The Common Rules of the Sodality

1. The Sodality of Our Lady, an association formed by the Society of Jesus and approved by the Holy See, is a religious body which aims at fostering in its members an ardent devotion, reverence and filial love towards the Blessed Virgin Mary, and through this devotion and the protection of so good a Mother, it seeks to make the faithful, gathered together under her name, good Catholics sincerely bent on sanctifying themselves, each in his own state of life, and zealous, as far as their condition in life permits, to save and sanctify their neighbor and to defend the Church of Jesus Christ against the attacks of the wicked.

2. According to the Apostolic Constitutions, the power to erect Sodalities of Our Lady in Jesuit Houses and Churches, to aggregate them to the Roman Prima-Primaria, and to communicate to them the Indulgences and Privileges granted it by the Sovereign Pontiffs, belongs exclusively to the General or Vicar-General of the Society of Jesus.

3. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the principal Patroness of these Sodalities, as their common name indicates. Hence, she must be acknowledged by them all as Primary Patroness, each one taking for title one of her mysteries or appellations. They may, however, if they wish, add to this Primary Title that of some Secondary Patron.

4. The Sodality of Our Lady has been established for all the faithful. But its form of organisation is best kept and its ends are most efficaciously reached if separate Sodalities are established for separate classes of people differing in age, state, or condition of life, so as to form Sodalities of boys, young men, mature men, students, workingmen, etc.

5. The Sodality of Our Lady should meet at least once a week on a day and at an hour determined by its Rules or particular customs. Unless some special reason to the contrary exists, the regular meeting of the Sodality should take place on Sunday, and it is even better that it take place on every Holy Day of Obligation without exception. The meeting should not be omitted on the days set, without very exceptional reasons, and should not be discontinued in the Summer months unless the absence of the members or some other cause makes that time impossible.

6. The regular exercises of these meetings are usually as follows:

• Invocation of the Holy Ghost by the Hymn Veni Creator;
• Reading of some pious book for 10 or 15 minutes, while the Sodalists are assembling;
• Announcement, where customary, of the Saints, and the Church events of the week.

These notices are taken from a Calendar approved for common use or for the special use of the Sodality;

Singing of Matins or Vespers of the Little Office of Our Lady, according as the meeting occurs in the morning or the evening. The recitation or singing of some other Office of Our Lady may be substituted.

A short conference by the Father-Director on subjects touching the spiritual progress of the Sodality;

The meeting shall close with the recitation of the Litany of Loreto or with prayers to the Secondary Patron, or with others determined by custom.

7. Besides these ordinary meetings, the Sodality of Our Lady should have other religious exercises in common, such as General Communions, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, and the solemn celebration of the Patronal Feasts.

8. The General Communion of the Sodality shall take place once a month on a set day, or on some solemn feast of Our Lord or His Blessed Mother, unless there are special reasons for some other day.

This exercise can be confined to Holy Mass with preparation before Communion and thanksgiving after it, the reading of the weekly notices, if customary, and the singing of the Salve Regina or the recitation of other short prayers in praise of Our Lady.

9. There shall be a Retreat every year for some days, closing with a General Communion. The Director of each Sodality shall, with due regard to the circumstances of importance, assign the time for the Retreat, its length, and the order of time. It should, however, be borne in mind that the best time is usually during Lent. Certainly the most fruitful retreat is the kind called closed, made away from the world and one’s friends. If this cannot be done, and if not even the entire day can be given to the exercises, it is well to have the Retreat last six days, with at least two periods daily, morning and evening or night, with Spiritual Reading, Meditation, Conference, Holy Mass and Beads as the principal Exercises.

10. The Sodality every year should celebrate its titular Feasts with some religious solemnity. To the greater praise and glory of the Blessed Virgin, the principal Patroness, it would be well to have a Novena or a devout Triduum before her titular Feast. In Sodalities that have St. Aloysius for Secondary Patron, and even in others, the Angelic Youth is usually honoured by the pious devotion of the Six Sundays.

