:J0~ / J. Q0,3QIf 
TO' W\Q..1;ov'l __ . 

1tN 83m 

FORMATION 
OF 

A 

REAL 

SODALIST 





FORMATION 

0/ a 
REAL 

SODALIST 

by J. ROGER LYONS, S.J. 

Revised by 

RICHARD L. ROONEY, S.J. 

THE QUEEN'S WORK 

3115 So. Grand Blvd. 

St. Louis 18, Mo. 



Imprimi potest.' 

Daniel H. Conway, S.J. 

Provincial, MissoU1'i Province 

I mprimatU1·.' 

ffi Joseph E. Ritter 

Archbishop of St. Louis 

May 11, 1954 

ANY FINANCIAL PROFIT made by The Queen's Work 

'Will be used for the promotion of the Sodality and 

the cause of Catholic Action. 

Copyright 1954 

THE QUEEN'S WORK 



INTRODUCTION 

In 1946 the late and still lamented Father J. Roger Lyons, S.J., 
published his booklet entitled FORMATION OF A REAL SODALIST. 

Father Lyons felt that Sodalists had received full instruction 
about the organizational structure of their Sodalities as it is out-
lined in the Common Rules. He felt that they were quite familiar 
with it. He was not so sure, however, that they might not be-
come so engrossed in this organizational setup as to miss out on 
real organization, which is quite another thing. That is why he 
wrote in his booklet that he was shifting the attention of the 
Sodalists from a consideration of their Sodalities' organizational 
structure, important and valuable as it is, to a consideration of 
the 'FYPE OF PERSON those Sodalities aim to produce. 

Father Lyons had dealt with enough Sodalists to know that, un-
like poets, they are not born, but made. They have to be trained 
and formed. It was his hope that his booklet would help directors, 
moderators, officers, and Sodalists themselves to train, form, make 
the REAL Sodalists that were so dear to his heart. 

Two years later, in 1948, His Holiness, Pope Pius XII issued his 
now famous Apostolic Constitution, Bis Saeculari. This document 
gave Father Lyons great joy, for it confirmed and, as it were, put 
papal approval on so many of the ideas that he had advocated in 
his FORMATION. 

We feel ~mre that, had God spared him, Father Lyons would 
have revised his booklet, using this Constitution as the basis of his 
new work. But in God's inscrutable providence Father Lyons was 
hurriedly called home before he could make this revision. We have 
taken it upon ourselves to do it for him. We hope that it will be 
fully in accord with his own mind in the matter. May it add to his 
joy in heaven! 

Feast of Our Lady's Presentation 

November 21, 19{i3 

3 

RICHARD L. ROONEY, S .. T. 





Part I 

THE MAKING OF A SODALIST 

1. Out of what "material" is a Sodality of Our Lady made? 
According to Rule 4, "The Sodality of Our Lady has been 

established for all the faithful." This Rule, however, is modified 
by Rule 23, which states that candidates should be "persons of 
irreproachable conduct." Finally, Pope Pius XII states: 

In the reception of Sodalists, great diligence should be exer -
cised to select only those who are not at all satisfied with 
leading a common ordiaary life, but are determined, in accord-
ance with the ascetical norms and exercises of piety laid down 
in the Rules, to fulfill even the highest "aspirations of t heir 
hearts" (Cf. Ps. 83:6). 

-Apostolic Constitution 

Briefly, then, we can say that the raw material out of which 
any Sodality is created is a group of good Catholics who, having 
found out what a Sodality is, what it aims at, and how it 
achieves its aims, are willing and anxious to live their lives 
henceforth in its ranks. 

2. What can a Sodality do for people of this sort? 

A Sodality of Our Lady is a means, or better still a formal 
or formative cause by which men, women, and youths who have 
the aspirations just mentioned are trained and formed ·to Chris-
tian perfection, to the heights of infused charity and love of 
God and neighbor in their own state of life. 

These ascetical means were not made a part of the wise So-
dality Rules and then neglected. Actually Sodalities in an im-
pressive way have incorporated these means into the daily 
living of their members. In all Sodalities that are faithfully 
observing their Rules and traditional methods of procedure, an 
innocence of life and deep-rooted practice of religion thrives 
and grows stronger. Moreover, out.of the desire to win Chris-
tian perfection for themselves and impart it to others, great 
numbers of Sodalist s with the grace of God enter the seminary 
and religious life. Some of these in fact, rise with unerring 
flight to the highest pinnacles of sanctity. 

A serious application to progress in the inner life almost 
spontaneously produces apostolic works which respond to the 
constantly changing demands and circumstances of human 
society. Consequently, We assert. without any hesitation that 
the per fect Catholic, which Sodalities of Our Lady have tradi-
tionally been accustomed to form, meets the requirements of 
our own age just as much as those of former times. In-
deed, the demand for men solidly formed in the Christian life 
is perhaps greater now than ever before. 

-ApoRtolic Constitution 

5 



3. Where does one find the pattern according to which Sodalities 
form and train Sodalists to achieve such heights? 

That pattern is given in the Common Rules of the Sodalities 
of Our Lady. 

In the address that he gave on the occasion of his fiftieth an-
niversary as a Sodalist, Pope Pius XII pointed to those Rules 
and said: 

In reality these Rules have done nothing but express in precise 
terms and as it were "codify" the history and the constant 
practice of the Sodalities providentially instituted by the well-
meriting Society of Jesus and approved and repeatedly and 
highly praised by the Holy See. 

In his A'postolic Constitution he repeated these ideas and 
insisted on the full observance of these Rules thirteen distinct 
times. To take but one instance: 

But there is a much more important reason than the fact that 
Sodalities are numerous. The success of Sodalities of Our 
Lady derives essentially from the Sodality Rules and methods 
which guide each Sodalist in his own way to such excellence 
in the spiritual life that he can then scale the very heights 
of Sanctity. • 

4. Can you give a brief summary of these 69 Rules which will 
express in short compass the Sodalities' pattern of perfection? 

Yes, for such a summary can be found in Rule 1: 
Sodalities of Our Lady are religious associations approved by 
the Holy See. They organize Catholics under our Lady's name 
and cultivate in them a deep devotedness, reverence, and filial 
love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under the patronage of the 
Mother of God, Sodalities of Our Lady aim at making their 
members outstanding Catholics who give themselves whole-
heartedly to sanctifying themselves in their own states of life 
and strenuously endeavor, as far as their social conditions per-
mit, to save and sanctify others and to defend the Church 
of Jesus Christ against the attacks of its enemies. 

It can be found stated even more briefly in the beginning of 
Rule 12: 

... the goal of Sodalities of Our Lady is the greatest pos-
sible holiness in their members ami an effective spiritual in-
fluence on others. . . . 

Hear again His Holiness: 

The conclusion following from all these facts is clear: The 
Sodalities of Our Lady, as their Church-approved Rules pro-
claim, are associations thoroughly filled with an apostolic 
spirit. While they spur on their own members to holiness, 

6 



sometimes to the very heights, Sodalities under the direction 
of their spiritual Shepherds likewise labor to bring about the 
Christian perfection and eternal salvation -of others also and 
to safeguard t he rights of the Church. Furthermore, they 
develop tireless' _servants of the Virgin Mother of God, and 
fully-trained propagators of the Kingdom of Christ. 

- Apostolic Constitution 

5. On what four simple ideas is the Sodality pattern based? 
The sodality pattern is based on the simple ideas: 

a) of what perpetual consecration to Mary really is and what 
it means; 

b) of what an intense interior life of real holiness is; 
c) of what the lay apostolate is and the Sodality apostolate 

in particular; . 
d) of what union with the hierarchy is and how Sodalities are ' 

to express their obedience to and dependence on their 
Bishops. 

6. A brief explanation of these ideas, please. 

a) OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND CONSECRATION. Devotion to Our 
Lady is a specific and outstanding means to the achievement 
of this apostolic holiness. The Sodalists' devotion to her is 
not different in kind from that of other Catholics. The 
Sodalities have no special Marian asceticism. But their mem-
bers do differ from others in the degree of their devotion. 
This difference is seen in the depth and intensity with which 
they love Mary and in the fullness and permanence of their 
devotedness. Their devotion is best expressed in the way 
they consecrate themselves to her in her Sodalities' ranks for 
time and eternity. Pope Pius XII describes it thus in his 
Golden Jubilee Address: 

Consecration to the Mother of God in the Sodality is an entire 
gift of oneself throughout life and for eternity. 

It is a consecration of oneself and of one's possessions 
and work and entire life. The organized apostolic work of 
the Sodalities is to be carried on by those who have first pre-
disposed themselves for this work by offering themselves 
under her patronage. 

Every real Sodality is an organization geared to the per-
formance of external, apostolic work; it is also an organiza-
tion which places its members under the direct patronage of 
Mary by requiring them to make a total gift of their life 
to the service of her who is hailed "Queen of Apostles." 

7 



Pope Pius restates this idea in the Bis Saeculari when he 
says: 

These must be called Our Lady's Sodalities, since they take 
their name from the Blessed Virgin Mary, but principally be-
cause each Sodalist professes an extraordinary devotion to the 
Mother of God and unites himself to her by a complete con-
secration. Without binding himself under pain of sin, the 
Sodalist of Our Lady pledges to fight with all his resources 
under the standard of the Blessed Virgin Mary to win Chris-
tian perfection and eternal salvation for himself and for 
others. Moreover, by this consecration the Sodalist binds him-
self to the Blessed Virgin Mary forever, unless he is dismissed 
from his Sodality as unworthy or he himself through lack of 
constancy leaves it. 

b) REAL HOLINESS. This consists essentially in the possession 
of the divine life of grace, the exercise of the interior life 
of the infused virtues. It consists essentially in union 
with God effected above all else by the possession and exer-
cise of the infused virtue of charity or love-"but the great-
est of these is charity" (I Cor. 13:13). 

A man is holy at any given moment in direct proportion 
to the amount of charity or love of God he has within him 
at that moment. But a man cannot love God without loving 

I 
his neighbor. As Dorothy Day has put it, "You love God 
just as much as the person you love least." As a man's love 
for the divine goodness in God Himself increases, so will his 
ove for the divine goodness in his neighbor increase also. 

