Erecting a Holy Name Society

Prior to inducting members into a parish Holy Name Society the Society must be chartered properly to the Dominican Order in the Dominican Province that has jurisdiction over the diocese the parish is located.   Once the parish Society is chartered, the following documents are used to properly erect the Society.  Two forms are provided for the ceremony - one for erecting the Society during Mass and one during Morning or Evening Prayer.

During Morning or Evening Prayer

Read Letter from the Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Albert the Great – "For the Praise and Veneration of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus" 

Psalms and Readings that praise the Holy Names.

 Brief Homily by presiding Priest

After the homily the Pastor stands at the Main Altar facing the people, and reads the following declaration in a loud voice: 

           As delegated representative of the Most Reverend (name), Master of the Order of Preachers, I institute and erect, on his behalf, in this Church of (name), in (city and state), the Confraternity of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus, also known as the Holy Name Society. 

           I declare it to be instituted and erected with all the graces, privileges and indulgences granted and to be granted to the same Confraternity by the Holy See. 

           I declare that the Pastor of this Church and all successors in this office of perpetuity, are designated and instituted as Chaplains of the Confraternity now erected, with all the rights and faculties proper to such an office, by the aforesaid Master of the Order of Preachers.

          Likewise, I declare that the principal altar of the Church of (name of Church) is to be used by the members of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus for their religious services and devotions, in order that the faithful may gain the indulgences which have been granted by the Holy See to those who visit the altar of the Confraternity.

 In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

During Mass

After the homily, the Celebrant stands at the Main Altar facing the people and reads the Letter from (name) the Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Albert the Great; "For the Praise and Veneration of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus"

Celebrant then reads the following declaration in a loud voice:

As delegated representative of the Most Reverend Father (name), Master of the Order of Preachers, I institute and erect, on his behalf, in this Church of (name of church), in (city and diocese) the Confraternity of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus, also known as the Holy Name Society.

           I declare it to be instituted and erected with all the graces, privileges and indulgences granted and to be granted to the same Confraternity by the Holy See. 

           I declare that the Pastor of this Church and all successors in this office of perpetuity, are designated and instituted as Chaplains of the Confraternity now erected, with all the rights and faculties proper to such an office, by the aforesaid Master of the Order of Preachers.

           Likewise, I declare that the principal altar of the Church of (name of church) is to be used by the members of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus for their religious services and devotions, in order that the faithful may gain the indulgences which have been granted by the Holy See to those who visit the altar of the Confraternity. 

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Psalms and Readings that Praise the Holy Names of God and Jesus

Numbers 6:22-27 

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Psalm 8

O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. 8:6 You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, 8:7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8:8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 8:9 O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  

Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Philippians 2:5-13

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.