[front cover] Metacosmesis Mundi Per Incarnationem
______THE SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH ______ SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH
ORATORY OF SAINT MARY AND SAINT MICHAEL
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
[inside front cover] PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH, NO. 3. This booklet is descriptive and informative. It doe not contain the full Rule of the Society. Price 15 cents. [1][title page identical to front cover]
[2] THE SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH
______Sub Invocatione Humili et Devota Sanctae Mariae Virginis, Matris Dei Incarnati,
Reginae Caeli, Gloriosissimae et Beatissimae
Omnium Sanctorumet Sancti Michaelis, Archangeli, Militiae
Caelestis Principiscum autem Sancto Augustino, Episcopo Hipponensi,
Confessore et Doctoreatque Sancto Thoma Aquinate, Confessore et Doctore ut illi pro nobis intercedere dignentur in caelis,
quorum memoriam agimus in terris.[3] THE SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH is a society within the Anglican Communion whose primary purpose is, under God, to bear intensive witness to the Incarnational, Sacramental and therefore essentially social character of the Christian Religion.
The unique characteristic of Christianity, by which it is distinguished from all other religions, consists in the fact that it is a religion of the redemption of the natural world. Our natural world remade, re-created according to God's will for it, is required as a basis of the promised ultimate redemption of that world within the spiritual sphere which transcends nature. This is shown by the fact that Our Lord clothed Himself with a perfected humanity, with body, mind and spirit in our natural order, before He rose from the dead and ascended to His Father. It can, in fact, be said that God Incarnate required this perfected humanity before He could re-enter the supernatural level of His transcendent Being; for without that humanity perfected within this world, there would, as it were, have been no unit of natural being to enter the events of the Resurrection and Ascension.
The Christian Religion teaches that a corporate social humanity, binding human beings together in a new divinely informed social order, spreads abroad in the world from Our Lord's individually perfected [3/4] unit of humanity as its centre. It also continues onward in history with His humanity as its source. This new creation in the midst of the surrounding and still unredeemed human society of our secular world is the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church.
The Process of Incarnation of the human social world continues that identical Process which begins in Our Lord's individual humanity. Just as He perfected an individual humanity as the first-fruit of this world's redemption, so in organic union with Him, His followers perfect a re-created corporate social humanity in the midst of the disorders of the fallen world. This social humanity is called the Kingdom of God forming within the natural world. Ultimately, this new social Kingdom in the natural order, according to Our Lord's revelation and promise, will be received into a supernatural order and will be consummated in eternity. But in the meantime the Kingdom-in-the-making bears the same relation to the Kingdom-in-heaven that Our Lord's individual natural humanity bears to His risen and ascended Humanity. A visible, newly created and perfected social order is required among men, to provide the natural substance for the eternal consummation of the Kingdom of God.
Thus the Process of the redemption of the world in the Incarnation is twofold. The disordered elements of human individual and social life are first reperfected by Our Lord into His humanity within this world. There emerges here His Sacramental Church as the objective embodiment of this forming new creation. Then, secondly, this new natural creation is ultimately received by Him into the level of [4/5] His risen and ascended life. The natural world will be redeemed in so far as it is engulfed or "swallowed up" by the social humanity of Our Lard encroaching upon it. When this initial part of the process of redemption has sufficiently fulfilled itself in the natural order, we may look for the consummation of the Kingdom through the Second Coming of Our Lord. This final consummation bears the same relation to the socially redeemed natural order that Our Lord's Resurrection and Ascension bear to His individual human life.
All the elements of the redeeming Process of the Incarnation are objectively figured forth in the central Catholic Sacrament, the Sacrament of the Altar, commonly called the Mass. Here the members of Our Lord's social humanity, corporately assimilated by Baptism into Him, present themselves, their continuing works and their accomplishments, periodically to Him. They present themselves under the forms of pieces of natural bread and cups of natural wine. These material offerings, on the occasion of every Offertory, sum up within their several histories portions of a fresh social creation which have been added to the content of Our Lord's humanity through the labors of the members of the Church. These newly accrued portions of Our Lord's social Incarnation are then received by Him into His risen life. As it is usually put, the natural bread and the natural wine are transubstantiated into His Body and His Blood. But a reperfection within the human world of at least certain portions of natural bread and natural wine is a necessary prerequisite for the conveyance of these offerings into a supernatural order. Our Lord's risen Body was [5/6] not possible without the prior preparation of a natural human body. Our Lord's Body and Blood upon the Catholic Altar are not possible without the prior offering of a natural bread and wine perfected within His social humanity. The consummated Kingdom of God is not conceivable without the prior perfection within this world of a new social order, fit to be so consummated, as its substantial natural foundation.