And as he increases in the love of God in others, so will he 
increase in his love for God in Himself. The truest expres-
sion of his love for others, and hence for God, is his service 
of them for His sake. And a man's best service of Him in 
them is to strive for their salvation and sanctification. This 
he can do.' as a private isolated individual. He can do it 
much more effectively when he bands with others as Soda-
'sts do. 

The type of holiness sought for in the Sodalities of Our 
Lady, then, is of the '~ac~ve-cIntem~r kind. The So-
dalist strives to be ho y imse f so tha e can the better 
glorify God by working for the salvation and sanctification 
of his neighbor. 

c) ZEAL FOR SOULS AND ApOSTOLIC WORK. Both from the stand-
point that the Sodalities of Our Lady are organizations, and 
from the fact that they aim at real holiness , it is evident 
that they are of their very nature apostolic. 

8 



c) A Sodality is therefore more than a mere pious organiza- I 
tion aiming at fostering a private piety. Its outlook is 
apostolic. It is designed to work for the individual, for 
neighbor, and for the Church. 

Since the goal of Sodalities of Our Lady is the greatest pos-
sible holiness in their members and an effective spiritual 
influence on others, each must necessarily strive to develop 
a deep spirituality in its members and to set up apostolates 
among their neighbors. 
Prominent among these actions are teaching catechism, vis-
iting the sick in hospitals and those in prison-practices zeal-
ously performed by the early Sodalities. Each Sodality shall 
undertake whatever apostolic action is indicated by the needs 
and circumstances of its environment. 

-Rule 12 

In larger Sodalities specialized apostolic groups, called "Sec-
tions," may be formed for more effective apostolic action. 
These groups are composed according to the talents and in-
terests of the Sodalists. Each group functions independently 
and determines how to carry out the apostolic action en-
trusted to it. They always remain subject to the authority of 
the Sodality. 

-Rule 13 

In accordance with their original plan, Sodalities of Our 
Lad'y, especially those of students, may form one or more 
study groups, called "Academies." 
This arrangement helps the young people develop pr!jctical 
knowledge of the sciences, literature, arts, economics, etc. 
Moreover, with competent direction they can learn and prac-
tice the correct principles needed for jUdging matters involv-
ing Catholic faith and morals. 

-Rule 14 

Therefore groups within the Sodality for the study of the 
liturgy, the social encyclicals, co-ops, credit unions, world 
peace, rural life, literature, the family, etc., are proper to 
the Sodality. 

N.B. From the above citations, which are taken from the 
Rules, it is clearly evident that every Sodality must have 
very definite ideas as to WHAT IT AIMS TO DO and HOW IT 
CAN DO IT. Its scope of work -is unlimited. It is not grooved 
for one particular type of activity; it can adapt itself to the 
performance of many activities. Apostolic work for the 
individual, the neighbor, and the Church not only is not 
foreign to its aim and purpose, but is of its very essence 
and is proper to the varied means it has at hand for the 
accomplishing of that work. • 

_ \ ! /J 17 ---;t,k _ ---'J.!;"""" 
W( La1,.VIrL<'C,'t ,,-{'liP. u'-v~ ~ 9 ... ~~~J<& J ~.,_: 

;;~01')1..1 'NI4A4'4.-1~·~')rv~~',/~;~ 1,f!e-i{ 
J,~~ Lj:;'f/J<!~Mt.."" <'L - ~<-<-. "A L h./Io~/IA f." £/!.ji L.iAz.~ 



The Pope lays great stress on the apostolic aspect of the 
Sodalities' life, mentioning it 30 times and giving it 100 
lines in the Apostolic Constitution, Big Saeculari. Here are 
just a fevv of these references: 

In propagating the Kingdom of God and defending the rights 
of the Church, Sodalities of Our Lady must not dissipate 
and weaken their forces . . . 

In our confused times violently disturbed by so many calami-
ties, Weare greatly consoled by the Sodalists of Our Lady 
who all over the world work so strenuously and effectively 
in every field of the apostolate. 

A type of apostolate so vital today are the many schools 
established for young people and adults of the poorer classes 
-technical schools giving workingmen fuller training in their 
trades, and particularly those designed to develop a gTeatel' 
skill in the specialized fields of the professions and sciences. 
A great number of Sodalities-for the most part "inter-
parish" ones-have done much in this field and have been 
of inestimable help to the professions and to men of the same 
trade . . 

The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy upon whom Sodalities of Our 
Lady fully depend in undertaking and carrying out their 
work, count them among the forces of the militant apostolate. 
Sodalities deserve, therefore, by every right-as We have 
noted on another occasion-to be called co-operators in the 
apostolate of the Hierarchy. 

Sodalities of Our Lady likewise qualify with full right to be 
called: "Catholic Action undertaken through the Blessed 
Virgin Mary's constant care and inspiration." Their structure 
and distinctive characteristics are no obstacle to their being 
so designated. In fact, just as they have in the past, so now 
"they are, and in the future will be, safeguarding and con-
tributing to an eminent Catholic formation of souls." 

N.B. As is obvious from the explanation just given in band c, 
personal holiness (love of the divine goodness in itself-the 
"contemplative" side of the Sodality vocation) and actuated 

I zeal for souls (love of the divine goodness in our neighbor--
the "active" side of that same vocation) are really but tvvo 
phases, tvvo sides as vve have called them, of one and t'he 
same reality. They are as much one as are the intake and 
outgo of one and the same breath. They are actually causes 
of each other. "Contemplation" to be genuine must overflovv 
in love and service of the neighbor. "Action," or this service 
of love flovvs back again unto the increase of the interior life . . 

TRUE ORGANIZATION. The Sodalities of Our Lady are meant 
to be really organized groups. The Sodality "vvay of life" 

10 



is, of its very nature, an organized way. The Sodalities 
are a means used by the people who live in them (1) to 
achieve some relatively large-scale objective that they could 
not achieve by themselves alone or without organized effort, 
and (2) to do this in a way and with a power that only or-
ganization could effect. 

The organizational structure of these Sodalities, i.e., 
whether or not they have committees, sections, academies, 
study-discussion-action groups, is not half so important as 
the possession of Teal o1·ganization. Our Sodalities will have 
this when their members have in their heads and in their 
hearts certain ideas and certain desires. In other words, 
whether their structure be simple or complex, the Sodalities 
of Our Lady will be successful and do the job they are 
meant to do when their members have: 

1) a clear, definite knowledge of 
and 
an intense desire for 

the common end and aim and 
goal of the Sodalities in gen-
eral and of their own Sodality 
in particular; 

2) a clear, definite knowledge of 
and 
an intense desire for 

the common ' means given 
them by their Sodality to 
achieve this end; 

3) a full and liv.ed-out willingness to cooperate with their 
fellow Sodalists in the use of the means and techniques 
their Sodality gives them for the achievement of their 
common goal. 

d) UNION WITH THE HIERARCHY. 

Sodalities have always distinguished themselves for thinking 
with the Church. Bishops establish them. Priest-directors 
guide them. Sodalists, under Mary's patronage, look to the 
Church to guide them toward what Christ wants done. 

All organizations in the Church depend for their power on 
their obedience to the authority of their spiritual Shepherds. 
It is the only way they can be united into a well-ordered 
army. 

11 



In this respect, the Sodalities of Our Lady clearly must be 
rated as highly suitable apostolic instruments inasmuch as 
they eagerly and completely comply with the wishes of the 
Holy See-head and foundation of the entire Ecclesiastical 
Hierarchy-and, according to their talents and means, readily 
and humbly respond to the decrees and directions of their 
Ordinaries. 

Anyone who has thoroughly examined the innermost govern-
ing power of these Sodalities readily sees that some are under 
the jurisdiction of bishops and pastors and others- through 
special privilege-are governed by Us, and in virtue of Our 
delegated power by the General of the Society of Jesus. All 
however, in undertaking and carrying out apostolic works are 
subject to the authority of the bishop of the diocese and, at 
times, even to that of the pastor. 

The Ecclesiastic Hierarchy upon whom Sodalities of Our ,Lady 
fully depend in undertaking and carrying out their work, 
count them among the forces of the militant apostolate. So-
dalities deserve, therefore, by every right-as We have noted 
on another occasion-to be called co-operators in the apos-
tolate of the Hierarchy. 

Their "respect and lack of pretense in constantly obeying 
their Spiritual Shepherds" derives of necessity from the Sodal-
ity Rules. Through these, Soda lists have made it a common 
practice to profess unreservedly in their life and conduct 
whatever the Catholic Church teaches, "praising' what she 
praises, disapproving of what she disapproves of, agreeing 
with her in everything, and never being ashamed to act in 
public or in private as becomes a faithful and most dutiful 
son of such a mother." 

All Sodalities of Our Lady, no less than other organiza-
tions dedicated to the apostolate, are subject to the Ecclesia-
astical Hierarchy. The way in which they are subject is the 
same in all substantial points as that of other organizations 
but differs in non-essential matters. ' 

In propagating the Kingdom of God and defending the rights 
of the Church, Sodalities of Our Lady must not dissipate 
and weaken their forces. For this reason, Sodalists in under-
taking and carrying out apostolic works must faithfully follow 
the example of their predecessors and hold fast to their 
present form and practice by keeping in mind the following 
points: 

a. The Local Ordinary 

1. according to the norms of Canon Law but without 
detriment to the prescripts and documents of the 
Apostolic See, has power over absolutely all So-
dalities within his jurisdiction concerning' the exer-
cise of the external apostolate; • 

12 



2. has power over Sodalities erected outside of places 
maintained by the Society of J esus and accordingly 
can give them their own ru les-provided that the 
substantials of the Common Rules remain intact. 

b. Th e Pastor 

1. is by his office the director of parish Sodalities and 
governs them as well as other societies within his 
parish limits; 

2. possesses over all the Sodalities engaged in apostolic 
works within his parish limits, that power which has 
been given him by Canon Law a nd by diocesan stat-
utes for the right ordering of the external apostolate. 

