Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/577

 perjury, and  the  terrible  profanation  of  the  Divine  Name, urged the  Dominicans  to  establish  everywhere  the  Confraternity of  the  Holy  Name  of  God. The greatest  preacher and leader  was  Father  Didacus,  of  Metoria. Pius IV wrote  13  April,  1564:  "We  have  learned  that  our  beloved son  Didacus  of  Victoria,  a  religious  of  the  Order  of Preachers,  a  man  eminent  in  the  word  of  God  and  in  zeal, has  instituted  a  most  useful  Confraternity  called  the  Society of  the  Holy  Name  of  God,  in  order  to  prevent  improper language  and  blasphemy.  .  . ,  This  Confraternity has  been  canonically  erected  and  received  in  different cities  and  villages  of  Spain.  The  faithful  have joined  it  in  great  numbers,  and  have  used  all  their  endeavors to  prevent  blasphemy,  perjury,  and  other  unlawful  swearing. .  .  .  And  we  command  all  and  every  one  of  our  venerable brethren,  patriarchs,  archbishops,  ordinaries  of  places, vicars  general,  and  their  officers,  to  favor  with  all  their power  the  aforesaid  Confraternity;  to  assist  and  sustain  it when  and  where  it  is  necessary  and  as  often  as  may  be  required by  the  Confraternity." The Society  established by Bishop  Diaz  and  the  loosely  organized  sodalities  to promote  devotion  to  the  Holy  Name  first  founded  and  existing in  Dominican  churches  now  came  under  the  approbation of  Pius  IV. From a  work  written  by  Ponce  de  Leon, dated 27  May,  1500,  we  learn  that  he  considered  the  Holy Name Society  in  his  day  among  the  sodalities  and  confraternities that  fiourished  in  the  Church,  deguissima  maximeque  necessaria. . .  et  utillisima."

The Society  was  known,  under  different  names,  such  as Confraternity  of  the  Holy  Name  of  God,  Society  of  the  Holy Name of  Jesus,  Confraternity  against  Oaths. Benedict XIII, 26  May,  1727,  mentions  this  in  his  constitution Pretiosus. The official  title  is  now  "The  Society  of  the