Father Louis’ bulletin letter – 12/18/05

Congratulations to the Saint Peter Holy Name Society, which observed its 85^th anniversary last Sunday. Confraternities (that is, voluntary associations of clergy or laity established under Church authority) dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus arose in the 13^th century with the first one founded in Italy in 1274 by Blessed John Vercelli. They were not introduced into the United States until the 1870s. The purpose of these confraternities was to promote a reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus and to make reparation for sins of blasphemy. Of course, the Second Commandment “prescribes respect for the Lord’s name” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2142) and “forbids the abuse of God’s name, that is, every improper use of the names of God, Jesus Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary and all the saints” (CCC, 2146). Indeed, “blasphemy is in itself a grave sin” (CCC, 2148). It is interesting to watch television today where the censors may bleep out foul language as offensive, but do not flinch at the disrespectful use of the name of God or Jesus! Promoting reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus and making reparation for blasphemy are as timely today as they were 731 years ago! This simple yet important witness to faith – evangelization! – can (and should!) be done by all.

An angel appeared in a dream to Saint Joseph, saying: “Mary will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Our patron, Saint Peter, proclaimed of Jesus: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). Referring to Jesus, Saint Paul wrote: “Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). The Second Ecumenical Council of Lyons (1274) made official the customary practice of bowing the head at the name of Jesus: “Those who assemble in church should extol with an act of special reverence that name which is above every name (Philippians 2:9), than which no other under heaven has been given to man, in which believers must be saved (see Acts 4:12), the name, that is, of Jesus Christ, who will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Each should fulfill in himself that which is written for all, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow (Philippians 2:10); whenever that glorious name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head” (Constitutions, II, 25). The latest Vatican directives (20 April 2000) on how the Mass is to be celebrated still require the priest to perform this act of reverence: “A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Third Typical Edition, 275).