The legitimately a ppointed director of any Sodality must 
always be a priest. As director, he is entirely subject to his 
lawful ecclesiastical Superiors. Nevertheless, in virtue of 
the Common Rules he possesses full power in the internal 
life of the Sodality. It is fitting, however, that he should 
for the most part exercise this power through Soda lists chosen 
to help him in his office. 

7. Why is there such a wide gap yawning between what Sodalities f 
should be, according to the Rules and the Pope, .and what they '/ 
actually are? 

The answer is a simple one. This gap comes from: 

a y the failure on the part of many to read, stucTy, understand, 
./ and actualize the Rules of the Sodalities and the directives 

of the Apostolic Constitution; 

y a failure to grasp the real meaning of their organization; 

~a mistaken concept of t he aim and purpose of these So- I 
dalities; 

A Sodality is not a mere pious, prayer-meeting, nor HgOOd- 1 
time" Charlie or Charline, nor monthly Communion or-
ganization. It is aimed, rather, at living Christian life at 
its highest, most apostolic peak. 

d) ignorance of their true nature, spirit; 

~ the mi f,ltake of thinking that you have a Sodality when you ~ 
gather a group of people together and call them such, even 
though they neither know nor live t he Sodality Rules. 

This is like putting a haphazard group of men into uniform 
and calling them an army, though they have no idea what-" 
soever of warfare. Or it is like taking the first fifty 
women you meet, putting nuns' garb on them, and then 
calling t hem a religious order. 

13 



Part II 

MEANS FOR MAKING A SODALIST 

1. Profile of a Sodalist 

INTRODUCTORY. Let us suppose that you have decided to start a 
Sodality of Our Lady. Or let us suppose that you already have 
one, but in honesty you must admit that it is conformed to neither 
the Rules nor to the genuine Sodality limned in the Bis Saeculari. 
In either case what are you to do? How are you to go about 
beginning it on the sound basic foundation of those two docu-
ments? Or how are you going to bring it back into line with 
them? 

It seems to us that Father Lyons, in his original booklet, indi-
cated the right first step when he gave a profile of just what a 
true Sodalist should be. From this picture of the end result a 
Sodality will produce, viz., a group of fully formed Sodalists, you 
can see what you are shooting at and how your Sodality will enable 
you to hit your mark. The following questions and answers will 
draw in the lines of that picture for you. 

1. What are the characteristics that distinguish the authentic 
Sodalist? 

In answer we can say that the true Sodalist will show forth 
the following ten qualities. 

1) He is a Catholic who is intensely bent on living the interior 
life deeply and vigorously (cf. page 8). 

. . . who give themselves wholeheartedly to sanctifying 
themselves in th eir own states of life . .. 

-Rule 1 

2) He is zealous for the salvation and sanctification of his 
neighbor . 

. . . st renuously endeavor, as far as their social conditions 
permit, to save and sanctify others ... 

-Rule 1 

Prominent among these actions are teaching catechism, 
visiting the sick in hospitals and those in prison-practices 
zealously performed by the early Sodalities. -Rule 12 

14 



· . . every Sodalist on his own initiative should personally 
un dert a ke spiritua l a nd cor por al works of mercy. 

-Rule 43 

Among their primary ends, Soda lities include every fo r m 
of the apostola t e, pa r t icularly the social apostolate , since 
t he apostolic work of spreading the Kingdom of Christ an d 
def ending the r ights of the Church has been ma ndat ed 
to Sodalities by the Ecclesia stical Hierarch y itself. 

-PIus XII, Apostolic Con8titution 

3) He labors for the defense and spread of the Church. 

4) He possesses a deep, sincere, and consecrated devotedness 
to the Blessed Virgin Mary and strives: 

to imitate her splendid virtues, 
to place all confidence in her, 

to get others to love and serve her too. 

5) He shows this devotion especially by living out as fully 
as he can his consecration, his entire gift of himself to her 
in the Sodality he has entered. 

6) He sees the value, personal and apostolic, of the following 
Rules and lives them as perfectly as he can: 

33-Thinking with the Church 
39-Frequent and even daily Mass and Communion 
34-Daily spiritual exercises 
38-Monthly day of recollection 

9-Annual retreat 
35-Avoiding the occasions of sin 
36--Fixed confessor 
12-Apostolate (plus Rules 13, 14, and 42) 
43-VVorks of mercy 

7) He attends the meetings regularly and takes that active 
part his Sodality assigns him in its program of charitable 
and apostolic action. 

8) He gives generously of his time and energy in a spirit of 
teamwork with his fellow Sodalists in their effort to ad-
vance the Kingdom of God through their cooperative life 
and labor. 

9) He is jealous of his Sodality's good name and seeks to 
obtain worthy new members for its ranks. 

15 



10) He is one, in fine, who strives manfully to live the Chris-
tian' way of life as fully as he can in the Sodality way, 
i.e., with a completeness, intensity, and perfection that out-
strips even the good "practicing" Catholic. 

2. Papal picture of a real Sodalist. 

Pope Pius XII on the occasion of his fiftieth anniversary in 
the Sodality of Our Lady traced the type of Sodalist to be 
formed by a Sodality and the type of Sodalist which the civil 
and social orders and the Church so urgently need today. 

a) The type of Sodalist to be formed by a Sodality. 

1) "The Sodalist, truly a son of Mary, a knight of the Virgin, 
cannot content himself with a simple service of honor; 
he ought to be at her call in everything; he ought to 
make himself the guardian, the defender of her name, of 
her exalted prerogatives, of her cause, to carry to his 
brethren the graces and heavenly favors of their common 
mother, to combat without truce at the command of her 
who 'destroys all heresies in the whole world.' " 

2) "To apply oneself seriously to sanctity, each in his proper 
state; to dedicate oneself, not in any manner whatsoever, 
but with ardor in the measure and manner compatible 
with each other's social condition to the salvation and 
perfection of others; in a word to employ oneself stren-
uously in the defense of the Church of Christ; such is the 
assignment of the Sodalist, freely, resolutely accepted in 
the act of his consecration; such is the magnificent pro-
program traced out for him by the Rules." 

3) "He has enrolled himself under her standard for per-
petual service; he has no longer the right to lay down his 
arms through fear of attacks and persecutions; he can-
not without unfaithfulness to his own word desert and 
abandon his post of combat and honor," 

b) The type of Sodalists needed today. 

In describing the type of Sodalists needed today, our Holy 
Father says that he wishes "to affirm that the model of a 
Catholic, which the Sodality has set itself from its beginning 
to form, has perhaps never corresponded to the needs and 
contingencies of any time as today, and that no time perhaps 

16 



has needed it so urgently as ours." Note that at the con-
clusion of his graphic description of what that model of a 
Catholic should be-as given in the following excerpts-
His Holiness adds the significant remark that "to form such 
men and such Catholics has always been the scope of well-
ordered and active Sodalities." 

1) Sodalists and the civil and social orders. 

"What indeed does life in the civil order demand today? 
Men, real men, not men who think only of amusing and 
diverting themselves like children, but solidly constituted 
and ready for action, to whom it is a sacred duty not to 
neglect any of those things which can promote their 
sanctification. . . . It demands men who do not fear to 
walk over the rough paths of the present miserable 
economic condition and are fit to hold up those whom 
providence has entrusted to their care; men finally who 
in the exercise of their profession recoil from mediocrity 
and look to that perfection which the work of recon-
struction after so great a disaster demands from every-
one." 

2) Sodalists and the Church. 
"And the Church, what does she demand? Catholics, 
true Catholics, well wrought and strong .... The present 
time has need of Catholics who have been solidly 
grounded in their faith from their early youth, so that 
they will not waver even if they are no longer sustained 
and reinforced by the fervor of those who surround 
them; Catholics who with their gaze fixed on the ideal 
of Christian virtues, of purity, of sanctity, conscious of 
the sacrifices which it demands, tend to that ideal with 
all their forces in their daily life, always straight, always 
right, with temptations and seductions powerless to bend 
them. . . . The present time demands Catholics without 
fear, to whom it is a thing supremely natural to confess 
their faith openly in word and deed every time the law 
of God and regard for Christian honor demand it. Real 
men, whole men, strong and fearless! Not men who 
are men by halves whom the world itself today rejects. 
thrusts aside, and tramples upon. To form such men and 
such Catholics has always been the scope of well-ordered 
and active Sodalities." 

17 



His Holiness repeats these ideas briefly in the Bl:S 
Saeculari when he says: "Sodalities of Our Lady must, 
therefore, give their members, each in accord with hig 
condition in life,a formation that will make them capable 
of being proposed to their equals as examples of Chrig-
tian living and apostolic zeal." 

Such, therefore, is the portrait of real Sodalists as it emerges 
from a study of the Rules and the pronouncements of the Pope. 
It remains but to see what instruments Sodalists use to fashion 
such outstanding Catholics. 

2. The Instruments of Formation 

1. How do Sodalities go about giving their members training and 
formation? 

Every true Sodality goes about the formation and training of 
its members by means of the following instruments, by taking 
all of the following steps: 

1) It recruits good candidates. 

2) It gives them an adequate and thorough instruction, 
training, and probation. 

3) It sees to it that they understand and live up to their 
consecration to Our Lady in its ranks. 

4) It continues to deepen and intensify their interior lives. 

5) It increases their apostolic zeal and gives them outlets 
for it. 

6) It deepens their love for Mary. 

7) It uses Sodality means for these last three steps: 

(a) A Central Council (alone or working with Planning 
Committees) ; 

(c) Effective Programs of Action. 

(b) Sections; 

2. Explanation of these seven points. 

STEP I-Recruiting Good Candidates. 

The first step in the formation of real Sodalists is to admit 
to the Sodality only those candidates who desire and are resolved 

18 



to become loyal and interested members of the Sodality and to 
be faithful in the observance of the Rules. 

a) What is m eant by membership in a Sodality? 
The question may be considered from two points of view. 

1) What membership in a Sodality DOES NOT MEAN: 

(a) Merely being received into that Sodality. 

