SODALITY
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SODALITY
gregation is the preparation of the faithful for a holy
death. It was established in 16-lSby the.Jpsiiitsoneral
Caraffa in the Church of the Gesu, umliT tin- title of
"The Congregation of the Bona Mors in linndur of Jesus
Dying on the Cross and His Sorrowing Mother". The
contemplation of the Passion is one of the chief means
of attaining the object of the sodality. In 1729 this
congregation was raised to the rank of an archoon-
gregation, with power to erect similar sodalities every-
where in Jesuit churches and to share its indulgences
with these. In 1S21 this privilege was reconfirmed,
and in 1827 the general of the Jesuits received au-
thority for the erection and aggregation of such sodali-
ties in other churches also. In order to share in the
indulgences of the Roman chief congregation, these
sodalities must be incorporated with this congrega-
tion by the general of the Jesuits. Pius X increased
the indulgences and privileges of the congregation,
and confirmed anew its entire summary of indul-
gences on 20 March, 1911. The "Archiconfr(?rie du
Cceur agonisant de J^sus et du Cceur corapatissant de
Marie pour le salut des mourants" (Archconfrater-
nity of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus and the Compas-
sionate Heart of Mary for the help of the Dying),
erected in 1S64 at the place which was the scene of the
Agony in the Garden, has the same object as the
above-mentioned confraternity. In 1S67 it was
raised to an archconfraternity and received the right
to incorporate other societies with itself throughout
the world. Since this date it has grown and spread
steadily. In 1897, 1901, and 1907 it received new
indulgences.
(3) The "Archconfraternity of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of Mary for the Conversion of Sinners" founded in 1S36 by the parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Victories, Paris. In 1838 it was raised to an archconfraternity with the right of aggregation throughout the world. The confrater- nity includes many millions of members, and has had remarkable success in the conversion of sinners. The special veneration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, which is the first aim of the confraternity, is also the chief means of attaining the second aim, the conver- sion of. sinners. In this class may be included the Confraternity of Our Lady of Compassion already noticed, which has as its aim the return of England and all English-speaking peoples to the Catholic Church. For the " Pious Union of Prayer to Our Lady of Com- passion for the Conversion of Heretics" and the "Archconfraternity of Prayers and Good Works for the Reunion of the Eastern Schismatics with the Church, under the patronage of Our Lady of the As- sumption, founded at the Church of the Anastasis at Constantinople", see L'xiONS of Prayer.
(4) The "Pious Work of St. Francis of Sales for the Defence and Preservation of the Faith", estab- lished first at Nemours and then in 1857 at Paris. The a.ssociation soon spread through other countries and other peoples, and especially in .\merica. It aids the clergy in all possible waj's in home missions. It was praised, blessed, and granted indulgences by Pius IX and Leo XIII. The society has already spent more than thirty million francs for its noble aims. The "Association of St. Francis Xavier", founded at Brussels, Belgium, in 18.'54, for the training of lay apostles to aid the priests in home missions. The members at first were only men and youths, but women can also enter it and give apostolic aid by their prayers, especially for the conversion of sinners. In 1855 and 1856 the association received indulgences and was made an archconfraternity for Bel- gium, and in 1878 was raised to the same for the entire world. It is now widespread and exerts an apostolic influence in the spirit of its great patron. Applications for membership are made to the director of the archconfraternity at Brussels (College Saint- Michel). (5) The "Society of St. Francis Regis for
the Revalidation of Pagan Marriages", founded at
Paris in 1826. It has laboured with great success
in many cities, provinces, and countries for the in-
crease of peace, morality, and sanctity in family life.
At Paris the society settles nine huntlred and more of
such matrimonial cases annually; at the Paris Ex-
hibition of 1900 it received a gold medal.
(6) The "Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, or Association of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph for the pro- motion of Instruction in the principal truths of the Faith". This is a long-estabhshed society, having been founded in the sixteenth century by the Fathers of Christian Doctrine (the Doctrinaires). In 1607 it was erected by Paul V into an archconfraternity for the entire world, with its seat at St . Peter's, and granted large indulgences. Its duty is to give religious instruc- tion to the children of the Church, and to encourage the reception of the sacraments. Since 1610 this con- fraternity can be erected in all parish churches. In 1686 Innocent XI in an Encyclical urgently exhorted all bishops to establish this society as far as possible. Pius X in an Encychcal in 1905 directed that the con- fraternity should be established everywhere in the parish churches. To obtain the indulgences for all the confraternities of a diocese it suffices if a single canonically erected confraternity of this diocese unites with the Roman archconfraternity that is now established in the Church of Santa Maria del Pianto. New societies of Christian doctrines were formed in the second half of the nineteenth centurj' and were granted indulgences. In particular such associa- tions were founded after the year 1851 by the Ladies of the Perpetual .-Vdoration of Brussels, who estab- lished there the Confraternity of the Adoration men- tioned above. In these societies of Christian doctrine ladies, students, and men have taught many thousands of boys and girls, and, in particular, have prepared many for First Communion. In 1894 the "Pious Union of Christian Doctrine" of Brussels was made an archconfraternity for Belgium and in 1900 for Holland also. (7) The Society of St. Teresa, which was founded at Salamanca in 1882, as a general society of prayer, and is already widespread in Spain, Ger- many, and Austria. (8) The "General Association of St. Cecilia for the Promotion of Religious Music", established in 1887 in Germany for the encourage- ment of Catholic Church music. It flourishes chiefly in the dioceses of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italj'. (9) Temperance societ ies, for encouraging ab- stinence from alcoholic drinks, are treated elsewhere (see League of the Cross; Te.mperaxce; Temper- ance Movements). In Germany the confraternity that has existed since 1S51, in the parish of Deutsch- Pickar belonging to the Diocese of Breslau, was raised to an archconfraternity in 1901 under the name of the "Purification of Mary", and given a general right of aggregation. (10) The St. Vincent de Paul Socie- ties; the.se are fully described under Vincent db Paul, Saint. See also Elizabeth As.sociations. (11) The confraternities founded for the aid and defence of the pope and the Church have been no- ticed above. Another society having the same pur- pose is the "Leo Association", founded at St. Louis, U. S. A. It was approved by Leo XIII and in 1891 was granted indulgences.
(12) Finally, some account should be given here of the many missionarj' societies, and es[)ecially of: (a) "The Society for the Propagation of the Faith", also called the "Missionan,- Society of Lyons", or the "Society of St. Francis Xavier". Twelve laymen, led by a priest, formed the plan of establishing a so- ciety for all the nations of the earth, and for the bene- fit of all the missions in the world. The society was formed at Lyons 3 May, 1822. Mademoiselle Jari- cot may be called the real founder, because she or- ganized the system of contributions. The society was formally confirmed in 1840 by Gregorj' XV i; each
