HOLY NAME SOCIETY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Official Name National Association of the Holy Name Society of the Philippines
Other Name or Acronym HNS
Mission

Our members perform the Corporal Works of Mercy: to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to the thirsty, shelter to the homeless, tend the sick, visit those in prison and bury the dead; as well as the Spiritual Works of Mercy: to convert sinners, instruct the ignorant council the wayward, comfort the sorrowing, bear adversity patiently, forgive offenses and pray for the living and the dead on a parochial, diocesan and national level.

To promote the devotion to the most Holy Name of Jesus by defending the Faith in Christ while practicing in their daily lives through the performance of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and to promote close camaraderie among its members.

The Holy Name Society promotes respect for the most Holy Name of God, faith in the Catholic Church and the magisterium, loyalty to one’s country and respect for all lawful authority, both civil and religious. 

Year Established 1274
YEAR ACCREDITED W/ LAIKO (N.B. not stated)
History

In the year 1274 A.D., Pope Gregory X commissioned the Order of Preachers to preach devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus because the heresies of that time were denying the divinity of Christ. The Bull of Gregory X to the effect was NUPER IN CONCILIO, dated September 20, 1274.

The MASTER OF THE ORDER, at that time was JOHN GARBELLA, also called JOHN OF VERCELLI, from his town of origin. He led the Dominican Preachers in the propagation of this movement.

In 1571 Pope Clement VIII published the BULL “Quaecumque” where he decreed that the Confraternity may be established in Churches of the Dominicans but not in another Church in the same locality. FR. CHARLES MCKENNA, O.P., National Director of the HNS in the United States succeeded in having this restriction lifted in 1895. It remains true, however, that to establish the HNS in a Church not belonging to the Dominican Order one must obtain a CHARTER issued by the Order of Preachers.

It is to be presumed, therefore, that the Holy Name Society was widespread in Europe in the years after the Dominicans accepted the “mandate” of the Popes who have enriched the Confraternity with many Indulgences.

The preaching of reverence for the Holy Name of Jesus came to America in 1626, when Fra ANTONIO DE MONTESINOS and companions came to FLORIDA. In the 1800’s the Society began to spread in the USA. The Dominican priest generally credited with being the Apostle of the Holy Name was FR. CHARLES MCKENNA, O.P. He was stationed at St. Vincent Ferrer Church at Manhattan, New York (now Seat of the Province of St. Joseph). He traveled the length and breadth of the Eastern USA promoting the Confraternity. One of his accomplishments was the birth of the idea of having several parishes with the HNS group together into a DIOCESAN UNION.   The first such HNS Union was established in the Archdiocese of New York. Fr. Mckenna died in 1917. He was succeeded as National Director by Fr. John McNicholas, O.P.

The Holy Name Society is 724 years old. (1274-1998) it is considered the oldest Confraternity of the Church.   And most richly indulgenced. And so inspite of all difficulties and specially the competitions with man’s modern movements and associations, there is that well founded conviction that it will live on and flourish.

The HNS in the Philippines

In the Philippines the early Dominicans must have established the Confraternity of the Holy Name in their churches. It is written in some old documents “that the students of Letran in Intramuros joined the Confraternity of the Holy Name to foster their spiritual lives.”

However, the establishment of the HNS in the Philippines, the way it was organized in USA is attributed to Fr. Silvestre Sancho who studied in USA.   He established the first such HNS group at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila on November 13, 1930.

Areas Present

There are 652 Local Confraternities duly established throughout the country.

The HNS National Directorate is intensifying the campaign to establish more Parish Fraternities in the seven (7) most “fertile” Ecclesiastical Provinces of :

  • Manila
  • San Fernando, Pampanga
  • Lingayen-Dagupan
  • Caceres
  • Nueva Segovia
  • Lipa
  • Tuguegarao
Affiliations Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas –CBCP
Official Contact Address National Association of the Holy Name Society of the Philippines

 

Sto. Domingo Convent

537 Quezon Avenue

Quezon City

Official Contact Numbers Telefax: + 63.2. 743.7757
Logo

logo_holyname

 
   

Current Officers

National Spiritual Director/ Promoter : 
Rev. Fr. Edgardo D. Alaurin, OP

National Executive Board

National President    Bro. Max E. Viola 
Executive Vice President  Bro. Narciso F. Salas, Jr. 
Executive Secretary   Bro. Marcy Angeles 
Asst. Secretary   Sis. Mara S. Viola 
Treasurer   Bro. Edwin G. Cabasan 
Auditor   Bro. Albert A. Loteyro 
Public Relation Officer   Bro. Dosmedo G. Tabrilla 
Business Manager   Bro. Manny A. Aguilar

Regional Coordinators

Central Luzon  Bro. Hector M. Libunao
Southwest Luzon  Bro. Peter M. Clorina
Bicol  Bro. Eric B. Brisuela
Bicol   Bro. Gabby Jacobo
Bicol-Coordinator Emeritus   Sis. Teresita Flores
National Capital Region   Bro. Albert A. Loteyro
Western Mindanao   Bro. Jess Corpus
Northern Luzon   Bro. Jess Gison
San Fernando La Union   Bro. Delfin Cuaresma
Cavite   Atty. Samson Villanueva
Caloocan-Coordinator   Sis. Ellen Q. de Leon

Board of Consultors  (Former National Presidents)
Bro. Ramon Bagasan +
Bro. Didong Villanueva (1984-86) +
Bro. Leonardo Afable
Bro. Ulysses Salvador (1993)
Bro. Francis Lagman (1994-96)
Bro. Emmanuel Flores (1996-98) +
Bro. Manuel de Guzman (1998-2000)
Bro. Vienvenido Pentino (2000-02)
Bro. Conrado Mataga (2002-04)
Bro. Emiliano Aberin (2004-06)
Bro. Jimmy Pablito (2007-09)
Bro. Manny A. Aquilar
Bro. Felix Tobillo  +
Bro. Laureano R. Culala, Jr.
Bro. Apolinario E. Carandang
Bro. Arturo Sanche

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