The Cairo bulletin., 1911-11-07

the heart of every clean-cut citizen
and It'd the high ideals of every vigil
liant and dutiful father, irrespective
OF creed The Holy Name Society
is one Of the oldest confraternities
in the Catholic church. 1t goes back
to the times when the Crusaders,
)iwfo, after having lived many years
among the Saracens in Asia, brought
back to Europe many of the customs
and vices prevalent in that distant
country. Among them were cursing,
smmodest language and hlasphemy
THE Popes. always awake to remedy
the evils that crept into the Church,
were also prepared to encounter this
menace. Accordingly, Gregory X,
after, the Ecumenical Council held at
| lyons In the year 1874 deemed IL
befitting to issue the following de-.
| rec:
| Recently, during the Council
| 4 <
lheld at Lyons. we deemed it use
Iful commentator to exhort the
Faithful to enter the house of God
with humility and devotion and to
conduct themselves while there in a
lbecoming manner, SO as to merit the
divine benediction and at the same
time to give edification. We have
also judged 1t proper to persuade
the faithful to demonstrate more
reverence for that Name above all
| names, the only name in which we
claim salvation name OF Jesus
| Christ, who has redeemed us from
the bondage OF sin, Consequently,
| in view of oheying that apostolic
precept, in the name Of Jesus, let
4 every knee be bent, we wish that at
the pronouncing of that name, cheif-
ly at the Holy Sacrifce,t every one
would bow his head in token that in
teriorly he bends the knee of his
heart" This decree was addressed
to the general Of the Dominican Or
der, at the time Blessed John of
Versailles, and exhorted him to en-
join upon the members of his COM
munity the propagation of the de-
votion and reverence due to the
Holy Name and the Dominicans
gladly hearkened to the voice of the
Father of Christendom. Every
where they preached the veneration
due to the Holy Name in which
alone, according to st. Peter saliva
ton is to be obtained. Effectual to
this end were the erection of affairs
dedicated to the Holy Name. These
two factors gradually paved the way
for the organization of society on
confraternty of the Holy Name
The society as ii exists today seems
to have had its origin in Portugal
In 1892 terrible plague was ravag-
ing the city of Lisbon. The retired
Bishop of that city. Andreas Diaz
who for many years previously un.
successfully urged upon the people
the establishment of Holy Name
Society thought this occasion fa-
vorahle opportunity of at least ac-
eomplishing his hearts desire. He
of the Name of Jesus and it's des.
tribution among the plague-stricken
people was followed by miraculou:
effects; for in a short time Lisbon
was freed from the scourge. The
people now looked upon DiaZ as q
man sent by God for their deliver
ance They, who before had received
his words with deaf ears now readily
acceded to the fulfilment of his
long cherished plan. On January
LIST, 1888, the inhabitants of Lisbon
in gratitude to God for His goodness
Through the instrumentality of Diaz
assembled and held what was proba.
bly, the first procession of the Holy
Name Society, On that occasion
the first Holy Name Confraternity
on record was established. From
that time forward the veneration OF
the Holy Name and the erection oil
confraternities increased From
Portugal the devotion spread tC
Spain, Italy and Germany. The
two great Franciscan missionaries
ST. Bernardne of Sienna tdied May
goth, 1444), and his disciple st
John Capristran (died October 23Td
145S), lahored jealousy to spread
the society In the following cen
fury, the Dominican friar, Father
Didacus of Victoria, established 6
confraternity of the Holy Name o
God, which was to. be a league
against cursing, blasphemy, perjur!
and all profanity. This was affiliat
ed with the confraternity of tn,
Holy Name of Jesus established b.
Bishop Diaz and was approved o
1by Plus ~, on April 5, 1864. lively,
other Sovereign Pontffs beside
those already mentioned did all il
their power to foster or advanc,
the Society and among the monarch
of Europe who used their infuenc,
TO have the society spread through