The Standing Orders

Preface

To members of Legio Christi, chapter leaders, those most sympathetic, trusted friends, and serious inquirers.

We are an international community of Traditionally minded Christians who recognise the current state of society as a sign of spiritual degradation. We seek to rebuild society oriented towards God, failing which, we seek to bring home to God as many souls as choose to convert.

We began as a social media discussion group founded by traditionally minded Catholics and Orthodox believers from various online communities with the goal to create a forum where they could discuss the faith, political events, and engage in light hearted banter as a means to generate constructive dialogue and build comradery.

From there, we decided to formalise ourselves as a traditional community dedicated to the protection and resuscitation of Christianity within the society around us. We are open to anyone who seeks such a community but only those who believe the tenets taught by the Catholics or the Orthodox have the opportunity of truly advancing within the hierarchy (with only a few exceptions).

This document is an introduction to our community, it covers who we are, what we believe, why we believe it, and what we hope to achieve. Provided herein are our theological, philosophical, and our political positions.

Definitions

God: The Supreme Being, infinitely perfect, Who made all things and keeps them in existence. Belief in Him is non-negotiable. He is the Triune Godhead, which means that He is Three (tri-) Persons (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost) in One (-une) God. No Person in the Trinity is greater than any other Person in essence and, therefore, the attributes attached to the essence (power, etc.), although the Father is viewed as taking precedence in position, such as when a person is a slave to another person, while being equally mighty and sharing the human essence. The Son is begotten of, not created by, the Father before all ages but consubstantial with (of one/the same substance) the Father. The Holy Ghost is not begotten but proceeding. Overall, there never was, nor there can be, the Father without the Son, or the Son without the Father, or either of them without the Holy Ghost and vice versa.

Christian: Within the context of the Legion, “Christian” is to be taken to refer only to Trinitarian Christians (those who believe in the above Godhead). With Catholic and Orthodox as the main proponents of these beliefs, we will refer to their united beliefs jointly as “The Faith” and “The Church”.

Divine Simplicity: The objectivity of God as a singular, whole concept, without separable parts, as opposed to being a composite. The attributes of God are not parts, but commonly attributed traits to God are instead considered God. ‘God is good’ does not describe God as being a good being, but rather that goodness emanates solely from God.

Satan: Once an angel of God, but fell from that glory through pride. By dint of his having partaken of the Beatific Vision, Satan and his angels (known as devils/demons) do not have the option of repentance and salvation. Satan may be known by many names, but the most common are Satan, the Devil, the Adversary/Enemy.

Heaven: Is not a place in any worldly understanding of the term, it is where we will partake of the Beatific Vision that is the Most Holy Trinity. Salvation refers to the attainment of a place in Heaven.

Hell: A place or state of being of eternal torment. Those who do not, through their own action or omission, believe in God and His Truths or die in a state of unrepentant mortal sin are condemned to eternal punishment for their sins.

Legionary: Refers to the members of this community. We chose to call ourselves Legio Christi, which is The Legion of Christ, to evoke the idea of our being at war with Satan and his devils.

Apostles' Creed: Lists the chief Truths taught by Jesus Christ, all Legionaries are required to believe these Truths.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell. On the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. From thence He shall come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Nicene Creed: Lists expansions and clarifications on the Apostles’ Creed, a Legionary who denies any of these expansions must seek reconciliation or be condemned a heretic. The full Creed may be found on our forums.

Theosis: The journey of becoming more like Christ in spirit and action, striving to overcome our sinful nature to better attain union with God.

Actualisation: Becoming the best person you can be. This is not viewed in a merely earthly sense, rather, we use it in the sense of becoming the most virtuous person you can be. We consider this actualisation as inseparable from theosis and guided by it.

Virtue: Any morally good action which, through frequent practice, has become habitual. Supernatural virtues are those which come to us from God Himself. All virtues find in God their fullness.

Vice: Any morally evil action which, through frequent practice, has become habitual.

Symphonia: The harmony of governance between the civil and religious entity.

Theonomy: The practice of abiding by all aspects of applicable Biblical law, and integrating it in daily life.

Monarchy: The system of leadership under a ruler who has been consecrated to God by the Church, and who is appointed either by hereditary line or vote, who rules until death or until his abdication under grave conditions. This ruler must acknowledge that he has no earthly power without a God since it is by God that all power, dominion, and authority come to us.

