College of the Holy Cross - Purple Patcher Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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Father Miller and probationers In his initial addresses to the stu- dents as President of Holy Cross Father Swords continually empha- sized the work of the lay apostolate. He was concerned not only with the post-graduate activities of the stu- dents but also with the needs and op- portunities for the lay apostolate here on the campus. In the diverse con- cerns of the Sodality, the Confrater- nity of Christian Doctrine, the Sanctu- ary Society, the Choir, and the Knights of Columbus, the student finds ample outlets for his apostolic energies. By combining the active apostolate of good works with individual develop- ment, members of the five groups strive for personal sanctification and the sanctification of others. For this activity the Sodality of Our Lady offers perhaps an ideal frame- work, it is an action-orientated organ- ization with roots in the contemplative life. By their Common Rules, the Sodalists are committed to perfecting themselves so that they may sanctify 7 come mere habit, the Sodalist tries to give them deeper meaning through daily meditation. As further aids to this end, spiritual reading and counsel are recommended, retreats and days of recollection are sponsored. That spiritual progress must culmi- nate in apostolic activity has always been recognized as an ascetical axiom. Effecting the ideal has proved more difficult. An important suggestion was made by the vigorous English Jesuit, Bev. Bernard Bassett, SJ., who recom- mended a reorganization of the large unwieldly Sodality into small cell groups. These autonomous units would have responsibility to seek and carry out projects. In practice, the Holy Cross cells would discuss ab- stract projects-but they rarely found time or opportunity to effect them. This year's prefect, john Lent, ob- jected that this procedure neglected the primary end of the cells-action. He insisted that each group choose some concrete and practical activity, Cell life-the heart of the 'Sodality others and defend the Church. Thus, the essence of the Sodality is not in its organization but in its way of life. This makes personal santification, or at least a striving in this direction, the primary point of Sodality literature and lectures. A rule is prescribed, its chief aspects are daily Mass and Com- munion, the Rosary and vocal prayer. Aware that these devotions can be- 14 such as working with the delinquent or retarded children, this would be the subject of their discussion. Aware that this expansion of activi- ties off-campus would present a spe- cial hardship on carless Pakachoag, john decided a Sodality-owned Volks- wagon would be the answer. After ex- citing the enthusiastic support of the moderator, Bev. joseph LaBran, SJ.,

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he persuaded each Sodalist to contri- bute twenty-five dollars for the pur- chase of the bus. The response was slow but effective and a grey and cream Volkswagon was parked in Carlin lot by September. Every day, weekends included, the bus was on the road from 3:00 to 10:00 P.M., destined for one of the VVorcester social serv- ices stailed by the cell groups. The bus transported the big brothers to en- tertain the orphans at Nazareth and St. Anneis. In it crowded the organizers who maintained the Mt. Carmel sports and tutoring programs as well as the conversationalists and Cribbage play- ers who amused the lonely and dis- traught at the City and Mental Hos- pitals. Besides expanding these traditional projects, this year the Sodality created a committee whose aim was to im- prove Sodality and campus life. It communicated with other groups and did research on post-graduate Sodali- ties in addition to sponsoring a series of lectures. In another new venture, the Sodalists pooled their personnel with the local Newman and Pro Deo clubs in planning joint projects. Among them was a leadership work- shop on December 105 another was the editing of a quarterly journal, Milieu, which explored problems of common interest. In a somewhat less organized fash- ion, the Sodality conducts the weekly mission collection, canvasses the cam- pus with Catholic magazine salesmen, and keeps the pamphlet racks stocked. Further, its members are ex ojzicio allied with every religious campaign. They are expected to support the dia- logue Mass and to encourage the corridor Rosary. This constant call is the most trying and demanding task for Sodalists, who, like most collegi- ans, revel in their independence. But here lies the strength of the organiza- tion for it can throw the full force of its large membership behind any project. Father Labran and john Lent I5