11. Let these Feasts be made solemn, and in general let all public exercises be conducted with a display easily within the Sodality’s means and suitable to the position in life of its Members, always avoiding empty show, as this, instead of furthering the proper end of the Sodality, rather weakens greatly its spirit.

12. Our Lady’s Sodality aims at procuring the greatest possible holiness for its Members and at extending to many others their salutary influence for the good of souls. It must therefore labour by various means to foster piety in the Sodalists and lead them to practice works of charity towards their neighbour. The chief of these works are the teaching of Catechism, visiting the sick in hospitals and those confined in prison – works to which the early Sodalities devoted themselves with great zeal – or others like these, as the circumstances of our times may in different places require.

13. To do these works successfully it will be well, if the number and character of the Sodalists permit, to form particular sections, each with an organisation and life of its own, though always subject to the governing authority of the Sodality.

14. It is quite in accordance with the original plan of Sodalities of Our Lady to have in them, especially if they are Sodalities of students, one or more Academies for the young to practise themselves in scientific, literary, artistic or economic exercises, to help them on in their studies or profession, and to secure for them under the direction of competent persons correct views on questions connected with Catholic faith and morals.

15. Sodalities of Our Lady erected in Jesuit Houses or Churches have the Reverend Father-General or Vicar-General of the Society of Jesus as their head superior, according to the Constitution Omnipotentis Dei of Gregory XIII., confirmed and extended by other Apostolic Constitutions. In virtue of this authority, the Father-General has power to make and publish rules, constitutions and decrees for the Sodality’s direction, to examine and approve those made under his order by others, and to modify, correct, or re-cast them, whenever he thinks good.

16. According to the Constitution Laudabile Romanorum Pontificum of Benedict XIV, the particular Directors appointed in Jesuit Houses or Churches by the Father-General enjoy full power in whatever concerns the guidance government and administration, spiritual and temporal, of their Sodalities. Hence, providing they do not alter the present Common Rules, they can make any particular rules, statutes and decrees which they think seasonable and prudent. They can also modify and entirely change what they have decreed , without being obliged in any case to get or even to ask the opinion or consent of the Sodalists.

17. By express arrangement of the Very Reverend Father-General, the power to appoint Directors for Sodalities of Our Lady has been conferred on the Fathers-Provincial and Superiors of Missions. But Local Superiors of the Society, with regard to Sodalities erected in their Houses or Churches, have the same powers as the Directors, and can besides, if there is good reason, sub-delegate others to take their place for a time.

18. To assist the Father-Director in the government and conduct of the Sodality there exists a body of Sodalists, ordinarily composed of a Prefect, two Assistants, a Secretary, six or more Consultors, an Instructor of Candidates and a Treasurer. These are called the Major Officers, and alone constitute the Council. When circumstances render it advisable, the Director will appoint Vice-Officers, a Vice-Secretary, a Vice-Instructor, a Vice-Treasurer, or others entirely new, and can give to the Sodalists who hold these offices the character of Major Officers.

19. The Minor Officers, such as Sacristans, Recorders, Librarians, and Readers, have duties that are purely executive though some of these are of great practical importance. More or fewer of these offices are created according to the Sodality’s need.

20. The Director appoints the Lesser Officers. As to members of the Council or Major Officers, in Sodalities in which it is not customary that they too be appointed by the Director, and in which for grave reasons it does not seem good to introduce the practice, they are elected by a majority vote from three, proposed for each office separately by the Director. In new Sodalities, the one or other practice will be adopted, according to circumstances, for the greater good of the Sodality. It is, however, left free to follow some other method of choosing the Officers, Major and Minor, if ever another seems preferable, considering the circumstances and the end of the Sodality.

21. The Officers are changed usually once a year, at a time determined by rule or custom. Vacancies occurring are filled in the same way as above.

22. The Officers of the Council, like the Minor Officers, hold their powers to the extent and under the conditions determined by the Director granting these powers, and they remain subject to his authority, individually and collectively, in the discharge of their duties.