Royalty: The entrustment of power to the man who shows or displays the best character and is, consequently, more capable of resisting the corruptive influence of that power.

Aristocracy: A supporting element of the monarchy, it is composed usually of the landowner or industrialist members of society, although certain trusted members may be included.

Modernity: Attributes or attitudes that are of or in relation to the modern era. Antonymic to tradition, or traditional attributes or attitudes.

Mannerbund: A group of ten to twenty like-minded men committed to helping each other grow in maturity and fitness. Legio Christi does not require of its Legionaries that they be of the same religion nor even Legionaries all in their mannerbund but does encourage Legionaries to form a group within their local community.

Community Response Groups: Legio Christi works to restore communities to the traditional, family-based setup. To do this, we use Community Response Groups to assist in local events (pro-life marches and the like especially), providing both numbers and safety to other members through their coordination and fervour.

Overview

Our Beliefs:

Although we are open to any person whose goals are similar, we hold to the words of Jesus Christ that only those who believe really, truly, and wholly all that He taught can be saved, and we further hold that these words can only be fulfilled by entering into union with either the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Faith.

It is our belief that the only way for a truly Godly society to thrive is for it to be oriented towards the Cross at its foundation, all the way down to the individual level.

We firmly believe that the goal of Man is to be partakers of the Beatific Vision. For this reason, we see frequent worthy reception of the Eucharist as essential. Spiritual sustenance, obtainable in many forms, is most wholly found in the worthy reception of this Sacred Species.

We consider Monarchy to be the ideal form of government since it best reflects God’s Supremacy, with authoritarian and nationalistic governments representing an acceptable alternative. We consider the Monarch to be an emulation of the role of the Priest.

We believe that the Church and the State have complementary roles in society and ought to work together for the good of the people, irrespective of whether the form of government is based on Monarchy or Republicanism.

We believe physical violence only ought to be initiated in defence of one’s self, family, property, and nation. Warfare ought only to be considered in accordance with St. Augustine’s Just War Theory.

Our Goals:

Our main goal is to rebuild society from the ground up, starting with our own soul. Our civilisation has been increasing in moral decline and we seek to guide home as many souls as are willing to listen.

We encourage those with Will to answer this call to arms. If you are blessed with Leadership, strive with vigour and dedication to attain positions of power and influence, reach out to those who will listen, and to open their eyes to the death and decay that surrounds us. If you are blessed with Courage, spread the message and support your brothers and sisters. If you are blessed with Creativity, shine a ray of divine beauty into this ugly world to give everyone hope and remind them of what Heaven is like - and so on.

We aim to stand above party politics and focus on the main building blocks of every civilisation: Faith, Family, and Folk. It is possible that these have been irreparably damaged, but it is our duty to stand for what is Right and Just until the end.

We hope to restore communities to a traditional european model, focused around the Church and Godly men, the way it had been for centuries prior to secularism and deracination. The same people that built the Christian civilisation, with its countless achievements in architecture, art, music, literature, science and technology should be held as shining examples.

We seek to rekindle in our priests and laity the Faith that guided society for centuries.

We aim to rebuild the hierarchy that kept the society functional for millennia: Aristocracy, Royalty, and most importantly the Church.

Theosis and Self-Actualisation

Each man who attempts to follow Christ is on a life-long journey, and this journey of becoming more like Christ in spirit and action - striving to overcome our sinful nature - is a difficult one. Before he can begin to affect change within society, a Legionary must first commit to changing his own sinful nature for the ultimate purpose of reflecting Christ according to the Will of God. The recognition of this journey is the beginning, learning which path to tread follows, but who is responsible for the action? None other than yourself. Only through faith and action is a Legionary able to start taking the right steps on his journey towards Theosis.

The foundational aspect of our activity comes from the understanding that our improvement as individuals is rooted in the promotion of spirit - of virtue - in order for the true man to follow. The body and spirit are intertwined, the inner man is reflected in the outer man as a recognition of the Legionary's personal development. Of course, this does not mean that a physically fit Legionary is a man of virtue, however the virtue of discipline is a prerequisite for also developing your mind and spirit. Enshrining virtue within individuals who follow the Christian journey is that foundation from which actualisation develops, in that way, we place the priority of “becoming” in the Christly sense over the “becoming” of the Luciferian sense wherein virtue is only followed if it is of earthly benefit to you. This is because the journey of the Legionary movement is in honour of Christ rather than ourselves or our respective nations. The duty to Christ is absolutely paramount, and our values as Christians to strive toward Christly perfection come before the development of our own ego.