(b) Merely having one's name inscribed on its roster. 

(c) Merely having paid one's dues. 

2) What membership In the Sodality DOES MEAN: 

(a) It means knowing and voluntarily accepting that 
Sodality's WAY OF LIFE. 

(b) It means living according to aU the Rules, ideals, 
and objectives of the Sodality as they are inspired 
and motivated by devotion to our Blessed Mother. 

When candidates are being chosen for admission into 
the Sodality, it would be well to keep in mind the type 
of Catholic which Pope Pius XII says is needed at the 
present time. What His Holiness says of Catholics in 
general can be applied to Sodalists in particular, since 
it is the precise task of the Sodality to form such out-
standing Catholics. Hence to its prospective members 
a Sodality can say: 

The present time demands SODALISTS without fear, 
to whom it is a thing supremely natural to confess their 
faith openly in word and in deed every time the law of 
God and regard for Christian honor demand it. SODA-
LISTS, REAL SODALISTS, not SODALISTS who think 
only of diverting themselves like children, but solidly 
constituted and ready for action, to whom it is a sacred 
duty not to neglect any of those things which can pro-
mote their sanctification. 

b) Do the Sodality Rules propose a form to be follow ed regaTd-
ing the admission of new membe?·s? 

The Sodality Rules present a very definite pattern in this 
regard: 

1) Candidates should APPLY for admission. 

19 



2) If possible, candidates applying for admission should 
have some Sodalist PROPOSE THEM. 

3) Candidates should be of IRREPROACHABLE CHAR-
ACTER. 

4) Candidates should be RESOLVED to follow the Sodality 
Rules and to live life the Sodality way. 

The Sodality that follows this pattern will enhance its pres-
tige. It will reduce to a minimum the danger and possibility 
of being burdened with a lot of "deadwood": listless, light-
headed, and indifferent members. The first step in the forma-
tion of genuine Sodalists, then, is that of recruiting only such 
candidates as seem "most likely to succeed." 

In the enrollment of Sodalists care should be taken to choose those 
who are by no means satisfied with an ordinary and common kind of 
life, but who strive "to place the most lofty sentiments in their 
hear ts" according to the ascetic norms and exercises of holiness 
proposed in the Rules. 

-PIUS XII, Apostolic Constitution 

STEP 2-The Sodality Instruction, ,Tr-aining, and Probation 
Period. 

Closely allied with the recruiting of members of the right 
calibre is the question of what to do with them once they 
have been secured. This question, too, is answered by the 
Sodality Rules, which prescribe a period of instruction and 
probation to start the candidates on the road to the heights. 

a) Do the Sodality Rules propose a pattern for Sodality pro-
bation? 

The Sodality Rules propose the following pattern. 

Before being admitted into a Sodality as a permanent mem-
ber of it, the candidate must discharge faithfully for at least 
two months all the duties the Sodality imposes on its 
members. 

A Sodalist who transfers from another Sodality and pre-
sents testimonials of character and a satisfactory record of 
a full Sodality life may be admitted immediately. Others 
shall according to ·the judgment of the director undergo a 
sufficient training and probation before reception. 

NOTE. According to the above, candidates are obliged to 
fulfill without exception all the duties which the Sodality 
imposes on its members for a period of not less than two 
monthR before they are finally accepted into a Sodality. 

20 



Many have misread this Rule and have had instruction-
training-probation periods of only two months. Actually 
the Rule refers to the final period of probation that follows 
a previous time of instruction and training. Both common 
sense and experience show that this full two-month observ-
ance cannot be achieved (unless you have a group of candi-
dates already ready for canonization!) unless it has been 
preceded by a much longer period of learning, training, and 
testing. How long this pre-period will be, varies with the 
persons involved. Without setting any definite time, we 
can put this down as a workable yardstick: take as much 
time as you need for your candidates (1) to come to know 
their obligations and privileges and (2) to be able to fulfill 
their duties for that final two-month period. In many 
Sodalities six months to a year is deemed necessary. In 
others even at the end of that time only a temporary con-
secration for a year is made. Final acceptance or with-
drawal comes at the end of that year. It is well to remem-
ber that the privileges and rich indulgences granted to 
Sodalities of Our Lady affiliated with the Pr1ima Primaria 
in Rome can be gained by candidates from the very start 
of the training period. 

(Handbooks for this instruction-probation period on the 
various levels-elementary school, high school, college, nurs-
ing school, and parish [for both men and womenJ-can be 
obtained from The Queen's Work.) 

b) The instruction-probation period cuts two ways. 
This time of instruction and probation, in order to be 

effective, must not be a one-sided proposition. It is not 
merely a time for the candidate to prove himself worthy to 
be admitted to this Sodality, but it is also a time when the 
Sodality proves itself worthy of the candidate. This flesh-
and-blood Sodality must measure up to the expectations 
and ideals of the candidate as they are outlined in the 
Sodality Rules and the Bis Saeculari. 

The candidate must see an interiorly alive, energetically 
apostolic ,Sodality in which it will be a privilege to hold 
membership. He must feel a just pride in being admitted 
to its ranks. 

The candidate must see in his Sodality an organization 
that places before him certain ideals and objectives and that 

21 



functions in such manner that it is possible for him and his 
fellow Sodalists to reach these ideals and objectives. 

Any Sodality loses prestige when candidates who seek 
admission to it discover that it is poorly organized, functions 
halfheartedly, and is capable of accomplishing little or 
nothing for its members and the kingdom of God. 

By all means, place the candidate on probation, but first 
of all show the candidate a Sodality that will have nothing 
to fear when he places the Sodality itself on probation. 

Sodality probation implies two things: 

The candidate must "sell" himself to the Sodality. 

The Sodality must "sell" itself to the candidate. 

STEP 3-The Sodality Act of Consecration. 

The third step in the process of formation is concerned with 
the Act of Consecration. The Sodalist must grasp the fact 
that "Consecration to the Mother of God in the Sodality is an 
entire gift of oneself throughout life and for all eternity." 

a) How should the Sodalist regard the gift that he makes of 
himself through his Act of Consecration F 

This offering of self on the part of the Sodalist is to be 
regarded, not as a gift of mere sentiment nor as a mere 
formality, but rather as a gift which "pours itself out in all 
of the exterior works of solid devotion, of worship, of 
charity, and of zeal." It establishes a firm contact between 
the Sodalist and his Sodality and through the Sodality with 
our Blessed Mother. Hence the Sodalist will do everything 
in his power to maintain and strengthen the contact he has 
thus established. 

b) How does the Sodality help the Sodalist to maintain and 
strengthen this contact which he makes through his Act of 
Consecration? 

A well-ordered and active Sodality trains the Sodalist to 
maintain and enrich this contact with Mary through a pro-
gram of activities that demands of the Sodalist that he 
apply himself seriously to personal sanctification, to the 
salvation and perfection of the neighbor, and to the stren-
uous defense of the Church of Christ. Fidelity to this four-
fold purpose constitutes, in the word of Pius XII, an 

22 



"assignment of the Sodalist, freely, resolutely accepted in 
the act of his consecration." 

STEP 4-Continuing to Intensify Their Interior Life. 

The chief means a Sodality uses for the intensification of its 
members' interior life are those mentioned in Article VI of 
the Common Rules: "Duties Common to All the Sodalists," 
plus real apostolic work, which by its very nature is sanctifying. 
A perusal of these Rules will bring out a striking characteristic 
of the Sodalities of Our Lady. There are no peculiar ascetical 
exercises that belong to them alone. Rather they accept from 
the Church those means of deepening the interior life that she 
offers to all of her children: the liturgy, with its Mass, sac-
raments, and sacramentals; spiritual reading; prayer, both 
mental and vocal; days of recollection; retreats; etc. Sodalists 
differ from other Catholics only in this: they make use of all 1 
these means and they make use of them with a continuousness, 
intensity, regularity, and perseverance unknown to the rank-
and-file Catholic. 

Of these means Pope Pius XII says: 
But" there is a much more important reason than the fact 
that Sodalities are numerous. The success of Sodalities of 
Our Lady derives essentially from the Sodality Rules . and 
methods which guide each Sodalist in his own way to such 
excellence in the spiritual life that he can then scale the very 
heights of sanctity. 

The means that the Sodality Rules prescribe are most effec-
tive in forming perfect and whole-hearted servants of Christ: 
the Spiritual Exercises, the practice of daily meditation and 
examination of conscience, frequent reception of the sacra-
ments, frequent recourse and filial submission to a fixed spir-
itual director, the surrender of oneself completely and forever 
to the protection of the Virgin Mother of God, and a firm, 
solemn promise to work for one's perfection and that of 
others. 

- Apostolic Consti tu t ion 

STEP 5-Continuing to Intensify Their Apostolic Zeal. 

If fidelity to these ascetical exercises is genuine, and is not 
looked upon as an end in itself but merely as a means to the 
growth of the interior life, then the results will be such as are 
described by His Holiness in the Apostolic Constitution: 

All these means are naturally able to fan the flames of divine 
love in Sodalists of Our Lady and to nourish and strengthen 
the interior life. This life is so urgently needed in our mod-

23 



ern age; for today, as We regretfully mentioned sometime I 
ago, a large number of men suffer greatly from "complete 
spiritual emptiness and privation." 

These ascetical means were not made a part of the wise So-
dality Rules and then neglected. Actually Sodalities in an 
impressive way have incorporated these means into the daily 
living of their members. In all Sodalities that are faithfully 
observing their Rules and traditional methods of procedure, 
an innocence of life and deep-rooted practice of religion 
thrives and grows stronger. Moreover, out of the desire to 
win Christian perfection for themselves and impart it to 
others, great numbers of Sodalists with the grace of God 
enter the seminary and religious life. Some of these in fact, 
rise with unerring flight to the highest pinnacles of sanctity. 

A serious application to progress in the interior life almost 
spontaneously produces apostolic works which respond- to the 
constantly changing demands and circumstances of human so-
ciety. Consequently, We assert without any hesitation that 
the perfect Catholic, which Sodalities of Our Lady have -tra-
ditionally been accustomed to form, meets the requirements 
of our own age just as much as those of former times. In-
deed, the demand for men solidly formed in the Christian life 
is perhaps grelOlter now than ever before. 