The Christian Religion, therefore, requires a positive attack upon the fallen world's disorders. Under certain circumstances this attack may be so necessarily radical that it will prove revolutionary.
The central tragedy of our age is that most Christianity is today presented as a religious method of salvation by extricating, or "fishing out", individual souls from the evil world and thus getting them into "heaven". This is an almost utter perversion of Christianity and, in so far as it prevails, it turns it into a religion with little to recommend it over Buddhism or Mohammedanism, which are also extrication religions. This is why that in so far as Christian missions are tainted with extricationism they justify the popular criticism that other peoples had best be left in peace with their own native religions, since these are often thought to be better suited to their peculiar needs and circumstances.
The Society of the Catholic Commonwealth rejects Christianity as an extrication religion. It rejects the logical accompaniments of such religion: the individualistic pietism characteristic of both Protestantism and Papalism; sentimental and non-liturgical rituals which pander to subjective [6/7] emotionalism; individualistic preoccupation with "going to heaven"; a legalistic view of rewards for goodness and punishments for sin; withdrawal or aloofness from the natural world; the view that the natural world is a hindrance to salvation rather than potentially the substantial foundation necessary to human salvation; indifference to the character of the political, social and economic patterns of human corporate life.
Therefore it also rejects a Church which can live corporately and organizationally at peace with an evil world, accepting money and power on that world's terms, provided only she herself is left undisturbed to fish out individual souls and to get them into heaven when individual bodies die. The Society asserts that Christian salvation includes the body with the soul and that without a re-created natural humanity there can be no substantial foundation for a supernatural resurrection. And since man is by nature a social animal, individual perfection is impossible apart from an accompanying process of corporate social perfection. Mass cannot be offered without a perfected natural bread and wine. The consummated Kingdom of God is unthinkable without a previously perfected social Kingdom of God in the natural order of human affairs.
The Society therefore also rejects "going to church" as mere comfort, mere refuge from life's storms, mere edification, mere inspiration, all of which things are symptoms of, and stages in, extricationism. In short, it rejects all "purely spiritual" and non-Sacramental idealism; for apart from functional Sacramentalism, the only connection of ideals [7/8] with man's material state rests tenuously and abstractly in what are called the "practical implications" of religion. Implicationism is veiled idealism. The Society rejects idealism as the most subtle and deadly enemy of the Sacramental Religion of the Incarnation.
The Society therefore sets itself anew the task of forming one or more social seeds or cells of that new social order required by Our Lord's extending humanity. These units are normally composed of a central nucleus of men, Priests or Laymen or both together, living under simple annual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. These are called Members Regular. No life vows are received in the Society.
In union with every nucleus of Members Regular provision is made for Members Secular. These may be both men and women, men in Holy Orders or lay people, married or single. They are people of the local environment who are not able to enter the nucleus of Members Regular for whole time work, but who remain at their secular tasks in the surrounding community. They work there to leaven their respective communities, to change and reorganize the secular social structure in ways which shall bring it more nearly into the pattern of Our Lord's humanity than is the structure of our profit-making capitalist order. They labor to "prepare the way of the Lord". It is a work analogous to that of Saint John Baptist.
From their various secular callings they, together with Members Regular, day by day and week by week, bring in their accrued accomplishments to Our [8/9] Lord under the forms of the bread and wine of the Liturgical Offertory. They thus continually fill up the corporate content of Our Lord's Incarnate humanity.
In the corporate life of the Society no distinctions in quality of membership are drawn between Members Regular and Members Secular. All participate democratically in determining the affairs of their local Cells. The Members Secular take no religious vows. They do however assume the obligation of keeping their Rule and of obeying the directives of the Superior of the Society in carrying through whatever projects may be determined by the majority of all Members in General Chapter assembled.