23. Those who wish to enter a Sodality of Our Lady, will address their applications to its Director, who alone has authority to admit. To apply for admission, Candidates shall, if possible, get some Sodalist to propose them. Candidates should especially be persons of irreproachable conduct of life, and have the age, condition of life, profession, etc., which are requisite in the Sodality which they seek to enter, and they must be resolved upon being faithful in the observance of the Rules.

24. Before the final reception, there shall be a probation of not less than two months. During this time the Candidate is obliged to fulfil without exception all the duties which the Sodality imposes on its Members.

Those who come from another Sodality can be admitted immediately, if they present a document signed by the Director of the Sodality from which they come, bearing testimony to their good character and ordinary attendance at the exercises of that Sodality. Those who, though Sodalists before, do not come directly from another Sodality will undergo a probation longer or shorter as the Director thinks best.

25. The solemn reception of new Sodalists will take place twice or oftener in the year, on the titular Feasts of the Sodality, or on some other principal Feasts of Our Lady.

26. When the time for the solemn reception of Candidates is approaching, the Director will lay before the Council the names of such of them as in his judgement are to be received, and will bid the Officers of the Council to express their opinion candidly and to make any objection there may be to the proposed admission. Having regard to the observations of the Council, the Father-Director will decide as he thinks best as to each Candidate, whether to receive him among the Sodalists, to require a longer probation or to exclude him entirely from the Sodality.

27. The solemn reception of Sodalists will take place in full meeting, the Prefect, the Secretary and the Instructor of Candidates assisting in the ceremony the Father-Director who receives.

The new Sodalists will go to the altar when called by the Secretary, and on their knees will recite one of the following Acts of Consecration.

ACT OF CONSECRATION OF ST. FRANCIS DE SALES:

MOST Holy Mary, Virgin Mother of God, I, N, most unworthy though I am to be thy servant, yet touched by thy motherly care for me, and longing to serve thee, do, in the presence of my Guardian Angel, and all the court of Heaven, choose thee this day to be my Queen, my Advocate and my Mother, and I firmly purpose to serve thee evermore myself and to do what I can that all may render faithful service to thee. Therefore, most devoted Mother through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me, I beg the and beseech thee, deign to take me among thy clients and receive me as thy servant for ever. Aid me in my every action, and beg for me the grace, never by word or deed or thought, to be displeasing in thy sight and that of thy most holy Son. Think of me, my dearest Mother, and desert me not at the hour of death. Amen.

ACT OF CONSECRATION OF ST. JOHN BERCHMANS:

HOLY Mary, Virgin Mother of God, I, N, choose thee this day to be my Queen, my Patroness, and my Advocate, and I firmly purpose never to desert thee and never to say or do anything against thee, and never to permit others to do anything against thy honour. Receive me, then, I pray thee, for thy servant for ever; aid me in my every action, and desert me not at the hour of my death. Amen.

Then the Father Director, or another priest delegated by him, shall invest them with the medal, using the ordinary formula, and shall declare their admission, saying:

FORMULA OF ADMISSION

IN virtue of powers duly vested in me, I receive you into the Sodality of Our Lady (Primary Title) and (Secondary Title) and render you participants of all the Indulgences granted to the Roman Prima-Primaria and to our Sodality. Your names shall now be entered on the roll of the Sodality; may they be written eternally in Heaven!

CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP

WE bear witness by these presents that our beloved in Christ……….was on……….received as a Member of the Sodality of (Class of persons) under the title of (Primary Title) and of (Secondary Title), and is therefore entitled to all the Indulgences, favours, graces and privileges which other Sodalists enjoy, and when he departs this life should receive from our Sodality all the suffrages which are of custom offered for Sodalists departed.

Done in the same Sodality of Our Lady on the day and in the year aforesaid.

………………..Director

………………..Prefect ………………..Secretary

The enrolment of the new Sodalists in the Sodality Book is never to be omitted.