Secular self-actualisation is entirely focused upon selfish worldly motivations, entirely focused on the physical and often focused upon the acquisition of material wealth and power. The Christian mindset is almost an inversion of the secular one, in which we encourage only one degree of selfishness, that of putting our individual spiritual salvation before anyone else’s so long as we do not prevent another’s salvation. While both secular and Christian forms of actualisation generally guide someone to “becoming the best we can be”, it is only in the Christian sense that we see our work actively benefitting others in the community, where the spiritual health of the individual flows on into their lives, and the lives of those around them. Therefore, we can say that in the sense of universal good, a Christian form of actualisation is the better option since it is of benefit to all rather than solely to the individual.

The moral foundation that is provided by the Faith requires one to expand on the principles therein at a personal level, and the virtues one may develop from living and acting as Christ would provide the environment for them to develop those virtues at a personal level, rather than as a solely religious obligation. Eventually, the frequent practise of any good action can be cultivated to become habit, and virtue. This Actualisation then, is the fulfillment of one’s desire to be the best person they can be according to his needs. To achieve these goals, the Legionary will need to practice the virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity, with this requirement stemming not externally but by very the nature of his goal. Faith in his ultimate commitment to Christ - and in Christ to us - and Hope that we will achieve our common goals.

Through our journey towards Theosis, the Legionary is striving to be the best he can be. His example should be one that draws others along the same path both directly and passively. He progresses towards both goals by the practise of virtue at every opportunity, whether there is anyone to witness it or not. He directly draws others along the same path when he takes upon himself a leadership or teaching position within his community, from which he can guide and instruct others in following the path that God has layed out for them as part of their theosis. Passively, or indirectly, he draws others along their path through providing an example of what is required of him by God. Thus, to achieve theosis the Legionary must practice the Faith as fully as his state of life permits, that is, he must work towards actualisation as we see it in order to become an example of the Christian Faith. Even those most natural traits to which the individual may be inclined can be overcomed by repeated efforts to suppress or improve them; thus theosis, as defined, requires the Legionary to study the Bible, investigate the Faith, develop his personality, improve his state in life, and improve the society in which he lives. He must become an emulation of the virtues taught and practiced by Christ, known through the Bible and Church Tradition.

Each Legionary is personally responsible for ensuring that their efforts to expand the capabilities of their mind, body, and spirit are ceaseless lest Legio Christi itself become corrupted like so many before it. We should expect to fall at times, for such is our nature, but we should always stand back up in pursuit of God’s glory.

It must be stressed that Legio Christi does not seek change within the Church per se, we seek to mobilise Church members to remind their communities that eternity awaits them after they die whether they wish it or not, and salvation is their choice. There is no difference between our beliefs and Church Teaching, we are simply a rallying point. The “Church Militant” was a term used to describe the living members of Christ’s Church. The choice of words was to evoke in the individual ideas of battle, signifying the spiritual battle he fights. Legio Christi seeks to be no more than a rallying of the Soldiers of Christ. Our philosophy is not one merely of meditative prayer, nor merely of charitable works but of rebuilding the communities that led to such groups as devote their lives to those practises (i.e., Benedictines, St. Frances De Sales, et al.). The difference between our organisation and other related organisations is that where they often place one or two virtues at their core, our organisation is focused on the reclamation of society through encouraging individual conversion to a higher calling, allowing the different chapters to determine which virtue(s) are most important to it.

“... that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” — Ephesians 3:17-19

The Church-Community

This is the fundamental breakaway in terms of our theological and political world perception from other groups, societies, associations, and parties. We recognise that there cannot be a great change towards national spiritual rejuvenation without action at the ground level, and we also recognise that there cannot be legislative or political change toward our ends without first dealing with the corruption of souls at the ground level. One might consider this religious reductionism, but it is no less important for the future. Nothing can change for the better without a reversion to traditional Christian virtue from the ground-up, from which every other aspect of our society will proceed.

This is one aspect of the Legionary’s Actualisation. It is imperative that each individual spend as much time as necessary to create opportunities within their Church community to further the spiritual development within the community as a whole, and themselves by extension. One cannot be involved with other members of any community without being presented any such opportunities to refine themselves on the journey towards Theosis.

