Mental Prayer for December 17, What the Sodality Movement Is

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: To understand and to fulfill my part in this tremendous work.

The Idea: The Sodality is a fighting, working, world-wide movement to restore the world to Christ! Praised again and again by the popes as a force for spreading and defending Catholic doctrine, the Sodality strives in every way it can to bring men to Christ and to bring Christ into every walk of life. The Sodality is under the direction of the bishops, and the Pope has instruct­ed Sodalists to undertake enthusiastically any apostolic work assigned by their Bishop. The Sodality is to train leaders and is to work hand-in­-hand with other Catholic Action groups in re­making the world for Christ. The Pope wants us to seek out and perform those corporal and spiritual works of mercy that are open to us. Ours is to be the life and work of Christ!

My Personal Application: Have I caught the fighting, fiery spirit of this tremendous movement? Am I doing all I can to prepare myself to take a
more active part in the fight for Christ's kingdom? Am I working hard at building up my own spiritual and intellectual life so that I will have something solid to bring to others?

I Speak to Mary: I have enrolled under your banner, Mary. You are my patroness and pro­tectress. You know how much is at stake; help me to fulfill my part in the great Sodality move­ment! I depend on your constant help.

Thought for Today: I'm to help remake the world for Christ!
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)

[Note: The Sodality Movement was known as the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which at its height in the early 1950s, included over two million members.

The Sodality movement was best characterized by the charismatic Rev. Daniel Lord, S.J., who produced numerous pamphlets on Christian life, Summer Schools of Catholic Action, and whose stirring pageants helped make the Sodality an important part of Catholic experience in the U.S. in the mid-twentieth century. I understand that that a change of the name to "Christian Life Communities" was made at some point in time and reflects the organization's shift of attention from developing one's individual spirituality in order to grow in holiness and help convert the world to small group sharing and activity. So much for "progress"...]