The allocutio was the Roman General's address to his legionaries. (Handbook Chapter 18 Section 11: The Allocutio.)

Welcome to our Allocutio page.

On this page we have links to the Acies talk in March 2009 that our Spiritual Director Fr Paul Churchill gave us and to the allocutios he has given us at our monthly Curia meeting. All the Allocutio pages and PDF versions will open in a separate window on your pc which you can simply close after use and this page will still be open underneath.

Order of the Praesidium Meeting Chapter 18

Section 11. The Allocutio.

When the members resume their seats, a short talk shall be given by the Spiritual Director. Except in special circumstances, this should take the shape of a commentary upon the handbook with the object of eventually making the members completely familiar with every point contained therein. The allocutio will be greatly appreciated, and it will play an all-important part in the development of the members. Responsibility for the latter exists, and it would be an injustice both to them and to the Legion not to draw out all their possibilities. To do this it is essential that they be given a perfect knowledge of their organisation. The study of the handbook will greatly help towards this end, but must not be considered to be a substitute for the allocutio. Legionaries will believe that they have studied the handbook when they have read it attentively two or three times. But even ten or twenty readings would not bring the degree of knowledge which the Legion desires. This will only be imparted by a systematic verbal explanation and expansion of the handbook week after week, year after year, until the members have become completely familiarised with every idea it contains. In the event of the absence of the Spiritual Director, the commentary should be made by the President or by any member designated by the President. It is stressed that a mere reading from the handbook or any other document does not suffice for the allocutio. The allocutio should not occupy more than five or six minutes. The difference between the praesidium where the allocutio has been thoroughly done, and the praesidium where it has been badly done, will be precisely the difference between a trained and an untrained army.

“I have long had the feeling that, since the world is growing so rapidly worse and worse and God has lost his hold, as it were, upon the hearts of men, he is looking all the more earnestly and anxiously for big things from those who are faithful to him still. He cannot, perhaps, gather a large army round his standard, but he wants every man in it to be a hero, absolutely and lovingly devoted to him. If only we could get inside that magic circle of generous souls, I believe there is no grace he would not give us to help on the work he has so much at heart, our personal sanctification.” (Msgr. Alfred O'Rahilly: Life of Father William Doyle) (Handbook Chapter 18 Section 11 footnote: The Allocutio.)