Creating an environment within the Church communities that enables laymen to further the Faith as a whole is necessary for the spiritual revitalisation of the community. This environment must look towards active participation in the community to encourage life and strength, for if no action is taken, the community risks remaining stagnant and mellow. For these reasons, it is the responsibility of the Legionary to take it upon themselves to either volunteer for efforts within the Church-community or start their own initiatives for which other parishioners may volunteer.

Although he is expected to advocate for changes, the Legionary must not be obstinate or overly aggressive in his actions. To best affect a change or conversion, the Legionary is reminded to exhibit those virtues of patience, charity, and fortitude since an example of what to practice will win over more hearts than an explanation of what to practice coupled with a contradicting example.

The following three sections detail firstly actions specific to the Catholic Legionary working within his community, secondly actions specific to the Orthodox Legionary within his community, and thirdly, actions to be taken by all members of Legio Christi.

Catholic Legionary:

A prerequisite to reclaiming the local community at a secular level is the reclamation of community at the religious level. For this, we require our priests, both present and future, to have the final say on parish matters. This means that the parish council’s role should be limited to assisting the Parish Priest in any Youth Group work, aiding him in administering to his parish within the confines of their role as laity, and organising community events outside of the Parish Priest’s role. The Parish council ought to be in charge of arranging community gatherings, theological and philosophical discussions/lectures, and training sessions for altar-servers (to be conducted in the presence of the priest as often as possible), as well as general maintenance.

It is important for Legionaries to advocate for particular elements to be revived, reinstated, or otherwise reintroduced into the parish for the spiritual health of the parishioners and the priests. In particular, it is of utmost importance for Legionaries that they advocate for the traditional rites to be practised in the parish on a regular basis since it is these rites that fill them with joy and appreciation for the Mystery of the Eucharist. It is also important for the priest to be given absolute autonomy and authority over his parish, within the dictates of the hierarchy. The parish council is to act as advisors, combining advising the Parish Priest with assisting him in the administration of his duties, rather than what is currently the case of councillors taking qualms to bishops in order to override the priestly authority. The parish council is to be further required to have a clear understanding of liturgical practices, including what is permitted and forbidden. To reinstate the priestly authority, it is also important that the priest take on his role as the spiritual father to the youth of his parish, and to take authority within the youth groups, rather than divert authority to youth leaders, who have used this position to override the authority of the priest and the overall Church structure by extension.

To make oneself into a force for this change, the Catholic is asked to participate as much as he can, slowly taking over from the incumbent members of the council whose work within the parish is absolutely opposed to Church doctrine. He should focus his attentions on righting one thing at a time lest he stretch himself too thin. For example, the Eucharist takes pride of place over all else, so a male Legionary should consider it his duty to replace the less worthy Extraordinary Ministers of Communion since it is better that the Body of Christ is handled by someone who knows fully what he may and may not do than It’s being handled by someone who’s knowledge extends only to saying that which is normally forbidden them. The Legionary can then begin, by his example, to teach others in the parish how to worthily approach the Eucharist. Over time, he can work with the priest to completely remove this dreadful practice.

It must, however, also be recognised that a priest is beholden to his bishop, and that bishop may enforce Novus Ordo rites at the parish level. It is in this instance that Legionaries can advocate for daily mass, or early morning mass that includes the Tridentine Rite, accessible to those who are inclined as a compromise.

Orthodox Legionary:

The Orthodox Legionary is blessed being within a Church community led by Clergy who are still conservatively minded, a Church, rooted in the East and grounded in Traditions centuries old, and against which the powers of evil shall not prevail. Thus, the Orthodox Legionaries primary role is as a Defender of the Faith, to help prevent the decay of the Church and to resist evil when it rears its head.

We face two primary dilemmas within the Orthodox Church. On one hand we have the increasingly worldly “Cradle Orthodox” becoming complacent, taking their faith for granted. On the other, we have the new converts from the West bringing a liberal worldview with them and attempting to interpret Orthodoxy through that worldview. Even the most well intentioned Orthodox can be led astray without the guidance of the Church and our Traditions.

