sodality

IN a class-room of the Roman College, in the year 1563, a young Belgian Jesuit, Father John Leunis, is surrounded by a group of boys of seemingly unbounded energy. The good Father sees in their dark eyes a power and an enthusiasm which, if inspired and directed, may do immense things for God. They must be kept unspotted from the world. He speaks to them out of the abundance of the heart. He is not there primarily to teach them classics, but to fire them with love of God and zeal for souls. Soon the boys are hanging on his every word. I can, I will! Such were the thoughts passing through their minds. To be a knight of Our Lady – her perpetual servant – to be worthy of her. To put on her white armour; to be a Galahad with the strength of ten – here was a high aim – a star to guide them through the storms of life.   They knelt down and consecrated themselves to Our Lady. Only a simple class-room; only a young Jesuit priest; only a little band of boys; yet, from that little act of devotion with no pomp or circumstance, …

I. PERSONAL HOLINESS. II. CATHOLIC ACTION. “THE Sodality of Our Lady is a religious body which aims at fostering in its members an ardent devotion, reverence and filial love towards the Blessed Virgin Mary, and through this devotion and the protection of so good a Mother, it seeks to make the faithful, gathered together under her name, good Catholics sincerely bent on sanctifying themselves, each in his own state of life, and zealous, as far as their condition in life permits, to save and sanctify their neighbour and to defend the Church of Jesus Christ against the attacks of the wicked.” The above is the first and primary rule of the Sodality and sets forth its essential aims: personal holiness and Catholic Action; including work for the salvation and sanctification of one’s neighbour, and the spread and defence of the Church. The Sodality is a society whose members realise that religion is not merely a subject for the class-room or the pulpit, but a life that must be lived. The Sodality is the link between Catholic education and Catholic action. It demands of its member’s personal interest in their faith and the realisation that, as Catholics, they have the obligation …

DECREE IN virtue of authority conferred on Us by the Sovereign Pontiff, Gregory XIII., in the Constitution Omnipotentis Dei, dated the 5th day of December, in the year 1584, and enlarged and confirmed by Sixtus V., Clement VIII., Gregory XV., Benedict XIV., Clement XIII., Leo XII., and Leo XIII., whereby We are empowered to make Rules for Sodalities of Our Lady and, as circumstances and times demand, to change, correct and reform the same, We approve anew and sanction the following Rules, which, gathered from the Common Rules drawn up by Our Predecessors Father Acquaviva in the year 1587 , and Father Beckx in the year 1855, were laid down by Our Predecessor Father Martin in the year 1905; and now, brought into accurate harmony with the new Decrees of the Holy See and present conditions, have been revised by Us; and , leaving intact the approbation granted or to be granted by the Father-General to Rules for a certain class of persons or a particular country, We declare and decree these to be the Common Rules for the use of all Sodalities of Our Lady erected in Houses or Churches of the Society of Jesus. In testimony whereof, We …

…WHICH THE SOVEREIGN PONTIFFS HAVE GRANTED TO THE PRIMA-PRIMARIA SODALITY ERECTED IN THE ROMAN COLLEGE OF THE SOCIETY OF JESUS UNDER THE TITLE OF OUR LADY OF THE ANNUNCIATION AND SS. PETER AND PAUL, AND TO OTHER SODALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN OR SHALL BE AGGREGATED TO IT. I – PLENARY INDULGENCES GRANTED ONLY TO SODALISTS II – PLENARY & PARTIAL INDULGENCES GRANTED ONLY TO SODALISTS III – PARTIAL INDULGENCES GRANTED ONLY TO SODALISTS IV – PLENARY INDULGENCES WHICH ALL THE FAITHFUL CAN GAIN IN THE PLACE WHERE A SODALITY IS ERECTED. V – PRIVILEGES I – PLENARY INDULGENCES GRANTED ONLY TO SODALISTS 1. On the day of reception into the Sodality if, after Confession, they receive Holy Communion on that day. (Gregory XIII., 5 Dec., 1584; Sixtus V., 5 Jan. and 29 Sept., 1587; Gregory XV., 15 April, 1621; Benedict XIV., 8 Sept., 1751; Leo XII 7 March, 1825.) 2. At the hour of death if, after Confession and Holy Communion, or at least with contrition, they invoke devoutly the Most Holy Name of Jesus in their heart, if they cannot with their lips. (Ibidem, and Leo XIII., 23 June 1885) 3. If, after Confession, they receive Holy Communion on …