Women’s Sodality Of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Founded in 1908 at the then fledging parish of St. Paul the Apostle in Kenmore, New York. The founding purpose of this women’s group was the care and cleaning of the altars. The albs, cassocks, and altar lines were hand made and hand laundered with great love and devotion.
Original membership numbered about fifteen and because there was no school or hall, meeting was held in the women’s homes. These early pioneers took great pride in their devotion to Mary and dedication to their parish needs.
That pride, devotion, and dedication has been the driving force to this group of women for almost one hundred years.
Those footprints have been emulated very closely so that today’s Sodality numbers about two hundred members with an active core of about sixty. All still devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the parish community of St. Paul.
As an organization, the Sodality is composed of several components. Some of them are social in nature and many are very spiritual in nature. Each component is chaired by a duly elected member from the Sodality general membership. These chairs along with the officers comprise the Sodality board.
These components are:
- Altar: One of the original founding tenets, those serving on the altar committee: clean the altars, the sanctuary and the sacristy weekly. As they dist and vacuum, they do so in the tradition of those who came before them.
- Arrangements: The primary responsibility of this committee is to setup for general meetings, insuring the correct number of tables and chairs, appropriate decorations and other necessities are available.
- Living Rosary: This is a very essential part of the spiritual life of a Sodality member. Every day members privately pray one decade of the rosary, meditating on the mystery of the month. As part of this component, members also gather at the wake of a fellow Sodality member to remember her and to pray the rosary.
- Program: This committee is responsible for bringing not just fun entertainment, but also, spiritual enlightenment to the general meetings.
- Publicity: Weekly articles are printed in the bulletin, alerting the members as well as all the parishioners about the events being offered by the Sodality.
- Refreshments: Those who gather must eat. This committee is responsible for providing coffee, tea, and home made goodies for our general meetings.
- Spiritual Life: As the title suggests, this committee selects appropriate spiritual readings for our board and general meetings as well as preparing one or two spiritual events for the general meetings.
- Sunshine: There can never be enough sunshine in anyone’s life. This committee makes sure that any member “under the weather” receives a card of sunshine from the Sodality.
o Cards of fellowship and cheer are also sent to our parish homebound and those in nursing homes.
- Telephone: Thanks to this committee, the board members can never say that they didn’t know when a meeting was. This group also calls the captains who in turn call from a members list to alert members of a death in the Sodality and where to gather for the praying of the Rosary.
IMPORTANT DATES IN THE LIFE OF THE SODALITY
- September—new member induction and reception.
- October--- the “Living Rosary”, a candle light praying of the Rosary by members with chairs arranged to form a Rosary.
- November--- the Memorial Mass and breakfast to honor all those who began, supported, and encouraged this organization.
- December--- just a fun night to celebrate the season.
- February--- traditional rummage sale.
- May--- installation of newly elected officers and board members.
~THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD AND THE INTERCESSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THE SODALITY PATRNESS, MAY THIS ORGANIZATION CONTINE IN ITS SERVICE TO ST. PAUL’S PARISH, THE COMMUNITY, AND ITS MEMBERS~