Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/579

 with the  formal  establishment  of  the  Society,  and  is  given faculties to  receive  into  it  the  men  of  his  parish. Very much depends  upon  the  proper  beginning  of  a  society. I may be  permitted  to  state  briefly  a  few  points  about  its organization, also  to  lay  down  some  principles  which,  as experience  proves,  have  governed  the  flourishing  societies.

1. Priests  desiring  the  Roman  diploma  of  institution can procure  it  directly  and  within  a  few  days  from  me. I would ask  priests  who  know  from  experience  what  a  blessing a  Holy  Name  Society  is  for  the  good  of  religion  in  a parish,  to  call  the  attention  of  their  brother  priests  to  the simple requirements  of  establishment. Such co-operation will effect  within  the  present  year  the  establishment  of  a Holy  Name  Society  in  practically  every  parish  of  the United States. The apostolic  blessing  is  granted  to  all priests who  promote  the  extension  of  the  Society.

2. On  the  day  of  establishment  it  is  advisable  to  invite a priest  who  has  had  some  experience  with  the  Holy  Name Society, a  neighboring  spiritual  director,  or  a  missionary  of the  various  religious  orders  or  diocese  and  bands. Let the men get  together  at  an  hour  best  suited  to  the  convenience of the  majority. At the  meeting  make  sure  to  get  the Christian and  family  name  of  each  man. Equally important as  the  name  is  the  address.

3. The  spiritual  director  should  appoint  for  the  first  time the officials  of  the  Society. So much  depends  upon  the co-operation that  the  spiritual  director  gets,  and  he  can hope to  secure  this  only  from  the  right  kind  of  officers. He knows the  men  who  will  work  best  with  him.

4. The  names  of  the  members  should  be  entered  in  a parish  registry  of  the  Society. This is  a  necessary  condition to  gain  the  indulgence. In most  parishes  one  of  the assistant priests  is  spiritual  director. When this  is  the  case, he should  ask  the  pastor  to  sign  his  name  once  at  the  bottom of each  page  of  the  registry. Assistant priests  can  secure this personal  faculty  for  themselves.

5. Teach  the  men  from  the  very  beginning  that  the  Holy Name Society  is  a  strictly  religious  organization,  as  much so as  the  Blessed  Virgin's  Sodality  or  any  confraternity  in the  parish. Men must  realize  that  the  primary  object  is  to