Two facts should be recalled here: 

1) Apostolic labor, especially of a group kind, is of the 
very essence of the Sodalities of Our Lady. As a matter 
of fact, all the other formative influences, the ascetical 
practices of the Sodalities could be had without organiza-
tion at all. Even though carrying them out with the 
encouragement of others is helpful. it is certainly not 
essential. An organized apostolate such as the last 
three Popes Pius have called for, however, 

(a) cannot be carried on outside of an organization, 

(b) is just what the Sodalities from their very begin-
ning have aimed at. 

This is further evidenced by the fact that according to 
Pope Pius XII the Sodalities of Our Lady are Catholic 
Action strictly so-called, "Catholic Action undertaken 
through the Blessed Virgin Mary's constant care and 
inspiration." But Catholic Action by its nature is 
organized action.-

2) Apostolic labor is an extremely effective means for the 
development of the interior life. The active apostle is 

24 



called on to exercise virtues and to undergo trials the 
strict contemplative never dreams of. His work calls 
for humility, courage, fortitude, perseverance, patience, 
prudence, hope, vivid faith, and a real love of the often 
very unlovable. All of these are needed in a fully lived 
interior life. Many of them can be gained fully only 
by apostolic action. 

(For outlets for this apostolic zeal see page 45.) 

STEP 6-Deepening Their Love of Mary. 

This sixth step in the formation of a real Sodalist is briefly 
and accurately summarized in the statement: "The specific 
character of the Sodality lies in the fact that it aims at forming 
fervent Christians by means of devotion to Our Lady" (Acies 
Ordinata" Vol. 13, p. 97). 

a) What specific suggestion is made in the Rules for the fos-
tering of devotion to Our Lady? 

Rule 40 calls upon the Sodalists to make profession of 
a particular devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to 
strive: 

(a) to imitate her splendid virtues, 

(b) to place all confidence in her, 

(c) to urge one another to love and serve her with filial 
devotion. 

Thus Rule 40 calls upon the Sodalist to act in regard to 
our Blessed Mother as one would act in regard to a friend 
of whom he is very fond, whom he especially admires, and 
who appeals to him as a worthy model for emulation. One 
would be prompted to imitate in his life the outstanding 
qualities that he finds in the life of his friend, to place 
a great deal of confidence in him, and to be most desirous 
that others too would come to know and appreciate him. 

By means of this simple procedure the Sodality hopes 
to develop between our Blessed Mother and her Sodalists 
a filial relationship which will prompt them to prove not 
merely in words but also in actions-which at times may 
require sacrifice-their love for her. 

25 



b) What virtues of our Blessed Mother will a Sodality hold out 
to Sodalists for imitation in their daily lives? 

The Sodality will hold out the following splendid virtues 
found in the life of our Blessed Mother. 

(a) Her faith. 

(b) Her humility. 

(c) Her spirit of prayer. 

(d) Her purity. 

(e) Her love of God and of man. 

(f) Her zeal for souls redeemed by her Son. 

On the importance of these virtues no comment is required. 
It is sufficient to say that they are necessary for both the 
interior life and apostolic work. 

Rule 40 is a personal challenge to all Sodalists. No one 
can acquire for another anyone of the suggestions offered 
in this Rule. Hence if any Sodalist fails to make the ac-
ceptance of these suggestions a part of his Sodality life, he 
is failing to cooperate with the Sodality as a whole. By 
the same token the Sodality should always keep this Rule 
before its members. 

c) What evidences will there be in the life of any Sodalist that 
show he is being formed by Rule 40? 

We will know that a Sodalist is being formed by Rule 
40 if: 

1) in general: he is striving to cooperate with his fellow 
Sodalists to achieve the end and purpose of his ·Sodality; 

2) in particular: he is attending the Sodality's meetings 
and taking an active part in them; 
he is carrying out his part in its apostolic work and 
works of mercy; 
he is giving generously of his time and effort to advance 
its cause; 
he is living his whole life in accordance with the Sodal-
ity's "way of life and rules"; 
he is exemplifying in his life the Sodality's motto, "Ad 
J esum per Mariam" .. 

26 



he is interesting others in his organization and getting 
worthy recruits for it. 

d) In what way does the Sodalist's devotion to our Blessed 
Mother give a distinctive chamcteristic to his spiritual life? 

"Certainly every Sodalist owes it to his heavenly Mother 
to venerate her with an outstanding zeal and devotedness, 
and in the Sodality consecration fo the Blessed Virgin it is 
only right to recognize a form of Marian devotion proper 
to the Sodality. Nevertheless this Marian devotion does not 
impart a specific characteristic to the whole of the spiritual 
life and to all and every religious act of the Sodality. The 
Sodality does not aim at the cultivation of a distinctive 
'Marian Ascetic.' Equally with every good Christian the So-
dalist ought to pray, meditate, go to confession, com-
municate and practice the virtues and in all that to signalize 
himself-not by any specific manner but by the devoted-
ness with which he discharges those duties" (Acies Ordinata, 
Oct. 1939, pp. 1-2). 

The words of Pope Pius XII in hIs proclamation of the 
1954 Year of Mary hit off better than any others perhaps 
what happens to the Sodalist who submits himself to Our 
Lady's formative influence. 

Yet this centenary celebration should not only serve to revive 
Catholic Faith and earnest devotion to the Mother of God in the 
souls of all, but Christians should also, in as far as possible, con-
form their lives to the image of the same Virgin. Just as all 
mothers are deeply affected when they perceive that the counte-
nance of their children reflects a peculiar likeness to their own, 
so also our Most Sweet Mother wishes for nothing more, never 
rejoices more than when she sees those whom, under the cross 
of her Son, she has adopted as children in his stead, portray 
the lineaments and ornaments of her own soul in thought, word 
and deed. 

-Fulgens Corona 

STEP 7-Use of Sodality Means. 

The Sodalities of Our Lady have within themselves other 
means which further develop devotion to Mary, and intensify 
the interior life and apostolic zeal of their members. 

a) THE CENTRAL COUNCIL. In every Sodality there is a gov-
erning body called the Central Council. It is made up, in 
small Sodalities, of the Priest Director (with or without a 

27 



priest, brother, sister, or lay Moderator} and the Major 
Officers. In larger Sodalities to these are added the In-
structor of Candidates and the heads of Planning Commit-
tees and/or Sections. 

Each Central Council must work out a translation of the 
Sodalities' spirit and rules in terms of its own group and 
opportunities. This Council plans for the formation and 
action of the other Sodalists by seeing to it that they all 
are constantly moving along the essential lines of (I) devo-
tion to Mary, (2) a deeper Christ-life, (3) apostolic work: 

In large Sodalities, when and if the need arises, the Central 
Council may find it convenient to form three Planning Com-
mittees to take care of providing ideas and ways of working 
in these three major fields. 

Let it be noted clearly here that Committees and/ or Sec-
tions should be set up only to meet a real need. 

b} PLANNING COMMITTEES AND SECTIONS. A Sodality is well-
organized if its organization enables it to do its work, how-
ever complicated or simple its machinery of organization 
may be. There simply is no "official" organizational ar-
rangement to which all Sodalities must conform. 'Dhe fol-
lowing principles and terms may be used in determining 
the kind of organization for any particular Sodality. 

I} The use of the so-called Committee Plan of organization 
is not essential to any Sodality (cf. "The Central Council" 
above). 

2} The use of this plan and the number, nature, and ob-
jectives of the committees will be determined by the 
actual needs of each Sodality in particular and by the 
ability of the committees to meet those needs. 

3} Where committees and sections do exist; it will help 
much for clarity if they are, and are called: 

{
Planning (permanent}-see below. 

(a) Committees Special (temporary-i.e., they do 
work of a transient nature and are 
then dissolved-e.g., a retreat or 
World Sodality Day committee). 

(b) Sections. These are groups of Sodalists within a 
Sodality who devote themselves to some permanent 

28 



specialized work (e.g., teaching catechism, watch-
ing social and political trends). Each section has 
"an organization and life of its own though always 
subject to the governing authority of the Sodality." 

With that cleared up, we can say that we are talking here 
about Planning Committees. They are essentially idea 
groups. It is their job first of all to get these ideas. Then 
they present them at the Central Council meetings and later 
to the Sodality as a whole. These plans, which are for action 
by the whole Sodality, are discussed, changed, dismissed, or 
accepted by the total membership. If the ideas are accepted, 
then the entire Sodality works on them for the time de-
cided on. 

* * * * • 

What follows are suggestions that can be used by either the 
Central Council or, if they are needed and formed, by the Marian, 
Christ-Life, or Apostolic Planning Committees. 

DEVOTION TO OUR LADY 

Plans and suggested action are based on the following Rules: 

Rule 1-The place of devotion, reverence, love in regard to 
Mary in the Sodalists' way of life. 

Rule 3~The idea of Mary's patronage. 

Rule 5-Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. The Litany 
of Loretto. 

Rules 10, ll-Celebration of the titular feasts of the Sodality. 

Rule 27-Consecration to Our Lady at the reception and its 
continued consequences afterw~rds. 

Rule 33-The Church's Marian thinking today. 

Rule 34-The daily Rosary. 

Rule 4O-Particular devotion to Our Lady, imitation of her 
virtues, complete confidence in her mutual urging to love 
and devotedness. 

Summary of indulgences and privileges granted to Sodalities 
and Sodalists. 

29 



Rule 1 

1. The purpose of the Central Council (or the Planning Commit-
tee) as it works along Marian lines is to intensify in all the 
members of this Sodality their love and service of Our Lady. 

They should decide how they are going to present the follow-
ing suggestions. Will they use talks, skits, panels, discussions, 
quizzes, etc.? 

