Mary, Mother of God, Patroness of the Holy Name Society

The Holy Name Society with canonical ties to the Order founded by St. Dominic shares in the charisms of the Order of Friar Preachers. Just as Our Blessed Mother protects the members of the Dominican Order, she also provides special protection for all professed members of the Holy Name Society.

'I have given thine Order to My Mother'

St. Dominic returned to pray in the place where he was before, and scarcely had he begun to pray when he was wrapt in spirit unto God. And he saw the Lord, with the Blessed Virgin standing on His right hand; and it seemed to him that our Lady was dressed in a robe of sapphire blue. And, looking about him, he saw religious of every order standing before God; but of his own he did not see one. Then he began to weep bitterly, and he dared not draw nigh to our Lord, or to His Mother; but our Lady beckoned him with her hand to approach. Nevertheless, he did not dare to come until our Lord also in His turn had made a sign to do so.

He came, therefore, and fell prostrate before them, weeping bitterly. And the Lord commanded him to rise; and when he was risen, He said to him, 'Why weepest thou thus bitterly?' And he answered, 'I weep because I see here religious of all orders except mine own.' And the Lord said to him, 'Wouldst thou see thine own?' And he, trembling, replied, 'Yes, Lord.' Then the Lord placed His hand on the shoulder of the Blessed Virgin, and said to the blessed Dominic,

'I have given thine Order to My Mother.' Then He said again, "And wouldst thou really see thine Order?' And he replied, 'Yea, Lord." Then the Blessed Virgin opened the mantle in which she seemed to be dressed, and extending it before the eyes of Dominic, so that its immensity covered all the space of the heavenly country, he saw under its folds a vast multitude of his friars. The Blessed Dominic fell down to thank God and the Blessed Virgin, His Mother, and the vision disappeared, and he came to himself again.....

All members of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Names of God and Jesus, while faithful to their Obligations of Membership are protected by the "Mantle of Our Blessed Mother."