As we started this year of Our Lord 2018, the Diocesan Union of Holy Name Societies, our present officers and our executive board continued to make their personal commitments to the society. I personally thanked all these men and women for coming together to continue our wonderful movement. We are always in need of more good men and, in some parishes, women to fill the void of many men who are not Holy Name participants.

Women who are interested in the society must approach their pastors to become members, and must be in agreement with the bishop's approval.

Presently, we are constantly promoting our society to spread the wonderful word and workings of the society. Good men and women are always needed who, first of all, can be committed to the cause of protecting His Holy Name. It's that good man or woman who possesses Christian principles, and who has the penetrating insight to look into the cause, purpose and objectives of the Holy Name Society.

Ask yourself this question: Are you that man or woman who can join a Catholic society that has been honored by so many over many, many years? Presently we have, in our diocese, women at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in Cheektowaga and St. Casimir Church in Buffalo who are bona fide members. On the national level, we have many women in archdioceses and dioceses across the United States as well.

We must collectively reach out for something that is good. If you and I, and so many more, do this, then it will indeed bring us great pleasure. I have been a Holy Name man for many years, and I can personally state that it has enriched my life each and every day, because its values are so solid that it would take something out of the ordinary to break my love for Jesus Christ.

Sometimes I wonder if those who walk in darkness each day, choosing paths leading to personal needs and satisfaction, never find this pleasure but actually feel the loss of that love. Would you agree that a philosophy of life is needed? If you ask where we can find a visible philosophy of life, let us look toward our Christian men and women, who articulate a philosophy for the world to hear Him and to see Him.

Presently, we live in a society that is so complicated, the individual man and woman have little or no effect on the total structure. However, by belonging to the Holy Name Society, they are enriching their personal lives because they involve themselves with others in praying, spreading the good word and by protecting His Holy Name. Surely you must agree that this would definitely make our world a better place to live in.

I believe that what our society needs today is a group of men and women, like yourselves, to articulate a philosophy for others to hear you. Yes, every society needs change. The question being asked is: Are you up to making this special commitment?

In this new year, our long-range goal is to achieve the necessary changes, and we believe that it can be achieved in 2018 if we all work together in unison. Being members of this wonderful society, we can almost hear Jesus Christ, speaking to each of us each day, thanking all the Holy Name Societies throughout the world for protecting His name against blasphemy, perjury, profanity and obscene speech.

If we all keep these thoughts in our hearts and in our minds, then the sacred name of Jesus Christ will always be with us forever. Now, I ask you men and women to search your own personal feelings and beliefs, and consider being a member of this wonderful society in your parishes. My last thought is to pray, for prayer is the most powerful way for enriching our lives.