28. The Director of the Sodality can, in particular cases, dispense with the formalities prescribed for reception. It is, in fact, absolutely speaking, sufficient for the validity of this act that one who has the power to receive and he who is to be received should manifest their formal will in the matter by some outward sign.

29. Into a Sodality of one class or state of life no one of another class or state of life can be admitted, unless the Director, for good reason, judges otherwise.

30. Sodalists once duly received into a Sodality remain members of it always, unless they give it up of their own accord or are dismissed as unworthy.

31. Any Sodalist or Candidate shall be dismissed from the Sodality who seriously falls in the general duties of a good Catholic or in the particular duties imposed in the Rules. Dismissal is decreed always by the Director, but he shall consult the Council beforehand in cases of special difficulty.

32. Though the Rules of the Sodality do not of themselves bind under pain of either mortal or venial sin, but leave in each matter that degree of obligation which exists by Divine or Ecclesiastical Law, still, the Sodalist should have great respect for the Rules and endeavour to fulfil them faithfully and exactly, as they voluntarily accepted them on the day of their reception, and as they will find in them the necessary and efficacious means to attain the end of the Sodality.

33. Good Sodalists ought to be first and foremost exemplary Catholics, conforming their faith and life entirely to the faith and morals which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, praising what she praises, disapproving of what she disapproves of, having the same sentiments in everything with her, and never being ashamed to act in private and in public life as faithful and obedient children of this, their holy Mother.

34. Sodalists must be very careful to practice those exercises of piety, which are most necessary for fervour of life. Every morning on rising, let them make the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, thank God our Lord for His benefits, offer Him their labours, with the intention of gaining all the Indulgences they can throughout the day, and invoke the Blessed Virgin by reciting the Hail Mary three times. Let them devote at least a quarter of an hour to mental prayer; be present, if they can, at the adorable Sacrifice of the Mass, and recite the most Holy Rosary, or some Office of Our Lady. In the evening, before retiring, let them carefully examine their conscience and make a fervent act of contrition for the sins of their whole life, and especially for those committed on that day.

35. They should carefully avoid all friendship and all unnecessary intercourse with evil or suspected persons. They must keep from bad reading and immoral plays. And, in general, let them fly from all occasions that are dangerous to their souls or would give scandal or disedification to their neighbour.

36. As far as possible, Sodalists should have a fixed Confessor, a pious, learned and prudent Priest, lay bare to him the state of their conscience with all sincerity and allow themselves to be formed and directed by him in all that pertains to the spiritual life.

37. Before receiving their medal, let the Candidates make a General Confession of their sins, unless the Confessor judges otherwise. After that they should not be satisfied with the General Communions of Rule, but approach the Sacraments as frequently as their Confessor advises.

38. The Sovereign Pontiff Benedict XIV gives all Sodalists the excellent advice to make a General Confession once or twice a year, beginning from the last. This will be easiest at the time of the Retreat or on the Monthly Recollection Day, or at the end of the year.

39. They should consider as addressed in a special manner to them the invitation to frequent and daily Communion which the Holy See has made to all the faithful, and therefore each and every Sodalist is earnestly recommended to strengthen himself with the Bread of Angels not only on the days when he can gain a Plenary Indulgence as a Sodalist, but also to strive to follow the pious and salutary custom most eagerly desired by Christ Our Lord and the Catholic Church of approaching the Holy Table often and even daily.

40. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the principal Patroness of the Sodality of Our Lady. Hence the Sodalists should make profession of a particular devotion to her and strive to imitate her splendid virtues, place all confidence in her and urge one another on to love and serve her with filial devotedness.

41. All should be extremely careful to attend at the appointed time the general meetings of the Sodality, ordinary and extraordinary. Attendance is indicated in various ways according to the custom of the Sodality. Among the customs most recommended is the employment of attendance cards delivered by the Sodalists, with their name, to the Officers designated. Sodalists who cannot be present at a meeting, should report personally or by letter, as soon as possible to the Father-Director, to whom it will belong to judge whether the reason alleged is proper.

