Sodality of Our Lady
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The Sodality of Our Lady, also known as the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in Latin, Congregationes seu sodalitates B. Mariæ Virginis), is a
traces its origins to the first Sodality.Although first established for young school boys, by the
History
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Foundations
The Jesuit historian John W. O'Malley wrote of the foundations of the Sodality in his book The First Jesuits that "It was... made up especially of younger boys (pueri) from the [Roman] college, who agreed to daily Mass, weekly confession, monthly Communion, as well as to a half-hour of meditation each day and to some other pious exercises. They would also 'serve the poor.'"[1] He goes on to write that "[t]he choice of Mary as patron reflected the strong Marian element in Leunis's personal piety, but it was also probably considered appropriate for the age of the members."[2]
In 1569 a division of the sodality in the Roman College became necessary on account of the large number of members. The older pupils, those over eighteen years of age, formed a sodality for themselves, while the younger were formed into another. Soon there were three sodalities in the Roman College. In 1584, the Roman Sodality was made an archsodality by the Bull, Omnipotentis Dei of Gregory XIII.[3]
Wherever the Society of Jesus went to establish colleges or missions, a sodality of the Blessed Virgin was soon erected in that place. In all the larger cities of Europe where the Jesuits established themselves firmly, they founded not merely one, but as many as seven or even twenty different sodalities. During the period that the sodalities were connected with the houses and churches of the Jesuits the membership rose to many hundred thousands.[3]
In 1587, following a request from the Society of Jesus, Pope Sixtus V issued the Papal bull Superna Dispositione, which gave the Superior General of the Society of Jesus the right to create aggregates of the first Congregation within other localities, even among persons who were not enrolled in a Jesuit school or University.[4] As a result of this document, lay Congregations, such as the Ignatian Christian Life Community (since 1967), and "Marianische Frauencongregation" or "Ladies' Sodality of Our Lady" in Germany,[5] derive their beginnings.
17th century
In the late 16th century and throughout the 17th, Jesuits were using the model of the first sodality at the Roman College to establish a number of similar sodalities in Europe, India, and the Americas as organisations of lay spirituality. The first Sodality of Our Lady in Canada was established by the Jesuits in Quebec in 1657.[6]
Similar models, although not aggregates of the "Prima Primaria", were the confrarias (or Confraternities) founded by the Jesuits in
About a century later, in 1748, Pope Benedict XIV, with the papal bull Praeclaris Romanorum, attempted to renew the vigour of life in congregations.[4] For 167 years sodalities had been open only to men. Then in 1751 Benedict gave permission for sodalities of married women and girls, leading to a great increase in membership. Another jump in membership came when, in 1825, Pope Leo XII granted affiliation to sodalities not under Jesuit direction.[8]
After the suppression of the Society of Jesus
In 1767, the Society of Jesus was expelled from Latin America, and in 1773, with the suppression of the Jesuits by Pope Clement XIV through the brief Dominus ac Redemptor, the congregations "become one of the normal works of the universal Church."[4] The Society of Jesus was re-established in 1814, and Leo XII restored to the Jesuit general his old rights and privileges as regards the sodalities of the Blessed Virgin by a brief of 17 May 1824.[3] In 1825, Pope Leo XII granted affiliation to sodalities not under Jesuit direction.[8] By 1854 there were over 4,000 sodalities throughout the world.[6]
Papal blessing
In 1748,
Apostolic Constitution Bis Saeculari
The Children of Mary (associated group)
On May 1, 1835,
These Children of Mary Sodalities first embraced the pupils and orphans of the schools and institutions of the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. In 1847, Blessed Pius IX affiliated them to the Jesuit Roman Sodality. The badge adopted by the Children of Mary Immaculate (as they are also called) is the miraculous medal, suspended from a blue ribbon.[9]
The Children of Mary organization flourished in the mid 20th century. Young women went through a period of aspirancy of six months prior to acceptance as a fully-fledged child of Mary, who had the right to wear the distinctive blue cape. When a child of Mary married, she was embraced on arrival on the Church steps by other Children of Mary who removed the blue cape from over her wedding gown.[citation needed]
Sodality Rules
The first of its rules states that the Sodality "is a religious body which aims at fostering in its members an ardent devotion, reverence, and filial love towards the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through this devotion, and with 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 state of life, and zealous, as for as their condition in life permits, to save and sanctify their neighbour and to defend the Church of Jesus Christ against the attacks of the wicked."[citation needed]
Post-Vatican II and the advent of Christian Life Communities
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Until the establishment of the
Those who still form part of the "Marian Congregations", such as the 'Marianische Frauencongregation' of
With the formation of the CLC, the former World Federation of Sodalities ceased to exist. Some parish sodalities opted either not to join the CLC or subsequently withdrew. These sodalities have no central organization; each sodality is autonomous. There are three diocesan unions of sodalities: in New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.[10]
Notable members
- Heinrich Maier Austrian resistance fighter chaplain
Saints
On its rolls are the names of many saints, amongst whom may be mentioned:
For six years St.
References
- ^ a b O'Malley, J W 1993, 'The First Jesuits', Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, p. 197
- ^ O'Malley, p. 198.
- ^ a b c d "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Sodality". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d "CLC: History". www.cvx-clc.net. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "Marianische Frauencongregation - Congregation". www.marianischefrauencongregation.de. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ a b The Sodality of Our Lady: Historical Sketches. P.J. Kenedy & sons. 1916.
- ^ O'Malley, p. 195.
- ^ a b c "THE HISTORY OF THE SODALITY". sodality.ie. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Children of Mary". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- ^ "History". Sodality Union Archdiocese of Washington. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
Further reading
External links
- Agrupacion Catolica Universitaria, Miami, Florida, U.S.
- The Sodality of the Blessed Virgin and St. Patrick, Dublin, Ireland
- Mens Sodality of the Blessed Virgin, Altötting, Bavaria
- Ladies Sodality of the Blessed Virgin, Regensburg, Bavaria
- National Confederation of Sodalities, Brazil
- Sedes Sapientiae Sodality, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- The Sodality Movement/Christian Life Community-USA Records are held by the Marquette University Special Collections and University Archives