Society of Mary (Anglican)
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A traditional catholic image of Mary, entitled the "Immaculate Heart of Mary"
The Society of Mary is an Anglican devotional society dedicated to and under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As its website states, it is a group of Anglican Christians "dedicated to the Glory of God and the Holy Incarnation of Christ under the invocation of Our Lady, Help of Christians."
The Anglican Society of Mary is not to be confused with The Roman Catholic religious order of the same name commonly called the Marists.
Objectives
The stated objectives of the Society are:
- To love and honor Mary
- To spread devotion to her in reparation for past neglect and misunderstanding
- To take Mary as a model in purity, personal relationships and family life
In localities where there are a number of members, they may come together to form local organizations called "Wards" or "Cells." These groups gather for prayer and fellowship. A magazine called AVE is published by the Society three times per year.
History
The Society began in 1931 by the combination of two other societies: The Confraternity of Our Lady (formed 1880) and the League of Our Lady (formed 1902). Although Anglican in origin, there are non-Anglican members of the society and they can be found all over the world. The main regional organizations are in England and the United States.
Devotional Societies within Anglicanism
Since the time of the Oxford Movement (also known as the "Catholic Revival") in the Church of England (and her sister churches), there have been organizations whose purpose is the propagation of Catholic faith and practice within the Anglican tradition. The Society of Mary is among the most famous of these societies, which include the Society of King Charles the Martyr, the Guild of All Souls and the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament.
Each of these societies champions one aspect of Catholic faith and practice which otherwise is not emphasized by the Anglican Churches as a whole. For the Society of Mary, this is the cultus of the Blessed Virgin. Unlike many other Marian societies, SOM is not dedicated to any one particular Marian doctrine or apparition.
See also
- Anglican Communion
- Anglo-Catholicism
- Blessed Virgin Mary
- Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament
- Guild of All Souls
- Marian Anthems
- Mother of God
- Society of Catholic Priests
- Society of the Holy Cross
- Society of King Charles the Martyr
External links
- [Website of the American Region of the Society of Mary (Unofficial)]
- [Website of the British Region of the Society of Mary]
- [Catholic Societies of the Church of England]
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