2. Rule 1 says: 

The Sodality will develop in the Sodalists devotion, reverence, 
and filial love for Our Lady. 

a) How can Sodalists be shown that their attendance at meet-
ings is a manifestation of devotion to Our Lady? 

b) How can Sodalists be shown that . their participation in the 
activities of the Sodality is a manifestation of devotion to 
Our Lady? 

c) How can Sodalists be taught to appreciate more fully the 
privilege of having consecrated their whole lives ' to her 
service? 

d) How can Sodalists be inspired to ask Our Lady to make 
them worthy members of her Sodality? How many Soda-
lists include this intention in their daily prayers? 

e) How can they be shown that striving to become really holy 
by working at the salvation and sanctification of others 
and working to increase the Mystical Body is a vital mani-
festation of real devotion to Mary? 

f) Will the general work of the planners be furthered by a 
little personal "salesmanship"? When and how can they do 
this? 

g) Will this work fall into these main divisions? 

1) Programs for Sodality meetings on this part of Rule 1. 

2) Personal efforts outside of the meetings. 
3) Supplementary bulletin-board and publicity work. 

Rule 10 

1. This is the second field of Marian action. Rule 10 calls upon 
the Sodality to celebrate its titular feasts. These celebrations 
should be made solemn yet should avoid empty show. 

30 



2. The following suggestions are offered as a help to place Rule 
10 before the Sodality. 

a) What are the titular feasts of your Sodality? 

b) What do you consider appropriate celebrations for these 
feasts? 

c) What indulgences may be gained on a titular Sodality feast? 
By whom may these indulgences be gained? 

d) How will you propose your ideas to the Sodalists? 

e) Will a speaker be selected to explain the significance of the 
titular feasts? 

f) Prepare a list of feast days in honor of our Blessed Mother 
that will be placed before the Sodalists during the year. 

g) Will the feast days be announced at a Sodality meeting prior 
to the feast? 

h) Will a short explanation of each feast be given at a Sodality 
meeting? 

i) What use will you make of the bulletin board to keep this 
Rule before the minds of the Sodalists? 

j) Draw up a program commemorating your titular feasts, a 
program that you will carry out this year. 

k) What plans will you outline for World Sodality Day? 

Rule 40 

1. Rule 40 states what the Sodality expects of Sodalists with 
regar~ to Our Lady. 

2. Speaking of Our Lady as the principal patroness of the Sodality, 
Rule 40 says: 

a) Sodalists should strive to imitate Our Lady's splendid 
virtues. 

b) Sodalists should place all confidence in Our Lady. 

c) Sodalists should urge one another to love and serve Our 
Lady. 

3. The following suggestions regarding this Rule are offered. 

a) How will you propose this Rule to the Sodalists? 

b) Why is Rule 40 an important Rule in the training and form-
ing of real Sodalists? 

c) What splendid virtues of Our Lady will you propose for 
imitation by them? 

31 



d) How will you show that Our Lady's spirit of faith ... her 
humility ... her spirit of prayer ... her love of God and 
man . . . and her purity are things practical for every 
Sodalist today? 

e) What occasions will you cite to show when Sodalists can 
- place all confidence in Our Lady? 

f) How can Sodalists develop the habit of placing all confi-
dence in Mary? What can and will the Sodality do to 
help in the development of this habit? 

g) What suggestions will you offer for Sodalists to urge one 
another to love and serve Mary? What about attendance at 
meetings? interest in the activities of the Sodality? etc.? 

h) Could each of the above-mentioned three points be made a 
splendid program for a given month in the year? 

i) What sort of publicity and poster displays would be used 
for this Rule? 

Sodality Indulgences and Privileges 

1. This assignment is concerned with indulgences and privileges 
granted by the Holy See to the Sodality of Our Lady. 

2. The following suggestions are offered for consideration. 

a) Realize that any effort put forth in behalf of this assign-
ment will mean much in a spiritual way to every member 
of the Sodality. 

b) How will you impress Sodalists with the fact that the Holy 
See makes it possible for them to gain many indulgences 
because of their membership in the Sodality? 

c) Familiarize yourselves with the many occasions when in-
dulgences may be gained and make these occasions known 
to the Sodalists. In this way you will make it possible for 
Sodalists to participate in the many spiritual advantages 
that come with membership in the Sodality. 

d) What means will you use in order to bring these occasions 
to the attention of the Sodality? 

e ) Would it be advisable to devote one entire Sodality meeting 
to this question of Sodality Indulgences and Privileges? 

f) How can the bulletin board be used most effectively for 
keeping this assignment before the Sodalists? 

32 



N.B. What has been given here and the suggestions that follow 
are but leads. The Central Council or Planning Committee will 
work out other ideas of their own. 

DEEPENING THE CHRIST-LIFE 

The program of action for the Sodality of Our Lady drawn up 
for deepening the interior life can be based on the following 
Rules: 

Rule 12-Procuring the greatest possible holiness. 

Rule 9-Frequent and even daily Communion. 

Rule 34-Daily spiritual exercises. 

Rule 36-The Sodalist and a fixed confessor. 

Rule' 35-Avoidance of the occasions of sin: 

a) Companions. 

b) Reading. 

c) Entertainment. 

Rule B-Sodality monthly Communion. 

Rule 12 
1. Rule 12 states: "Since the goal of Sodalities of Our Lady i ;; 

the greatest possible holiness in their members and an effective 
spiritual influence on others, each must necessarily strive to 
develop a deep spirituality in its members and to set up apos-
tolates among their neighbors. " 

a) How will you develop and present this one phase of Rule 12? 

b) What means will you suggest for the procuring of the great-
est possible holiness for the members of the Sodality? What 
spiritual practices will you include in your list for the 
coming year? 

c) How can you show the Sodalists that attendance at Mass, 
frequent reception of Holy Communion, and visits to the 
Blessed Sacrament are necessary spiritual practices in going 
"Ad J esum per Mariam"? 

d) When you are proposing these activities. you are proposing 
actions that are familiar to Sodalists. How can you present 
the familiar and so-called "old" projects in new and timely 
ways? 

e) The Sodalist who strives to procure for himself "the greatest 
possible holiness" is loyal and faithful not only to himself 
but to the whole Sodality. How will you put that idea 
across? 

33 



f) What plans will you propose to the Sodalities whereby they 
will have the opportunity to extend an effective spiritual 
influence on others? 

g) Will your plans for the year include special talks, discussions, 
mental prayer, lectures, and work on the holy Sacrifice of 
the Mass and the rest of the liturgy? 

h) How will you utilize the bulletin board to keep this Rule 
before the Sodality? 

Rule 39 

1. Rule 39 is concerned with frequent and even daily Holy Com-
munion. 

2. Rule 39 states: 

a) Sodalists should respond wholeheartedly'to the invitation 
which the Holy See has made to all, Catholics on the fre-
quent and daily reception of Holy Communion. 

b) Sodalists should strive to receive Holy Communion on all 
days when they can gain a plenary indulgence. 

c) Sodalists should receive Holy Communion often and even 
daily: 

1) Because Christ desires most eagerly that they do so. 

2) Because the Church desires most eagerly that they do so. 

3. The following suggestions are offered for consideration. 

a) Why should Sodalists look upon the invitation as addressed 
to them in a special manner? What sort of talk will you 
give when you want to put this point across? 

b) Prepare a list of days on which the Sodalists can gain a 
plenary indulgence. When and in what manner will you 
make the announcements of these days? 

c) How will you place before the Sodalists the two reasons-
given in the rule-for frequent reception of Holy Com-
munion? 

1) Because Christ desires most eagerly that you do so. 

2) Because the Church desires most eagerly that you do so. 

d) What suggestions and plans will you offer to show how 
Sodalists can influence to frequent and even daily Holy 
Communion their fellow Sodalists? their friends and fellow 
students or workers? 

34 



e) How will you explain to your Sodalists that for their ob-
servance of Rule 35 (the avoidance of occasions of sin) they 
will need all the help they can obtain from Rule 39? Show 
the interrelation among these three Rules: 34, 35, 39. 

f) How will you explain, too, that their observance of Rule 34 
(daily spiritual exercises) can have a decided bearing on 
their observance of Rule 39? 

g) Will you prepare a list of interesting and inspiring literature 
on the Mass and Holy Communion that the Sodalists can 
obtain from the library? 

h) In what way will you use the bulletin board and the Sodality 
paper to encourage frequent and even daily Mass and Holy 
Communion? 

i) What problems confront you in proposing these ideas? Do 
these problems arise from: 

1) a lack of understanding on the part of the Sodalists as 
to what is expected of them with regard to this Rule? 

2) indifference to Holy Communion on the part of the 
Sodalists? 

3) the manner in which you propose the projects? 

Rule 34 

1. Rule 34 is concerned with Sodality daily spiritual exercises. 

2. Rule 34 states: "Sodalists shall be very diligent in performing 
those religious exercises which are particularly necessary for 
a fervent life." 

3. The following suggestions are offered for the concretion of 
this Rule. 

a) Why does the Rule maintain that these exercises are most 
necessary for fervor of life? 

b) What practical plan can you propose to the Sodality with 
regard to Rule 34? The following plan has been used 
effectively by many Sodalities, and it can be presented 
in this simple manner. 
THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAN. 

1) To establish the "group rating" of a Sodality where this 
important Rule is concerned. 

2) To place before Sodalists those spiritual exercises that 
are recommended by the Sodality. 

35 



3) To check on this project in several months to see whether 
the ' "group rating" has improved. 

METHOD OF PROCEDURE. 

1) Prepare a mimeographed chart (example below). 

2) For convenience the chart is presented in three divisions 
and includes the ascetical practices given in Rule 34. 

3) Sodalists' names must not be signed to the paper. 
4) Papers are collected, and the "group rating" is estab-

lished for each exercise. 

5) After the "rating" is announced, comments and discus-
sion should be invited from the group at the following 
Sodality meeting. 
Is the Sodality satisfied with its "group rating"? What 
can the Sodality do to improve the "rating"? Suppose 
a Sodality wishes to confer upon itself "a group citation 
for achievement" for the fulfillment of this Rule. What 
standard would the group have to attain? 

6) After the elapse of several months check again and com-
pare the new "rating" with the preceding "rating." 