It is desirable that every Cell shall possess at least one Member Regular in Priest's Orders. He may then have the Office of Prior. No lay Member may serve as Prior. However, a Cell may be organized by Members Secular only, provided one of their number in Priest's Orders shall be appointed as Director and Chaplain. This should be regarded as a temporary arrangement only.
The Prior or Director (as the case may be) of every Cell has authority in its local affairs. In matters which concern the Society as a whole local Cells act in consultation with the Father Superior.
Every Cell of the Society shall possess if possible its own Oratory where the Liturgy according to the Use of the Society may be regularly performed. It is desirable too that there shall here be facilities where Members may gather socially on various [9/10] occasions, especially after Mass for common meals and for other consultation. A collection of books and other literature for the use of Members and enquirers should here be assembled. As a temporary minimum every Cell must at the least have access to an Altar which it controls for its own Liturgical life.
Local Cells may determine the times and occasions of their own meetings and regional Chapters. An annual Chapter of the whole Society is held at the Principal Oratory on the Feast of Corpus Christi or within its Octave. At least one Member of every local Cell should be present at this General Chapter. All Members may attend and all present are entitled to vote.
Each local Cell should keep its Diocesan Bishop or his appointed representative informed in general outline of its activities. The Visitor of the Society's Principal Cell acts as Ecclesiastical Visitor of the whole Society. He is appointed by the Bishop of the local Diocese in consultation with the Father Superior, who there resides. The Father Superior is the Ordinary of the Society.
Every Cell of the Society seeks to show forth in social microcosm that organic order which will be proper to the social macrocosm of the Kingdom of God. Every such unit must seek, by Our Lord's grace (it is only by His grace that this is possible even to the slightest degree) to be a social unit of such living order that conceivably it might grow to engulf the whole world within its own organism, much as the seed of a vine (Our Lord said "I am the Vine") might grow to incorporate into its ordered living [10/11] structure the random elements of its material environment. This is an enterprise potentially embracing every aspect of organized social life and culture, yet Our Lord has promised that even two or three gathered together in His Name may suffice for its beginning.
Each Cell therefore accepts the probability of carrying a potential revolutionary threat to its environing unredeemed world. It carries a similar threat to the present human organization of the "Christian" Church, in so far as that organization serves as a vehicle and defense for a perverted "extrication Christianity". Fortunately in this case a clear distinction can be made between the human organization of the Church and the social organism of Our Lord's humanity. It is possible that the former must be largely destroyed in order that the latter may emerge anew.
The Society accepts the Catholic Faith in its wholeness as the foundation of its life and work. It stands within the theological tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas. It holds that Catholic Orthodoxy when rightly understood, and not Protestant or humanist heterodoxy, carries within it the power of that revolution of the fallen world which is fully in accord with the will of God. It believes however that Catholic understanding of the Faith, while remaining entirely continuous with the central tradition of the Church in all ages, lives and develops in every new age. It therefore believes that comprehensive formulations of great Theologians like that of St. Thomas are not closed systems to be rigidly re-presented as if in return to a former age, but [11/12] that they are well laid intellectual foundations for genuine advance.
Genuine theological advance cannot however involve in any sense either the introduction of "new truths" or the negation of already known and formulated truths. It will consist in developing elucidations and applications of truths which have from the beginning been fully implicit in the Faith. The Society believes that a development of the theology of the Liturgical Offertory wider and deeper than anything hitherto attempted in the Church is destined to be the chief mark of theological advance in the present age. Therefore one of the Society's principal intellectual tasks is that of making contributions to this field of analysis. So clearly defined is this intellectual emphasis that the Society might not inappropriately be called the "Society of the Offertory", were it not for the fact that its chosen name includes this emphasis and gives it a wider context.
Realizing that within the Marxian analysis of dialectical development may be found a valuable guide to the understanding of the process of secular (i.e. fallen) world history, the Society sets itself wherever possible to work in practical affairs with all secular groups and organizations which it deems to be moving towards the reorganization or the revolution of our present social structure and in the general direction of the demands of the natural foundation of the Kingdom of God.