In order to assist our “Cradle Orthodox” brothers and sisters, the Orthodox Legionary must know what he believes, and why. We cannot encourage others to seek God if we are so easily shaken, so our first responsibility is to solidify our hearts and feed our minds so that we might endure what is to come. Read your bibles, encourage your brothers and sisters to attend the Divine Liturgy on a weekly basis and to hang around after the service to speak with their fellows. Discourage apathy within the community whenever you encounter it, and personally uphold the values which we would see within the community and by our Clergy. Finally, we must nurture the youth (who are the future) of the Church by encouraging and/or leading youth-focused events of both a social and spiritual nature. Such events can range from Clergy-led bible-study groups, to movie nights - the important thing is that we provide an alternative to the bright lights of the World, and return their gaze to a community upon which they can rely.

The Orthodox Legionary bears a heavy responsibility - we must know and Love our brothers and sisters within our community, we must know the Scriptures, and we must be able to relate the Truth in a way which shows compassion and understanding. May God have mercy on us, sinners.

So finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20, OSB)

In General

The Eucharist must not be considered the start and end of a faithful’s spiritual obligation, and Sunday should be considered again a day of absolute devotion to the needs of the Church. If a Legionary is not needed to advocate traditional rites and practices, then he must look towards building a strong community around the aforementioned view. To do this, one should initiate activities in which other parishioners and the priests may choose to get involved. These activities go a long way to building community spirit and are revolts against the modern world with its insistence on independence and individuality over caring for neighbours.

Legionaries should also seek positions of influence within the diocese, as teachers, priests, diocesan secretaries, guest-speakers, or any other method of gaining favour with those in positions of greater authority within the greater Church structure. When this is not possible, a Legionary should support their brothers doing so. This way, Legionaries can have a greater ability to press influence and have a better position in order to advocate for the practices and powers mentioned previously. Only after creating for himself a supportive community can the Legionary begin to rebuild his society, and so it is a necessary part of both his Actualisation and his Theosis, since even the Child Jesus attended the temple with His parents before He began His Ministry.

The Legionary must centre his life and his family’s life on God, then he can begin the work proper: the reclamation of society. Starting firstly with his local community, in the Church, schools, and sporting clubs, only then can we expand towards the society as a whole. For some, this will involve the exercise of their God-given gifts in the leadership area, either as priests, or teachers, or politicians. To begin this reclamation, the Legionary ought to offer his services as a speaker, or an altar-server, or council member (at either a parish or community level). The Legion does not require the Legionary to advertise itself, but it does ask that the Legionary seek out sympathetic individuals and extend to them an invitation to join any and all social media platforms used by the Legion, so as to keep in contact with members and receive news updates, advice, and support.

To effect these changes, the Legionary is advised to form a mannerbund with some members of his community. If two or more mannerbunds form within a single parish-community, they are to coordinate with each other, doubling as a Community Response Group, and where multiple Community Response Groups form near each other, they may apply to become a Chapter of the Legion.

Each member of a mannerbund should aid his fellows in every way he can, which he can best do by first seeking to improve himself mentally, physically, and, most importantly, spiritually. A mannerbund might be made up of Catholics and Orthodox with a few members from other or no religion(s), but if it is open to achieving the Legion’s goals, then it must be open to God, and so too its members.

Despite many young men obsessing over online “shitposting”, Legio Christi is committed to developing into a real-world traditional community. It's members are encouraged to promote their own businesses and services and those of fellow Christians or other like-minded individuals before those of secular or global corporations. This may include bakeries, hardware stores, or take-away shops as well as extend to overseas visits (e.g., rather than using AirBnB or booking.com to find a place to stay, the Legionary is encouraged to ask other Legionaries if they have a spare room to let for a time or know of somewhere he could stay.) The purpose of these practices is to reinforce and reinstill in the Legion the idea of community that is lost due to our contact coming mostly through social media rather than in-person interactions.

The Legionary, as part of his efforts to restore traditional values, should seek to advertise local businesses of all industries (hospitality, trades, goods, hardware, etc.). As well as this, it is our belief that Legionaries should have for themselves some hobby and sport which they can use to unite members of their community. A Legionary playing at his local sports club is in a prime position to find friends to help him in his journey. Likewise, he is in a very good position if he has some hobby and hobby group where he can share his knowledge and experience to teach others how to occupy their time worthily. Examples of this might be of the local men’s shed in various Australian towns, where men from the community come together to talk and work on projects both for themselves and for their community, including providing gardening, carpentry, and computer services, or amateur radio operators, who can use their broadcasting abilities to spread news, information, and prayer requests to other members of Legio Christi. These two roles, the hobby and the sport, are subtly discouraged by modernity, which is increasingly against individuality and self-sustaining practices to the extent that it seeks always to require registrations, licensing, and fees, and so it is a form of peaceful rebellion for the Legionary to deliberately take up these practices, to marry them to his prayer and home life, and to instruct others in the practise of them.