MORNING PRAYERS Yes No 

Acts of faith, hope, and love __________________________________________________________ _ 
Thanksgi ving for benefits recei ved ________________________________________________ _ 
Morning Off ering _____________ ____________________ _____ __________________________ __ ______________ _ 
Intention to gain all indulgences ____________________________________________ __ _____ __ _ 
Three Hail Mary's ______________ ____ __________ ____ _______ ______________________________________ _ 

Devote 15 minutes a day to mental prayer __ __________________________ _ 
Attend Mass if possible _______________ _____ ________________________________ _______________ _ 
Daily Rosary or Office of Our Lady ____ ______________________________ ___ ___ _____ _ 
Spiritual Reading ________________________________ ___ _________________ ____ _______________ _ 

EVENING PRAYERS 
Night prayer-examination of conscience ___________________ ________________ _ 
Act of contrition _______________________________________________________________________________ _ 

c) In what way does the fulfillment of Rule 34 help to form 
Sodalists according to the Sodality Pattern? 

Rule 36 
1. Rule 36 states: "As far as possible each Sodalist should' select 

a devout, learned, and prudent priest as his fixed confessor. 

36 



Without reserve he shall manifest his conscience to his con-
fessor and be formed and directed by him in all that pertains 
to the spiritual life." 

2. Suggestions: 

a) What is meant by a fixed confessor? 
Why does the Rule offer the wise counsel that "as far as 
possible Sodalists should have a fixed confessor"? 

b) How will you explain the phrase "lay bare to him the state 
of their consience"? 

c) Enumerate several reasons to show that spiritual direction 
is helpful to a person. How will you present these reasons 
to the Sodalists? 

d) What is meant by the expression "to be formed and directed 
by him in all that pertains to the spiritual life"? 

e) Why should a Sodalist be particularly interested in receiv-
ing direction in his spiritual life? How can such direction 
make him a better Sodalist? 

f) What difficulties do you anticipate in the proposing of this 
Rule to your fellow Sodalists? How will you meet the 
difficulties? 

g) Do you believe that some enlightening suggestions might 
arise with regard to this Rule if it were presented for group 
discussion? Or would a simple, ·brief talk be a more effec-
tive way to pr.esent it? 

Rule 35 

1. Rule 35 is concerned with the avoidance of the occasions of sin. 

2. Rule 35 states a twofold warning: 

a) In General: 
1) Avoid all occasions of sin that are dangerous to your 

soul. 
2) Avoid all occasions and situations that could give scandal 

or disedification to your neighbor. 
b) In Particular: 

Carefully avoid all: 
1) Evil companions. 
2) Bad reading. 
3) Immoral plays.. amusements. 

37 



3. ·Suggestions. 

a) How will you go about the proposing of this Rule to the 
group? 

b) What occasions should Sodalists guard against as being es-
pecially dangerous to their souls? 

c) When and where are these occasions most frequently en-
countered? 

d) What will you propose for Sodalists to do personally to 
avoid these occasions? 

e) What occasions must Sodalists avoid in order NOT to give 
scandal to others? 

f) What occasions must Sodalists avoid in order NOT to give 
disedification to others? 

g) Why does the Rule stress in particular: 

1) Evil companions? 

2) Bad reading? 

3) Immoral plays ... amusements? 

h) What can the Sodality do to help with regard to each of 
these three points? What of the Legion of Decency pledge 
-for movies? ... for literature? 

i) What can and MUST individual Sodalists do with regard to 
each of the above three points? 

Rule 8 

1. Rule 8 is concerned with the Sodality monthly Holy Communion. 

2. The following suggestions are offered for consideration. 

a) How can you make the Sodality monthly Holy Communion 
a worthy occasion? 

b) How will you impress upon your fellow Sodalists the im-
portance of having the entire Sodality receive Holy Com-
munion in a group at least once a month? 

c) What helpful suggestions can you make to Sodalists with 
regard to preparation before Communion and thanksgiving 
after Communion? Will the suggestions apply to the group 
or to the individual? Explain the importance of preparation 
for and thanksgiving after Holy Communion. 

d) What suggestions might be made to increase the number of 
Sodalists at the monthly Communion Mass? Is the attend-

38 



ance due to indifference or to forgetfulness? How can each 
of these problems be solved? 

e) Are favorable comments made for good attendance at this 
Communion Mass? 

f) How can you impress Sodalists with the fact that the So-
dality is judged not so much by the number of members who 
are present at the monthly Communion Mass as by the 
number of members who are absent? 

PROMOTING APOSTOLIC ACTION 

All real Sodalists must live their lives in and through their 
Sodality as an organization. They must, in other words, collab-
orate in an organized apostolate. All of them must take part in 
that work planned, decreed, and carried out by their Sodalities as 
such which aims at winning souls directly or indirectly to Christ. 
Keeping up with the ascetical exercises of a Sodality, exercising 
a personal, individual, non-group apostolate are not enough for 
the genuine Sodalist. He and all of his fellows will all take an 
active role in whatever apostolate and apostolic work .their So-
dality undertakes. 

What these works will be are stated in general by His Holiness 
in the Bis Saeculari when he says: 

Among their primary ends, Sodalities include every form of the 
apostolat e, particularly the social a postola t e, since the a postolic work 
of spreading the King dom of Christ a nd def ending the r ights of the 
Church has been mandated to Sodalities by the Ecclesiastical Hier-
archy itself. 

It is the job of the Apostolic Action Planning Committee and 
the Sections and Academies to make this statement of the Pope 
specific and concrete. 

Here is a list of lines of action they can suggest and have their 
Sodality carry through. It comes from Father Douglas Daly, 
S.J., director of the national Sodality secretariate for English-
speaking Canada. 

Collaboration with parish and diocesan projects. 
Arranging field trips to acquaint Sodalities with social con-

ditions and problems. 

Visiting the sick and aged. 
Teaching catechism to shut-ins, the blind, orphans. 
Teaching catechism to students in non-Catholic schools. 
Work in collaboration with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. 

39 



Sponsoring round-the-clock adoration. 
Helping with the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. 

Work for the home and foreign missions. 
Ushering, choir, parish census, parish bulletin. 

Helping newcomers to get adjusted to parish life. 

Press vigilance ... same for movies, advertising, etc. 

Maintaining pamphlet racks. 
Parish lending library. 

Catholic information centers. 
Catholic writers' and speakers' guilds. 

Conducting inquiry forums. 

Getting Catholic books into public libraries. 

Study clubs, lecture series, adult education schools. 

Field of communications: radio, press, movies, TV, advertis-
ing. 

Sponsoring retreats for youth and workers especially. 
Influencing legislation in terms of the Gospel and social 

justice. 
Joining with others to prevent bad plays, books, movies, TV, 

comics, etc. 

Help for the poor and underprivileged. 

Training to citizenship. 

Housing. 
Rehabilitation of parolees, helping DP's to get adjusted. 
Working for and with labor schools, co-ops, credit unions, 

rural and family life bureaus, Cana. 

Placement bureaus. 
Playgrounds, vacation schools. 

Assistance to youth organizations: scouts, teen-towns, etc. 

Marriage and vocational guidance centers. 

Regaining lapsed Catholics. 
Helping to correct invalid marriages. 

Distribution and re-mailing of Catholic literature. 

Juvenile delinquents, mental patients. 

It is obvious just from a perusal of that list that some of these 
activities can be carried out by the whole Sodality (the Planning 
Committee presents these), some can be handled better by Sections 

40 



(e.g., catechism to shut-ins) or by Academies (e.g., speakers' 
guild). No matter who takes care of what, the important thing 
is to get them done for the Kingdom of God and the good of souls! 

* * * * * 
c) SPECIAL JOB COMMITTEE. What follows is an example of a 

temporary functional committee. Such a committee is 
formed to do a special job. It works at it. When the job is 
done, the committee is dissolved. The one exemplified here 
takes care of the fulfillment of Rules 9 and 38, i.e., those 
that have to do with the annual retreat and the monthly 
days of recollection. 

The following suggestions are offered to this committee. 

1) What plans will you draw up for the purpose of dispos-
ing the Sodalists to make a good retreat? 

2) What means will you use to impress the Sodalists with 
the importance and necessity of prayer for the success 
of the retreat? 

3) When will you make your first announcements to the 
Sodality about the retreat that is to take place? 

4) What sort of publicity campaign will you plan for this 
important Sodality project? Who will take charge of 
this campaign? 

5) Will you present an attractive and suitable list of books 
to be read during the retreat? When will you assemble 
and announce this list? 

6) Will you plan a follow-up on the retreat: posters, re-
minders, remarks, and comments to be used at Sodality 
meetings following the retreat? 

7) What plans will you offer to the other Sodalists for a 
day of recollection: 

(a) for the entire Sodality? 

(b) for the officer group? 

( c ) for individual classes or committees? 
(d) for senior-class groups or Sodalists of longer stand-

ing? 

N.B. The committee will develop suggestions of its own to 
be added to the above list. 

41 



/ 3. Effective Program 

The final step in the making of a Sodalist is providing a 
program by which the general aim and purpose of the Sodalities 
are reduced to concrete action in each Sodality. 

1. What important factors must an organization keep in mind 
when it is drawing up its program of activities? 

The following important factors must be kept in mind. 

a) The program of activities of an organization must be in 
accord with the aim and purpose of the organization. 

b) The program thus drawn up is nothing more than the aim 
and purpose of the organization reduced to action. It is an 
answer to the questions: WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT 
ARE WE TO DO? HOW ARE WE TO DO IT? 

2. What must Sodalists keep in mind when they are drawing up 
their program of activities for Sodality meetings? 

Sodalists must keep in mind a program of activities that will 
be in accord with the aim and purpose of the Sodality and 
that will lead the Sodalist to conduct himself in the manner 
indicated by Pope Pius XII in his Golden Jubilee Address: 

To apply oneself seriously to sanctity, each in his proper state; to 
dedicate oneself ... to the salvation and perfection of others; in a 
word, to employ oneself strenuously in the defense of the Church 
of Christ; such is the assignment of the Sodulist, freely, resolutely 
accepted in the act of his consecration; such is the magnificent 
program traced out for him by the Rules. 