42. It being in keeping with the spirit of the Sodality, as was said in Article III, to establish particular sections to foster piety in the Sodalists themselves and to give exercise to Catholic zeal and charity, it is very desirable that all the Sodalists should take an active part in some one of the sections, and, where circumstances permit, it will be good to make this of obligation. The obligation on each one, according to his studies or profession, to be present at the Academies, if any exist in the Sodality, shall depend on the particular Rules of each Sodality.

43. Let all be careful, as far as they can, to exercise their zeal, even in private, in spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and especially by drawing to the Sodality those whom they deem fit. In this way each Sodalist will be a true apostle of the Divine Glory and of His Blessed Mother.

44. In all that pertains to the life of the Sodality, they should obey promptly and with submission of will the orders and counsels of the Father-Director. In the same way let them give due honour and obedience to the Prefect and the other Officers of the Council, and also to the Minor Officers in what belongs to each one’s charge.

45. They should deal with one another with brotherly love and Christian charity, and often pray God Our Lord for the needs of the Sodality and of the Sodalists, and especially of the sick. When a Sodalist passes to a better life, let those who can attend his funeral, and let all in private offer prayers for his eternal rest. Besides this, they shall recite in common for him the Office of the Dead or other prayers, and have Holy Mass said, thus securing for him the Indulgences of a Privileged Altar.

46. Let each one contribute for the expenses of the Sodality either a voluntary alms, such as his means permit, or a small fixed sum determined by custom.

47. If a Sodalist is to be away temporarily or for good form the place of the Sodality, let him notify the Father-Director, who will, if necessary, send him an official letter signed by himself and the Prefect, testifying that he is a Sodalist, and is worthy of admission as such into other Sodalities. He must, however, know that all Sodalists away for a year or more from the place of their Sodality, and settling in a place from which they cannot attend its meetings, are obliged, in order to gain the Indulgences, to enter in their new home a Sodality corresponding to their state of life, unless the Director of such Sodality refuse them admission, or there happens some other hindrance, of whose sufficiency the Director of their former Sodality shall be judge. Those who are away should write occasionally to their Director or their Prefect, and should be careful, as far as circumstances permit, to carry out the pious practices of the Sodality; wherever they are, they should, with exact fidelity, lead that fervent Catholic life which is becoming in good Sodalists of Our Lady.

48. As the Major Officers or Members of the Council enjoy a dignity above the rest of the Sodalists, they should the more surpass them in the practice of virtue and in the exact observance of the Rules, as the office they are charged with is higher.

49. They should be very diligent in executing the duties of their office, and should, when necessary, have recourse to the Father-Director, to report to him on their administration, to consult him on doubts and difficulties arising, to receive new instructions from him, and so to make themselves, as they should, the faithful coadjutors of his authority in governing the Sodality.

50. They should assist with voice and vote at the meetings called by the Father-Director, or under his order by the Prefect. Those resolutions shall be considered decisions of the Council, and shall be promulgated as such, which have received a majority vote of the Council and are approved by the Director and duly announced. But without his consent, no resolution, not even if unanimous, should be held as valid.

51. They should clearly and candidly state their own opinions on the matters treated of in Council. Let them never presume to impose their own ideas, nor act through motives of self-love or personal advantage, but have regard solely to the greater glory of God and the spiritual good of the Sodality.

52. When it occurs to one of them to propose in Council something that might bring serious difficulty, let him beforehand explain it in private to the Father-Director. He will decide in his prudence, whether it is well to propose and discuss the matter.

53. Among the Officers, the Prefect is the first in authority, and is, so to speak, the right hand of the Father-Director. Along with him he presides at meetings, and, with due subordination to him, takes part in everything regarding the government of the Sodality, and especially in the question of the admission and dismissal of Sodalists.

54. The First and Second Assistants shall help the Prefect in his office with their advice and direct co-operation. If the Prefect is absent, his place is taken by the First Assistant; if he too is absent, by the Second Assistant.