The Legionary is encouraged to always seek to grow the number of members in Legio Christi by approaching those who may be sympathetic and providing them with an invite to follow the Legion’s website and join any of the Legion’s official social media. The Legion does not discount the abilities of other organisations to aid society and supports them in their quest for Truth, but we do believe that no one organisation is the answer unless it acknowledges that the core goal of any Christian must be his personal salvation and his Christian witness to his community. Legio Christi seeks to be an aid to the individual in finding his Christianity amid the dangers of the modern world and helping him to rebuild his community.

The Superstructure

Our overarching theological stance is that God’s Will and Desires supersede the material realm, and is, therefore, more powerful than anything that we can perceive since all physical laws are a derivative of this higher power. The aim of our Christian action is the orienting of our earthly life towards the attainment of Heavenly Life. The superstructure links us in this world by our actions to the supernatural reality of Heaven, taking the form of the Church, the intercession of the Saints, and our own piety. This is why it is the primary aim of our Legionary movement to foster personal spiritual development through theosis and actualisation, allowing us to become more Christ-like, alongside the continuation of action on the Church-Community level.

Legio Christi seeks to create an environment which mirrors the first realm of Man, in Eden, in at least as much as we seek to place love of God and His Creation above all else. God created a world free of corruption, sin, and suffering, and if Man had remained the faithful carer God desired, then our Earth would be as it was: whole, and without the pollution of sin. However, Christians recognise that this is not so because of the Fall, twisting Man’s nature towards sin and leaving him a slave to the desires of flesh and pleasures of mind - cardinal sins and vice. We, as Christians, seek to rid ourselves of these aspects in an attempt to be pure-hearted, as Christ is, but understand it is a futile exercise unless we have assistance from God, which He freely offers us through His gift of Grace.

The Superstructure ties back into Theosis because of our insistence on piety. If all men attempted to become as Christ, then our goal of unity would be nearer completion. Earth cannot unite to Heaven whilst ever there is hatred, corruption, and sin in the hearts of men. The unification of Earth and Heaven only comes after Man universally rejects his base nature and attempts to ascend to the morality outlined by Christ.

The Superstructure itself is called the symphonic state, or organic state. In order to achieve this symphonic state, the people therein must apply to themselves a theonomic philosophy to act as a basis for their entire world-view. We are faced with temptation and challenge daily, and to live in accordance with theonomistic virtue is to live in accordance with God's Law, as it comes to us through the Church.

The Superstructure is based upon the understanding that we have nothing without God, and so it is necessary that the Legionary centre his life upon God and provide for his fellow man an example of Christ on earth. He does this by frequent practice of Christian virtues and frequent reception of the Eucharist. In this, he needs the State and the Church to have a symbiotic relationship, otherwise there will inevitably come a conflict between the demands of the State and those of the Church. Where such conflicts arise, the State and the individual must bow to the Church.

The Legion is divided into chapters, each one being set-up around a sympathetic community but with a view to expansion. The goal of the chapter is to provide a support network for each member as well as to aid him in his theosis and actualisation. Once a member has started this process, he can begin work in his community to help others find the path towards their salvation. Once it is ready, the chapter ought to begin work in the parish proper, as outlined in “The Church-Community” above, starting with the priest, then the parish council and any groups (youth or otherwise) that may be connected. As each chapter makes progress, it is recommended that the members elect a spokesman to keep the Legion up to date on which tactics worked and which did not.

Whilst the vast majority of interactions between members of Legio Christi happen online, we are a community in much the same way the Knights of Columbus or Knights of Malta are, with the exception that we started as an internet group and have grown into a full community. The relevance of this to the superstructure is that at no point is the Legionary truly alone. No matter how desperate his situation may appear, he will always have the opportunity to seek support from the online community, who will have the ability to share resources or knowledge whenever it is needed.

From this online community, the Legionary is to gain whatever knowledge he is lacking to help him and his community achieve it’s symphonia, mediating between the State and God and directing the State towards that goal which is truly Good. Where necessary, the Legionary will have to fight the State, which, being wholly of human origin, is susceptible to corruption at every level. Where this corruption sets in, the Legionary must do all that is within his power to purge the corruption.

