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
