The Catholic Standard & Times - Holy Name Society: Calling all men

Holy Name Society:
Calling all men

By NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer

It’s not uncommon to hear people using the name of God — and more specifically, Jesus Christ — with such casual profanity they don’t even seem to remember what they’re saying, or realize how swearing and using obscene epithets breed carelessness and violence.

But that’s not a new problem. In fact, profanity, obscenity, blasphemy and violence were just as common as far back as 1274. That year, the Roman Catholic Church Council, meeting in Lyons, France, issued a decree ordering reverence for — and devotion to — the name of Jesus as a way to combat those evils and promote peace.

Pope Gregory entrusted that mission in a special way to Blessed John of Vercelli, the master general of the Dominican Order of Preachers, because the Dominicans were known for their energetic preaching.

One of the first things Blessed John did was to form the Holy Name Society — the same society that continues today throughout the world, and which has a particularly strong presence in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Its 35 societies in 35 parishes around the Archdiocese, still share the orginal papal commission — instilling reverence for the holy name of Jesus through word and action, to develop the spiritual life of their members, and to serve their parish communities.

“In the United States, the Dominican Father McKenna brought the Holy Name Society [here] as a way of getting men involved, who weren’t going to Mass,” explained Paul Di Vito, the chairman for the Cause of Canonization of Blessed John Vercelli and a former president of the St. Helena Holy Name Society.

“When I became exposed to it in the 1950s, the Holy Name Societies and sodalities [for women] were found in just about every parish in every large city,” Di Vito said. “A monthly Holy Name Society Mass would have about 1,500 men in the church.”

And those members were active in their local parishes in others way, assisting their pastors in every way they could.

Then, as the number of other parish organizations grew, and more people moved into the suburbs, the Holy Name societies began to decline in membership and prominence, De Vito said. But in recent years, he and other Society members have seen a revitalization of their confraternity — both in the suburbs and in the city — and an increase in members of various ethnic backgrounds.

The informality of the groups, and the spiritual support and service opportunity they provide, have become a big draw for men of all ages who seek a place to serve the Church, according to John McCarty, the president of the Society at St. Monica parish in Berwyn.

“We invite men to get involved as much as they feel comfortable,” McCarty said. “We invite them to try it out, and get their feet wet. That type of relaxed atmosphere has been successful. We’ve been at St. Monica’s for 22 years, and our members [range] from young dads in their late 20s to men in their 80s.”

The Society offers spiritual-growth opportunities that include monthly Holy Name Society Masses; an annual Mass for the canonization of Blessed John of Vercelli; monthly parish meetings, and weekly Divine Mercy and rosary devotions, and a national Holy Name Society Convention at which Bishop Michael Burbidge, Bishop-elect of Raleigh, will participate in his role as episcopal moderator.

Said Bishop Burbidge: “I am inspired by the commitment on the part of the members of the Holy Name Society in bringing attention to a greater need for reverence of the Holy Name of God and I hope that more men throughout the dioceses of the United States will seriously consider membership in this important apostolate.”

Society members also participate in various service and social events, serving in parish ministries, assisting in prison ministry, and helping out in homeless shelters — as well as going to Philly games together, and holding monthly breakfasts and other, similar events.

The Holy Name Society is open to any Catholic man who is interested in developing a closer relationship with Christ and who wants to serve the Church.

“When I first got involved, I don’t think I was particularly devout,” said John Bradley, the archdiocesan Holy Name Union President. “But I have developed spiritually because of being around other devout and holy men. It’s a fraternity. It’s important to pray, and have community. “

To learn more about the Holy Name Society or find a society near you visit www.pahns.com or email John Bradley at vze2mv9y@verizon.net or call at (610) 789-1370.