This reclamation work is the community response or civil resistance spoken of within Legio Christi and does not refer to the response or resistance found in socialist or far-right movements. It is rooted in the Teachings of Jesus, Who deplored violence for violence’s sake. Given our place in the world, we may be called upon to battle in the physical world as well as in the spiritual. Where that happens, the Legionary must hold himself to a higher standard than his aggressors and may be called upon to correct his own brethren. This, however, is treated in “Violence and the Legionary” and only mentioned here for the sake of distinction.

The greatest difference between our organisation and other religious groups is outlined briefly above in “Theosis and Actualisation”. Ultimately, the goal of Legio Christi is to provide help to smaller groups and individuals already seeking to correct the wrongs in society around it, to help them organise, and to put them into contact with similarly oriented groups and individuals.

Violence and the Legionary

We believe that the craven modern man, cowering behind claims of religious truth and pacifist enlightenment, must be overcome. We must be capable of violence and willing to act when necessary, in accordance with St. Augustine’s Just War Theory. In brief, Jus Ad Bellum, Jus In Bello/Justice of War, Justice in War. Violence ought only be initiated in defence of one’s self, family, property, and nation, since wanton violence in the world harms God’s Creation, which should be avoided where possible. It is not our place to condemn souls nor to send them to God for condemnation, but wherein it is determined that an individual soul will not be cured of his desire for violence (whether physical, emotional or spiritual), there the State may choose to apply the death penalty, ensuring first the chance for repentance of his sins and to obtain a death in Christ’s Gaze rather than Satan’s Grasp.

To be a Legionary is to exhibit the Christian virtues necessary for the reclamation of society: Justice, Patience, Piety, Fortitude, Honour, Courage, and, especially, Fear of the Lord. The fostering of these virtues is part of the actualisation process undertaken by each member. We must personally value these, and we expect the same honourable dedication to virtue to be held by others, but when it is not, the Legionary ought to foster a righteous indignation, and demand that his brothers behave accordingly (Matt. 18:15-22). The only reason we tolerate such a failure from our peers is because the degenerative influence of liberalism, egalitarianism, and humanism reduce man to his base self and weaken us all. The Legionary must entreat with his peers as though he were a doctor and they, his patients. He must be patient and tireless in his quest to cure them of these diseases, no matter their personal conviction that there is no ill.

A deliberate personal catechesis must be undertaken to ensure all know what is expected from Legionaries - by both God and Legion, with God taking precedence at all times. In order to promote the healthy growth of Legion and Christianity, sin and vice must be combatted fervently resulting in true repentance, else the wound caused by sin will not heal.

Aside from this personal catechesis, the Legionary ought also to consider it his duty to keep himself physically fit and know how to defend himself within his means. If your country allows the citizenry to own firearms we suggest that you elect to undertake training in them, and if not available, to train in how to fight hand-to-hand, ideally with your brothers in Christ. The goal of the training is to leave each Legionary capable of defending his family, himself, and his community from enemies both foreign and domestic; an occurrence more and more likely as society drifts further from God’s light.

Criminal activity is a more realistic, short-term threat which may arise within our neighbourhoods, and if many criminals will target those of soft or weak appearance, then it must be our goal not only to look strong, but to BE strong. Regardless of how strong you are, there is truth in the old adage of “strength in numbers”, so for the safety of our members, we recommend that the Legionary should whenever possible live within 10-15 minutes of another member in case there is a call for assistance. Where this is not possible, it is suggested that Legionaries make it a habit to call in upon one another occasionally to find out how his fellows are and what dangers, if any, he may be facing.

A Legionary ought never seek occasions to be violent, but neither should he seek actively to avoid them. We must not be cowards. In the event that a Legionary is called upon to fight he is to fight according to the situation, to win, and avoid the death of his adversary unless there is no other alternative. Remember, training you undertake will not make you invincible, but it will slowly make you dangerous - so act accordingly and know your strength. Again, we emphasise the importance of training with your brothers.