3. What "Threefold Challenge" must each Sodality face when it 
is drawing up its program of activities? 

When it is drawing up its program of activities, every 
Sodality must include in its agenda: 

a) Projects that challenge SodaHsts to be extra good Catholics 
sincerely bent on sanctifying themselves (Ad J esum per 
Mariam). 

b) Projects that challenge Sodalists to be zealous for the sanc-
tification of the neighbor. 

c) Projects that challenge Sodalists to be zealous for the de-
fense and spread of the Church. 

42 



4. What suggestions can be made to the Sodality when it is pre-
paring its program of activities to meet this threefold chal-
lenge? 

a) The program of activities can be drawn up by the officers 
of the Sodality Council, based on their own experience and 
on their knowledge of what is required in a Sodality pro-
gram. 

b) The program of activities can be drawn up from sugges-
tions and proposals made by the Sodalists themselves dur-
ing the course of a Sodality meeting. 

5. What organizational technique is specifically recommended in 
the Sodality Rules as a means to meet the threefold challenge 
that every Sodality program must face? 

/ a) The organizational technique specifically recommended in 
the Sodality Rules is that referred to in Rule 13: 

In larger Sodalities specialized apostolic gr;ups, called "Sec-
tions," may -be formed for more effective apostolic action. The~e 
groups are composed according to the talents and interests of 
the Sodalists. Each group functions independently and deter-
mines how to carry out the apostolic action entrusted to it. They 
always remain subject. to }he authority of the Sodality. 

b) Closely connected with the Sections are the Academies men-
tioned in Rule 14. 

In accordance with their original plan, Sodalities of Our Lady, 
especially those of students, may form one or more study 
groups, called "Academies." 

This arrangement helps the young people develop practical 
knowledge of the sCiences, literature, arts, economics, e.tc. 
Moreover, with competent direction they can learn and practIce 
the correct principles needed for judging matters involving 
Catholic faith and morals. 

6. From an organizational point of view what advantages arise 
from these techniques? 

a) Sections are capable of doing intensified work in their 
respective fields of Sodality activity. Through consecrated 
effort and under a more closely supervised guidance of the 
director it is likely that the activities of a diligent commit-
tee or Section will be accomplished more successfully than 
if the same activities were made the responsibility of the 
entire Sodality. 

b) Because of the smaller and limited membership, it is pos-
sible for the director to give personal direction to the 

43 



individual members and personal guidance to the work as-
signed. This particular technique . makes possible, too, a 
closer contact among the members themselves who are 
engaged in the same particular work. 

c) The organizational techniques recommended in Rules 13 and 
14 lend themselves to the successful training of the indi-
vidual Sodalist. Pius XII expresses the idea in this fashion: 

With the protection of Mary you ought to gain for Christ the 
men of today. You must fight for the truth with the weapons 
of truth; but then it is necessary to know how to handle them. 
How will you succeed in acquiring the sure mastery of them? 
Above all things, with the study of religion, of its dogma, of 
its moral, of its liturgy, of its life internal and public, of its 
history. Above all things, but not exclusively, for so to act 
would be to break with the past of the Sodalities of the Most 
Holy Virgin in which there has a lways been an attempt, with 
all the means best adapted, to favor culture both general and 
professional, both, it is well understood, in harmony with the 
qualities and the personal status of the individual. This is one 
of their characteristics, of which their Academies render testi-
mony and, thanks be to God, such a tradition has not been 
abandoned. 

44 



Part III 

THE REAL SODALIST CHECKS HIS PROGRESS 

Part I outlined the type of person that the Sodalities of Our 
Lady aim to produce. 

Part II presented the specific picture of the true Sodalist and 
outlined the procedure by which the Sodalities train and form 
their members. . 

Part III will present the Sodalist with a "Self-Analysis Rating 
Outline." By using this, each Sodalist can determine his faith-
fulness in accepting this training and see an honest record of his 
striving to become what his Sodality would make him. 

1. What important factors must be considered in the development 
of a real Sodalist? 

a) Sodalists must have a clear picture in their minds of just 
what it means to be a real Sodalist. A glance back at the 
ten points given on pages 12 ff. will refresh that picture in 
his mind. 

b) Every Sodality must constantly keep this picture of the 
real Sodality before its members. 

c) Sodalists as individuals and as members of the Sodality 
community must mold their whole lives according to the 
Sodalities' ideal and pattern of a way of life. 

2. What practical suggestion can you give for reducing these 
factors to practice? 

a) On the part of the Sodali ty: 

1) Provide each Sodalist with a copy of the "Profile of a 
Real Sodalist" on pages 12 ff. (This can be reproduced 
without further permission, or it may be obtained in 
separate leaflet form from The Queen's Work.) 

2) At Sodality meetings urge the Sodalists to make a part 
of their daily lives the ten points that are characteristic 
of the real Sodalist. 

3) Distribute to each Sodalist a copy of the following 
"Self-Analysis Rating Outline," whereby the Sodalist can 
determine his progress and record his achievements. 

45 



FORM FOR SELF-ANALYSIS RATING 

TOTAL SCOR~E ______ __ 

INSTRUCTIONS: The following questions cover a period of one 
week. Check each answer to which you can honestly give the 
answer YES. The point rating for each YES answer is given in 
the scale at the end of the questions. The highest possible total 
score is 100. 

1. During this week did you on each day carry out all spiritual 
exercises listed in Rule 34 (this includes attending Mass on 
every day on which such attendance was reasonably possible) ? 

2. On each day of the week did you help someone (at work or 
school or recreation or in your family or at a civic affair) 
through word or action to come closer to Christ? 

3. a) During the week did you participate in some work spon-
sored by your diocese or parish? 

b) During the week did you pray for the Pope, your bishop, 
and the Mystical Body throughout the world? 

4. a) During the week did you intentionally try to imitate one 
of Mary's virtues? 

b) Did you say the Rosary every day? 

5. a) Did you renew daily your lifetime consecration to carry. out 
all Sodality obligations? 

b) During the week did you read in whole or in part the So-
dality Rules? 

6. a) Did you attend Mass on every day on which you reaso'nably 
could? 

b) Did you receive Holy Communion on every day on which 
you reasonably could? 

c) Every day did you recite the morning prayers listed in 
Rule 34? 

d) Did you make at least a quarter of an hour of mental prayer 
every day? 

e) Did you make some spiritual reading on the majority of 
the days of the week? 

f) On every evening did you make your examination of con-
science and night prayers? 

46 



g) Have you made your annual retreat this year or do you 
intend to make it? 

h) If you had an opportunity to make a monthly day of recol-
lection this month, did you do so? (If you had no oppor-
tunity, answer this question in the affirmative.) 

i) During the week did you consult your fixed confessor? (If 
it was not necessary or possible for you to do so, answer 
this question in the affirmative.) 

j) Have you gone to confession this week or at least during 
the past two weeks? (If reasonably impossible, answer ques-
tion in the affirmative.) 

k) During this week did you deliberately as a Sodalist avoid 
some bad companion or evil entertainment? 

7. a) Did you attend your Sodality meeting this week? (If it 
was not reasonably possible for you to attend, answer this 
question in the affirmative.) 

b) Did you participate actively in the Sodality meeting? 

c) Did you carry out whatever Sodality work was assigned to 
you this past week? 

8. Did you volunteer your services for some Sodality work this 
week? 

9. a) Did you pray for your fellow Sodalists during this week? 

b) Did you make an effort to look for suitable new members 
for your Sodality? 

10. During the week did you try to change some Catholic's opinion 
on some point from a non-Catholic to a Catholic attitude? 

POINT SCALE 

1-7 (i.e., one point for each day on which all spiritual exercises were 
performed. ) 

2-7 (i.e., one point for each day on which you performed such an apostolic 
action.) 

3a - 3 6c - 3 6k - 3 

3b - 3 6d - 6 7a - 4 

4a-2 

4b -4 

5a-3 

5b-2 

6a-5 

6b-5 

6e-4 

6/ -5 

6g-3 

6h-2 

6i - 3 

6j -3 

47 

7b-4 

70-6 

8 -4 

9a-2 

9b-2 

10-5 



b) On the part of the So dalists : 

1) The individual Sodalist must realize that a real Sodalist 
is trained and formed, not by mere talk, but by personal 
and group action. 

2) The individual Sodalist will be faithful to the "Self-
Analysis Rating Outline," checking the various points 
at stated intervals-weekly, monthly, quarterly. 

References Used in the Preparation of This Booklet 

1. The Common Rules, Sodalities of Our Lady. 

2. Pope Pius XII Interprets Ideals and Nor1nS for Sodalists (An 
address commemorating Pope Pius XII's golden jubilee as a 
Sodalist) . 

3. Bis Saeculari (Pope Pius XII's Apostolic Constitution on the 
Sodalities of Our Lady). 

'" 4. Fulgens Corona (Pope Pius XII's Encyclical proclaiming the 
Year of Mary). 

5. Acies 01'dinata (The monthly pUblication of the Central [In-
ternational] Sodality Secretariate). 

4'8 





THE QUEEN'S WORK 

3115 South Grand Boulevard 

St. Louis 18, Missouri 


	830264-001
	830264-002
	830264-003
	830264-004
	830264-005
	830264-006
	830264-007
	830264-008
	830264-009
	830264-010
	830264-011
	830264-012
	830264-013
	830264-014
	830264-015
	830264-016
	830264-017
	830264-018
	830264-019
	830264-020
	830264-021
	830264-022
	830264-023
	830264-024
	830264-025
	830264-026
	830264-027
	830264-028
	830264-029
	830264-030
	830264-031
	830264-032
	830264-033
	830264-034
	830264-035
	830264-036
	830264-037
	830264-038
	830264-039
	830264-040
	830264-041
	830264-042
	830264-043
	830264-044
	830264-045
	830264-046
	830264-047
	830264-048
	830264-049
	830264-050
	830264-051
	830264-052