55. It is the duty of the Secretary to write up the minutes of the Council meetings, to keep the general journal of the Sodality, to write and sign certificates of membership and other diplomas, testimonials, letters, notices and other official documents. In all such matters he shall act according to the mind of the Director and the Prefect. The minutes of the Council, the general journal of the Sodality and the enrolment of Sodalists should be in three different books, which should not be lacking in any Sodality.

56. The members of the Council, as their name indicates, are consultors, not only in meetings of the Council, at which they are present with deliberative vote, but also in private when called upon by the Director or the Prefect. In order to give reliable advice, let them be careful to become acquainted with the Sodalists as far as they can, and be familiar with whatever concerns the Sodality. They should on all occasions bear in mind, as it refers especially to them, what was said about Officers in general, touching the avoidance of party spirit and the necessity of a right intention in giving their opinion.

57. The duty of the Instructor of Candidates is to direct the Candidates and instruct them in the customs and spirit of the Sodality, during the time of the probation, which precedes their reception into the Sodality. Let him communicate to the Father-Director what he observes about the Candidates’ behaviour in the Sodality and out, so that the Director may be able with better knowledge of the case, to grant, put off, or deny the final reception.

58. The Treasurer collects the alms or fixed contributions of the Sodalists and Benefactors, ordinarily keeps in deposit the money of the Sodality, and on order of the Director or President, pays the expenses of the Sodality. Let him be careful to keep his books and papers very clear and accurate, and to act in all the details of his administration as a faithful steward of the little treasure of Our Lady entrusted to him.

59. The Minor Officers, like the Major, ought to be distinguished for piety and love of the Sodality, to fulfil their duties with earnest zeal, and to visit the Director more or less often as the nature of each one’s office requires.

60. The Sodality shall have at least two Sacristans. Their duty shall be to prepare the Chapel for Sodality meetings and to procure what is necessary for the use of the Sodality at its services or at religious functions.

61. It is also very necessary that there should be two or more Recorders. These shall have a book properly arranged with the names of all the Sodalists and Candidates, to note each day the attendance of each or the reasons of his absence which have the approval of the Director.

62. The Reader has charge of the spiritual reading usual at the services of the Sodality, as also of the announcement of the Saints and notices of the week, where this is customary.

63. The charge of the Library shall be given to one or more Librarians. On the days and at the hours appointed they shall tender the Sodalists the Catalogue of Books belonging to the Sodality, deliver to them the books they call for, and restore to their place the books returned.

64. As the Director and Prefect cannot visit frequently such Sodalists as are ill, it will be necessary to name Visitors from among the most zealous and prudent, to co-operate in this pious duty. The Visitors should try to make their visits pleasant to the sick, and by their spiritual conversation afford them help and consolation. Let them pray themselves for them and, when the sickness becomes serious, see that the same is done in the Sodality. In this case, let them immediately notify the Director, so that the sick may be fortified in time with the Sacraments.

65. The Major and Minor Officers described in these Rules are common to all Sodalities. If others are created in some Sodalities because of a particular need, their character, perogtives and duties shall be determined by the Director of each Sodality, who alone has the right to create them.

66. In order to secure more easily and certainly the end of each Sodality, or of several of the same class, or finally, of all the Sodalities, Congresses of Sodality Directors and of Sodalists, especially of the same country, are to be recommended. These Congresses should direct all their deliberations and functions to the good of souls and to solid piety, should not spend money on the mere splendour of the Festival, and should strive to produce practical and permanent results.

67. Commendable also is the practice both of publishing and of reading Sodality periodicals, which treat of Sodality matters and foster the Sodality spirit in their readers.

68. It also helps to the greater glory of God and the honour of Our Blessed Mother that, where it can be done, Sodalities of the same class or country should form a permanent league among themselves, with a common Council.

69. By the arrangement of Very Rev. Father Anderledy, if Rules somewhat different from the above are desired, they can be proposed to none but the Very Rev. Father-General. Local Rules additional to the present, if such are made, are not to be contrary to them, and if meant to be permanent are to be submitted to the Provincial or Superior of the Mission for approval.