| The Holy Name Society is one of the oldest Christian organizations in the world. Its primary objective is to do honor to the most Holy Name of Jesus through acts of reverence, love and charitable works. Blessed John of Vercelli formed the Holy Name Society in 1274 AD at the request of Pope Gregory X. Father Charles H. McKenna first established the Society in North America in 1896, with permission from Pope Leo XIII. In 1969, the National Association of the Holy Name Society was formed to unite all parishes in a comon body. |
As was written in the MBS 75th Anniversary publication, Fr. William McNamara, who served as Pastor here from 1925-1927, organized the Most Blessed Sacrament Holy Name Society here. It was the wish of Fr. McNamara to have the male parishioners unite ina common effort for parish social and religious activities, under the by-laws and concepts of the church's National Society. While the Society grew during his short tenure here, it came to flourish during the pastorate of Fr. Albert C. Mullin (1927-1942). Membership and parish activities were at an all-time high. In addition to father & son communion breakfasts, the Society also sponsored events, minstrel shows, penny sales, dances and auctions to name a few, which consistently drew crowds of 200 or more people. It's sports teams won city championships. With the cooperation of other parish groups, the Holy Name Society provided many years of fun and augmented the parish finances with an annual Tombola.
From the era of Fr. Mullin, through the pastorate of Monsignor Edward F. Dowd (1958-1968), Most Blessed Sacrament Holy Name Society was an organization that other South Shore parishes could only hope to emulate. The members and the leaders of the Holy Name Society personified what a parish was and what a parish could be. The Society continued on until 1970 when it became inactive.
Many men of the parish have been working and planing for several months now towards re-activating this most worthy Society, to give the men of the parish the opportunity to enrich their spiritual well-being by professing their faith and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ, who died so that we may be born again. A Holy Name member shows his devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ by such practices as attending a monthly Communion Mass, public profession of faith by wearing the Holy Name insignia (button), making an annual retreat, participating in religious programs and similar activities and most importantly by leading a sound, spiritual and moral life.
It is with great delight and enthusiam that we look forward to this new start of the Holy Name Society here in the parish. All of the men of the parish (16 years and up) are invited welcome to join us as we re-activate the former members and register new members.
Goals of the H.N.S. is to involve men of the parish in a religious bases social group that revolves around church, family and community. Meetings will be held once a month for approximately one hour after the 8:30 Mass. Some of the items on the agenda are Adoration of the Holy Eucharist, communion breakfasts and various projects around the church and rectory that need attention. There will also be discussion for future activities, such as a trip to the Pawtucket Red Sox and a deep sea fishing trip. These aadditional activities will be for the entire families of our members.
William Berberan ~President
Ed Davis ~Vice President
Dave Hemenway ~Secretary
Tom Lynn ~Treasurer
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On September 20, 1274, His Holiness Pope Gregory X addressed a letter to John of Vercelli, the Master General of the Order of Preachers, popularly known as the Dominican Order, which read:
Gregory, Bishop, servant of the servants of God, to our beloved Son, master of the Order of Preachers, health and apostolic benediction:
Recently, in the council of Lyons, we have judged it meet to order the frequenting of the Churches with humility and devotion, and that there should be delivered pious instructions, calculated to please God, and to teach men to nourish their souls. We have enjoined on the faithful who would there assemble, to revere in a particular manner that name which is above all names--the only name under heaven by which those who believe in it can be saved-- the name of Jesus Christ, who has purchased His people from their sins. And as it is written that every knee should bend at the name of Jesus, we have recommended to each one to fulfill this precept, and that, when they celebrate the sacred mysteries, they would give some honor to that golrious name by bending the knee of their hearts and by proving their devotion by the inclination of their heads. For this purpose we pray and earnestly exhort your charity, and we enjoin on you by our apostolic authority, that when you and the brothers of your Order announce the Word of God, you will endeavor to lead the people by the most efficacious discourses to perform what we have said, in order that you may receive the reward in the day.
Given at Lyons
on the 12th Day of October
the Third Year of our Pontificate |
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