Duties Common to All Sodalists

Duties common to all the Sodalists

32. Though the Rules of the Sodality do not of themselves bind under pain of either mortal or venial sin, but leave in each matter that degree of obligation which exists by Divine or Ecclesiastical Law, still the Sodalists should have great respect for the Rules and endeavor to fulfil them faithfully and exactly, as they voluntarily accepted them on the day of their reception and as they will find in them the necessary and efficacious means to attain the end of the Sodality.

33. Good Sodalists ought to be, first and foremost, exemplary Catholics, conforming their faith and life entirely to the faith and morals which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, praising what she praises, disapproving of what she disapproves of, having the same sentiments in everything with her and never being ashamed to act, in private and public life, as faithful and obedient children of their holy Mother.

34. Sodalists must be very careful to practise those exercises of piety which are most necessary for fervor of life. Every morning on rising, let them make the acts of faith, hope and charity, thank God our Lord for His benefits, offer Him their labors, with the intention of gaining all the Indulgences they can throughout that day, and invoke the Blessed Virgin by reciting the Hail Mary three times. Let them devote at least a quarter of an hour to mental prayer; be present, if they can, at the adorable Sacrifice of the Mass and recite the most Holy Rosary, or some Office of Our Lady. In the evening, before retiring, let them carefully examine their conscience and make a fervent act of contrition for the sins of their whole life and especially for those committed on that day.

35. They should carefully avoid all friendship and all unnecessary intercourse with evil or suspected persons. They must keep from bad reading and immoral plays. And, in general, let them fly all occasions that are dangerous to their souls or could give scandal or disedification to their neighbor.

36. As far as possible, Sodalists should have a fixed Confessor, a pious, learned and prudent Priest, lay bare to him the state of their conscience with all sincerity and allow themselves to be formed and directed by him in all that pertains to the spiritual life.

37. Before receiving their medal, let the Candidates make a General Confession of their sins, unless the Confessor judges otherwise. After that they should not be satisfied with the General Communions of rule, but approach the Sacraments as frequently as the Confessor advises.

38. The Sovereign Pontiff Benedict XIV gives all Sodalists the excellent advice to make a General Confession once or twice a year, beginning from the last. This will be easiest at the time of the Retreat or on the Monthly Recollection Day or at the end of the year.

39. They should consider as addressed in a special manner to them the invitation to frequent and daily Communion which the Holy See has made to all the faithful, and therefore each and every Sodalist is earnestly recommended to strengthen himself with the Bread of Angels not only on the days when he can gain a Plenary Indulgence as a Sodalist, but also to strive to follow the pious and salutary custom, most eagerly desired by Christ our Lord and the Catholic Church, of approaching the Holy Table often and even daily.

40. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the principal Patroness of the Sodality of Our Lady. Hence the Sodalists should make profession of a particular devotion to her and strive to imitate her splendid virtues, place all confidence in her and urge one another on to love and serve her with filial devotedness.

41. All should be extremely careful to attend at the appointed time the general meetings of the Sodality, ordinary and extraordinary. Attendance is indicated in various ways, according to the custom of the Sodality. Among the customs most recommended is the employment of an attendance card delivered by the Sodalist with his name to the Officer designated. Sodalists who can not be present at a meeting, should report personally or by letter, as soon as possible, the cause of their absence to the Father Director, to whom it will belong to judge whether the reason alleged is proper.

42. It being in keeping with the spirit of the Sodality, as was said in Article 3, to establish particular Sections to foster piety in the Sodalists themselves and to give exercise to Catholic zeal and charity, it is very desirable that all the Sodalists should take an active part in some one of the Sections, and, where circumstances permit, it will be good to make this of obligation. The obligation on each one, according to his studies or profession, to be present at the Academies, if any exist in the Sodality, shall depend on the particular Rules of each Sodality.

43. Let all be careful, as far as they can, to exercise their zeal even in private in spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and especially by drawing to the Sodality those whom they deem fit. In this way, each Sodalist will be a true apostle of the Divine Glory and of His Blessed Mother.

44. In all that pertains to the life of the Sodality they should obey promptly and with submission of will the orders and counsels of the Father Director. In the same way, let them give due honor and obedience to the Prefect and the other Officers of the Council and also to the Minor Officers in what belongs to each one's charge.

45. They should deal with one another with brotherly love and Christian charity and often pray to God our Lord for the needs of the Sodality, and of the Sodalists, and especially of the sick. When a Sodalist passes to a better life, let those who can, attend his funeral and let all in private offer prayers for his eternal rest. Besides this, they shall recite in common for him the Office of the Dead or other prayers, and have Holy Mass said, thus securing for him the Indulgence of a Privileged Altar.

46. Let each one contribute for the expenses of the Sodality either a voluntary alms, such as his means permit, or a small fixed sum determined by custom.

47. If a Sodalist is to be away temporarily or for good from the place of the Sodality, let him notify the Father Director, who will, if necessary, send him an official letter signed by himself and the Prefect, testifying that he is a Sodalist and is worthy of admission as such into other Sodalities. He must, however, know that all Sodalists away for a year or more from the place of their Sodality and settling in a place from which they can not attend its meetings, are obliged—in order to gain the Indulgences—to enter, in their new home, a Sodality corresponding to their state of life, unless the Director of such Sodality refuses them admission, or there happens some other hindrance, of whose sufficiency the Director of their former Sodality shall be judge. Those who are away should write occasionally to their Director or their Prefect and should be careful, as far as circumstances permit, to carry out the pious practices of the Sodality: wherever they are, they should, with exact fidelity, lead that fervent Catholic life which is becoming in good Sodalists of Our Lady.