instruction which is read monthly at the praesidium meeting. In addition, the Standing Instruction emphasises the other legionary principle that the work must be done in such a spirit of union with Mary that it is she, working through the legionary, who really performs it." (9:1)

"Always will the legionary bear in mind that he is visiting not as a superior to an inferior, not as one equal to another, but as an inferior to his superior, as the servant to the Lord:" (39:17) " ... it is most certain that Mary wills that there be shown to the Mystical Body of her Beloved Son just such another love as she lavished on his actual body. In this she will help her legionaries. Where she finds in them the gleam, the readiness to love, she will fun it to a consuming flame." (39:18)