This natural foundation requires an economic system which shall make possible a genuine commonwealth. It requires a common possession of the riches and resources of God's creation in such ways that [12/13] they may benefit all men in proportion to their relative needs. It requires a rationally free and democratic participation by all men and women everywhere in the planning and guiding of their corporate affairs, according to the fullness of their several abilities. It requires a socially cooperative structure which shall replace the inhumanly competitive and irrationally undemocratic structure of our present economic order. Therefore it also requires that the so-called rights of private property may never include, as do our present such rights, either the power or the means of exploitation of one set of human beings by another set of their fellow men. From this it follows that at this moment of history those groups, in whatever country found, which seek to change our individualistic, competitive capitalist system of production to a more democratic and cooperative system are undoubtedly those which hold out to Catholic Christians the greatest promise of that more nearly perfected bread and wine required for the Catholic Sacrifice of the Altar. Private production for individualistic profit is un-Christian. Social production for common use can provide both a just distribution of things produced and a Christian motive for productive effort.
In our present world scarcely anyone turns to a Catholic Sacramental group either expecting or hoping to find there an organ of positive social action. This is a tragic fact, but it must be realistically faced. Therefore groups like those of our Society must be prepared to remain for the present relatively small. Furthermore, since conventional organized Christianity is largely indifferent or even hostile [13/14] both to our purposes and to our fundamentally Sacramental method of achieving them, we may remain in our specifically Christian character and function almost bereft of significant economic, political and social power. Outlets for organized political and other social action are apt to be found, both by Members Regular and Members Secular, chiefly in the secular world and for the time being within the framework of secular (possibly even anti-religious) organizations. As a religious group and on our Christian basis, we can make valuable intellectual contributions to the social processes of the times and to the theological and philosophical guidance of other Christians. But above all, we must carry on in the midst of our surrounding world as highly prophetic Sacramental units, microcosmic, realizing in a deep outline of corporate and Liturgical social living a foretaste of the cultural pattern of the substantial human foundation of the Kingdom of God.
[15] RULE FOR MEMBERS SECULAR OF THE
SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC
COMMONWEALTH
_____Members Secular of the Society are pledged to the following Rule:
1). To assist at an offering of the Holy Sacrifice of Our Lord's Body and Blood at least once a week, on Sundays if possible, and on all Great Feasts and Holy Days of Obligation or within their Octaves. To receive then, after due preparation and unless unavoidably hindered, the Holy Communion, if possible in company with one or more other comrades of the Society.
2). To make regular and careful use of the Sacrament of Penance. The Society's standard is to make Confession not less often than once a month. The social meaning of this Sacrament must be kept in mind. The use of the manual for self-examination prepared by the (English) Catholic Crusade and reprinted by this Society is recommended.
3). To pray regularly, morning, noon and evening; to say Grace before and after meals. Daily prayers should include, at one time or another, the Pater Noster, the Ave Maria or the Angelus, and the Society's Prayer. Brief intercessions should be made [15/16] for the S.C.C. and for the Members of its comradeship, for the Society's objectives, both social and individual, for the whole Catholic Church, both east and west, for the Church's Ministry, and for the Faithful Departed.
4). To make two disciplined and sufficiently planned meditations every week.
5). To read a portion of the Bible under a definitely planned sequence at least twice a week.
6). To keep some serious theological, philosophical, economic or sociological reading in continuous (if moderate) progress.
7). To meet together with other comrades of the Society, if possible on regularly stated occasions (e.g. after Sunday Mass) to eat and drink together (usque ad hilaritatem, as Saint Thomas Aquinas puts it), in order that the peculiar joy and fire of our common enterprise in the Kingdom of God, and the enthusiasm of our new social order, may be nurtured and made manifest among us.
8). To carry the evangelistic spirit of the Divine social order out into all the contacts of the non-Christian environment, that our units of this social order may be enlarged (if it be God's will), and that others may be guided to look for Our Lord's Kingdom and then to take an active part in its achievement.
9). To make a written yearly report, during Eastertide, to the Father Superior or some other Member appointed by him. This shall contain a statement concerning the degree of faithfulness achieved during the past year in keeping the [16/17] provisions of this Rule. Also other matters of common concern and interest should be recounted, especially by those Members who have remained for some time at a distance from one of the Society's Oratories.
