Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/571

 the Rocky  Mountains  have  written  me  commending  the general establishment  of  the  Holy  Name  Society  throughout their  dioceses. To bring  about  this  recognition  and to effect  the  strong  organization  that  we  have  to-day  has been on  the  part  of  many  a  labor  of  love  for  God. Many silent but  effectual  forces  of  priestly  and  religious  lives  have been spent  in  the  service  of  the  Master  and  for  the  honor of His  name.

I may  be  permitted  to  say  to  my  brethren  of  the  clergy that in  the  retrospect  of  forty  years  in  Holy  Name  activity I see  scores  of  zealous,  saintly  priests,  now  dead,  whose names will  never  be  associated  with  the  great  movement but who  worked  enthusiastically  for  the  honor  of  the  Holy Name. Surprise is  sometimes  expressed  at  "the  prominence into  which  the  Holy  Name  Society  has  come  in  recent years." We priests  of  the  older  generation  who  saw  the sowing of  the  seed  see  no  disproportion  in  the  harvest. The work  was  done  quietly,  but  effectively. The ground was well  prepared. In the  greater  number  of  dioceses, and in  most  of  the  principal  cities  of  the  country,  at  least one or  two  Holy  Name  Societies  flourished  and  furnished proof of  the  important  factor  that  a  well-organized  society of men  is  in  the  life  of  a  parish. The Holy  Name  Society seems to  be  peculiarly  well  adapted  to  unite  and  to  preserve in  unity  the  Catholic  men  of  the  United  States. It requires the  mere  essentials  of  a  decent,  honest,  churchgoing  man  of  clean  speech. As Bishop  McFaul  has  aptly expressed it,  the  Holy  Name  Society  supplies  members with "just  that  amount  of  'moral  suasion'  which  many men  need  in  order  to  keep  them  loyal  to  the  regular  reception of  the  Sacraments." When we  see  to-day  the  desertion of  Catholic  m.en  in  Catholic  countries,  the  fact  is  forcefully brought  home  to  us  that  in  the  Old  World  there  was not enough  attention  given  to  the  organization  of  boys and men  into  Church  societies  or  confraternities  along  lines that would  not  have  been  too  exacting. Throughout the Latin countries  a  great  number  of  sodalities  and  pious