While we must be conscious of physical threats, the true War we fight is against Satan, the Adversary, and all those who serve him. There are those who seek to harm us either through subterfuge, violence, seeking to mislead our descendants, or through persecution of some manner. We consider these people to be our enemies on earth and we seek their conversion most earnestly but, keeping in mind Our Lord’s words in Matt. 18:16 (“Whosoever causes one of these little ones to stumble...:”), where they do not relent and force us to take up arms, there we must meet them in appropriate measure. Even so we must hold back our wrath, we must not fall to their level and risk harming the innocent. It is not our place to seek vengeance. To win the War of souls, the battleground for Spiritual War, we must maintain within ourselves the balance of justice and mercy to the best of our limited ability. It is not our job to send souls to God but to bring them to Him, and to achieve this goal we must first ensure our spiritual survival, “for what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). For us, every soul won for God is a dire blow against the Adversary and a victory for us.

Should the War above spill out from the spiritual battleground and into the physical, the Legionary is required to consider his state in life, whether the war satisfies the requirements of a Just War, and whether he desires to fight to protect his life and family or if he desires to fight for fighting’s sake. If he desires battle out of desire to battle, then he seeks violence against God’s Creation. Violence against God’s Creation should only be considered when there is no other option since all that God created in this world was created Good, and it is only through the Sin of Adam that the harmony God created was lost. Since man is made up of a physical body and non-physical soul, each sin is felt by the soul, which lives by God’s presence. When a man sins, that place in his soul which houses God, the Tabernacle of Man’s Heart, is corrupted and cannot house Him. The pain at this separation shows itself in outward signs ranging from melancholy and depression to violent outbursts against slights. War then, is a consequence of man’s failings and is caused by repeated, unrepented, unexamined sins. It is the soul’s crying out in pain that the body cannot contain, and so the body lashes out at its neighbours, since sin has placed it squarely in Satan’s power and allows him to influence its actions, either by increasing some defect of the intellect or increasing the temptation to sin again.

Final Statement

It is not enough to notice evil and sin within society, to cry “Degenerate!”, and weep at the state of the world. We believe that it is our responsibility as Christians to see evil, and combat it as it attempts to sway the hearts of man. Legio Christi asks that anyone who is of the right spirit act to better the human condition, that every man strive to improve the world around him so that on our final day we can, like St. Paul, say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Join Legio Christ and help us hold the flame, guide others to the Truth, and seek first the Kingdom of God.

"...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:20)

Bibliography and Further Reading

St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Contra Gentiles” as compiled by us at Legio Christi:
https://legiochristi.com/static/lit/summa-contra-gentiles-LC.pdf

St. Theophan the Recluse’s manual to spiritual salvation available from us at Legio Christi:
https://legiochristi.com/static/lit/Path_to_Salvation.pdf

An extraordinary meditation upon good and evil, grace and judgment, Lewis’s revolutionary idea in the The Great Divorce is that the gates of Hell are locked from the inside:
https://barnardsvilleumc.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/ebook-lewis-c-s-the-great-divorce.pdf

The Douay-Rheims Bible translation in .pdf form:
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/b/bible/douayr/cache/douayr.pdf

A study Bible to aid the Orthodox in their journey through this life:
http://www.worldhistory.biz/download567/The_Orthodox_Study_Bible_-_St.pdf

The compilation of this book is an effort to gather from an on-going tradition of piety that which is traditional, for many, reinforcing the familiar — but equally beneficial, familiarizing many with an Orthodox continuity of things commonly observed:
http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0805/

St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Theologiae”, which is maybe the greatest theological and philosophical work produced by a single man:
https://aquinas101.thomisticinstitute.org/st-index

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a reference book to other, more thorough writings:
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

Reasonable, concise, witty and wise, Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli have written an informative and valuable guidebook for anyone looking for answers to questions of faith and reason:
https://portalconservador.com/livros/Peter-Kreeft-Handbook-of-Christian-Apologetics.pdf

A word about intercommunion between the English and the Orthodox Churches:
https://books.google.com/books?id=c_ToHv-FV1YC

An Orthodox exposition on the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity:
https://www.st-philip.net/files/Fitzgerald%20Patristic%20series/Basil-Great_On_the_Holy_Spirit.pdf

A Catholic view on the constitution of the Blessed Trinity:
https://churchsociety.org/docs/english_prayer_book/06_EPB_athanasian_creed.pdf

St. John Chrysostom’s homilies “Adversus Judaeos” provides a very clear explanation on why it is the Jews are no longer God’s Chosen People and, in turn, explains why it is necessary to become either Catholic or Orthodox to be saved:
https://legiochristi.com/static/lit/Adversus_Judaeos.pdf

These and many more are linked in the Legio Christi reading list:
https://legiochristi.com/reading-list