10). To make regular contributions of money or time or both, proportionate to each Member's power, for the promotion of the Society's work and interests. Such contributions may be made to various objectives, both in the Church and out of it. If these gifts further the Society's aims, they are considered as gifts to the Society, even when made to works and enterprises not under its control or auspices.
[18] PRAYER OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CATHOLIC COMMONWEALTH
_____Ant. The work of Justice shall be peace; and the effect of Justice, quietness and confidence forever.
V. Keep ye Judgement and do Justice:
R. For my Salvation. is near to come and my Justice to be revealed.
Let us pray. ALMIGHTY GOD, whose property it is ever to draw the thoughts and deeds of men from the world's disorder and to direct them into the Order of thy redeeming will; create anew, we humbly beseech thee, and so keep the wills of us thy servants, that we, ardently withstanding the empires of this world, may rejoice in the comradeship of the Kingdom of thine Incarnate Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
[19] COMMEMORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
_____Ant. O sacred banquet, wherein Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed; the soul is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given unto us, Alleluia.
V. Thou gavest them bread from heaven, Alleluia
R. Containing in itself all sweetness, Alleluia.
Let us pray. O GOD, who under a wonderful Sacrament hast left unto us a memorial of thy Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of thy redemption. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
[20] COMMEMORATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY Ant. Behold, the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word.
V. The Word was made flesh:
R. And dwelt among us.
Let us pray. GOD, who by the fruitful virginity of blessed Mary hast bestowed upon mankind the reward of eternal salvation: grant, we beseech thee, that we may know the help of her intercession, through whom we have been accounted worthy to receive the Author of our life, Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
[21] COMMEMORATION OF SAINT MICHAEL, ARCHANGEL Ant. There was silence in heaven while the dragon waged war: and Michael fought against him, and had the victory.
V. An Angel stood at the altar of the temple:
R. Having in his hand a golden censer.
Let us pray. O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth. Through Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
HOLY MICHAEL, Archangel, defend us in the day of battle; be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil: may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust down to hell Satan and all wicked spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. R. Amen.
[22] COMMEMORATION OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO, CONFESSOR AND DOCTOR
_____Ant. A faithful and wise servant, whom the Lord hath made ruler over his household.
V. The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree:
R. And shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.
Let us pray.
ASSIST us, Almighty God, in these our supplications: and since thou dost give us confidence in the hope of thy goodness, graciously grant to us, at the intercession of blessed Augustine thy Confessor and Bishop, the fruit of the atoning mercy of thy Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
[23] COMMEMORATION OF SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, CONFESSOR AND DOCTOR
_____Ant. In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth: and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and of understanding: he clothed him with a robe of glory.
V. The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdom:
R. And his tongue will be talking of judgement.
Let us pray. O GOD, who dost enlighten thy Church with the wondrous learning of blessed Thomas, thy Confessor, and enrichest her through his labours: grant to us, we beseech thee, that we may both understand aright the doctrine that he taught, and also follow the pattern of his conversation. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R. Amen.
[24] COMMEMORATION OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED
_____Ant. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. They rest from their labours and their works do follow them.
V. Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord:
R. And let light perpetual shine upon them.
Let us pray. O GOD, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful: grant unto the souls of thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins; that through the atoning action of thy Son here pleaded in the prayers of thy Church they may be brought into the fullness of eternal life. Through the same Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. R.. Amen.
V. May the souls of the Faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
R. Amen.
[25] FORM FOR THE RECEPTION OF POSTULANTS IN SECULAR MEMBERSHIP
______Mass shall be said by the Father Superior or by another Priest Member Regular appointed by him.
At the time of the Offertory the Candidate shall kneel before the Altar.
Priest: Do you offer yourself as a Postulant in the Secular Membership of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth?
Answer: I do.
Priest: Will you, during the period of your Postulancy, willingly and obediently follow whatever assignments are laid upon you by your lawful Director under the authority of this Society and work loyally according to his advice in practical action, in study, prayer and worship?
Answer: I will, by God's help.
