By Louis C. Fink

(Mr. Fink, of Atlanta, is president of the National Association of the Holy Name Society)

The 700-year-old Confraternity of the Most Holy Name of Jesus has a new surge of life in the United States. It never died, of course - any more than the Catholic Church died, or the priesthood, or the sacrament of matrimony. There were defections from all of these venerable institutions, as the affluent society and situation morality convinced a minority that the way to aggiornamento began with junking everything you had.

A few people misread the documents of Vatican II and confused destruction with renewal. Fortunately, there were men of faith who believed in established ideals. If changes were needed in structures, they were willing to make those changes - while adhering to the principles of a group like the Holy Name Society: reverence for God; loyalty to the Church; assistance to the parish; self-sanctification; fraternity and fellowship.

Some people actually believed that the name of “Holy Name Society” was outmoded. John Cardinal Wright stated it poignantly; he said that too many men no longer worried about “taking the Name of the Lord in vain” because they no longer believed in the Lord.

Canada had a frustrating experience: a study revealed that some men felt that “Holy Name” meant that you had to be holy to get in the Society. So they formed a national organization with a new name which de-emphasized reverence for the Divine Name. Results were disastrous.

There was another misconception about the Holy Name Society which developed. People mistook its parades and monthly corporate Communion as its sole reason for existence. When parades went out of style and weekly Communion became the practice, a few men thought that Holy Name was out of style. They lost sight of the purposes of the Society in their study of its techniques.

Pope Gregory X started Holy Name in 1274. Pius IV gave it canonical structure in 1564 as a Church Confraternity. Twenty-five popes have since endorsed the Society, including his Holiness Paul VI.

The American hierarchy has been generous in praise. Ordinaries from New York to Los Angeles have appeared at Holy Name meetings and encouraged the men. Typical is the statement of the Most Reverend John L. May, D.D., Bishop of Mobile: “The Holy Name Society here is the strong right arm of the bishop and I have designated it so. I am very much pleased and encouraged with the spirit of the Holy Name men in our diocese.”

Most Reverend Joseph A. McNicholas, auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, told his Holy Name men that they “were to be commended for the work of the Church, taking part in the various programs of the archdiocese, the closeness with your pastors, your fulfillment of your role as ushers, lectors, commentators, cantors, workers and other duties too numerous to mention...”

Bishop McNicholas put his finger on one of the misconceptions about all lay organizations. When Vatican II recommended parish councils, some men felt this would solve all our problems. Seven or eight men would meet with the pastor, make decisions or give advice, handle finances, supervise construction, start a youth program, institute reformed liturgy, and in general make the parish viable.

As it turned out, the parish council often became a fine board of directors to run the company. But directors don’t serve as lectors; they don’t conduct a census; they don’t ask for pledges; they don’t carry beer to the parish picnic. There simply are not enough members of the parish council to do the work! So - some sort of men’s organization was needed after all. This experience has been repeated all across the country.

Vatican II made American Catholic men realize something else - that they are indeed the People of God. There are simply not enough priests to do the labor which the Church requires; laymen must do their share and more. This applies equally to the Holy Name Society, whose staff of priests in national headquarters in New York as hard pressed as any parish or diocese.

Now there is a new organization to harness the efforts of American Catholic men in support of the Church, its hierarchy, and all its leaders. It is called the National Association of the Holy Name Society, a federation of diocesan unions of parish Holy Name Societies. It has all the requisites democratically elected officers, a small treasury, and a program for action.

Briefly, the new organization retains its time-tested principles and is open to new techniques. It is primarily spiritual, encourages retreats, prayer at meetings, weekday Masses, nocturnal adoration - and corporate Communion. It believes in the fruitfulness of prayer.

The association has no political ambitions, and does not seek to compete with other organizations, but only help them with its manpower (still very extensive and widespread).

The association works in harmony with the established Church and supports pope, bishops and pastors. It believes that its duty is to build better parish communities, and in that process to do whatever needs to be done.

The association believes firmly in the principle of fraternity, the principle that men are strengthened on the road to salvation by association with other men of similar motives. That is why social affairs are still part of the Holy Name program.

The question asked most frequently is, “Why should we join the National Association?”-“What will we get out of it?”

The reply is like the reply to the youngster who wants to know what he gets our of going to Mass. If you take part to “get something,” forget it. You take part to GIVE: worship to God, inspiration to others, support to your church, help to your fellow man.

To that extent, we laymen are trying to follow the example of Christ, who came to give everything and got nothing.