Priest: We admit you as a Postulant in the Secular Membership of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth, in the Name + of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
People: Amen.
[26] Let us pray. O GOD, whose property it is ever to draw the thoughts and deeds of men from the world's disorder and to direct them into the Order of thy redeeming will; create anew, we humbly beseech thee, and so keep the wills of us thy servants, that we ardently withstanding the empires of this world, may rejoice in the comradeship of the Kingdom of thine Incarnate Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end.
People: Amen.
The Postulant remains kneeling before the Altar until the Offertory prayers are completed and the Orate Fratres has been said.
No postulant shall be admitted as a Novice until he has served a Postulancy of at least three months.
[27] FORM FOR THE ADMISSION OF NOVICES IN SECULAR MEMBERSHIP
______Mass shall be said by the Father Superior or by another Priest Member Regular appointed by him.
At the time of the Offertory the Postulant shall kneel before the Altar.
Priest: Do you offer yourself as a Novice in the Secular Membership of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth?
Answer: I do.
Priest: Are you familiar with the Theological and Sacramental principles for which this Society stands, and do you accept these as a guide to intellectual analysis and practical action looking towards the fulfilment of the Incarnation?
Answer: I do.
Priest: During the period of your Noviciate will you carefully keep the Rule of Members Secular, testing your abilities and aptitudes under its requirements?
Answer: I will, by God's help.
Priest: Will you continue both in study and practical work according to the requirements of this Society as you have opportunity and as you may be directed from time to time by the authority of your Superior?
Answer: I will, by God's help.
[28] Priest: We accept you as a Novice in the Secular Membership of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth, in the Name + of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
People: Amen.
Let us pray. O GOD, whose property it is ever to draw the thoughts and deeds of men from the world's disorder and to direct them into the Order of thy redeeming will; create anew, we humbly beseech thee, and so keep the wills of us thy servants, that we, ardently withstanding the empires of this world, may rejoice in the comradeship of the Kingdom of thine Incarnate Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end.
People: Amen.
The Novice remains kneeling before the Altar until the Offertory prayers are completed and the Orate Fratres has been said.
If more than one Novice is to be accepted on a single occasion the Form of Admission up to the final prayer shall be repeated for each one separately.
No Novice shall be admitted as a Member Secular until he has served a Noviciate of at least nine months.
[29] FORM FOR THE ADMISSION OF MEMBERS SECULAR
______Mass shall be said by the Father Superior.
At the time o f the Offertory the Novice to be received shall kneel before the Altar.
Priest: Do you offer yourself as a Member Secular of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth?
Answer: I do.
Priest: Do you believe the whole Catholic Faith and agree with the Sacramental and practical insights into this Faith upon which this Society takes its stand?
Answer: I do.
Priest: Do you here promise to keep the Rule of the Society for its Members Secular and to work in all ways open to you for the setting forward of the Society's purposes and ends?
Answer: I do so promise and by God's help will work for these purposes and ends.
Priest: We accept this offering of your life to this Society within the Offertory of the bread and wine of Our Lord's humanity, and we admit you as a Member Secular of the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth in the Name + of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
People: Amen.
[30] Then the Priest lays his right hand upon the head of the new Member, saying:
May the sure hope of the achievement of the Divine Commonwealth inspire you, and the Catholic Comradeship within this Society give you strength in the battle for Christ's Kingdom; and may the bless + ing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost be upon you and remain with you forever.
People: Amen.
Let us pray. GOD, whose property it is ever to draw the thoughts and deeds of men from the world's disorder and to direct them into the Order of thy redeeming will; create anew, we humbly beseech thee, and so keep the wills of us thy servants, that we, ardently withstanding the empires of this world, may rejoice in the comradeship of the Kingdom of thine Incarnate Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end.
People: Amen.
The new Member Secular remains kneeling before the Altar until the Offertory prayers are completed and the Orate Fratres has been said.
[31] Adoremus In Aeternum Sanctissimum Sacramentum [inside back cover:] All enquiries for further information about the Society of the Catholic Commonwealth should be addressed to:
The Father Superior
The Society of the Catholic Commonwealth
Oratory of St. Mary and St. Michael
Cambridge 39, Massachusetts[union label on back cover]