THE IDEA, STRUCTURE AND SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SODALITIES OF OUR LADY IN GALICIA AT THE END OF THE 19TH – BEGINNING OF THE XX CENTURIES

Abstract

An attempt has been made to characterize the peculiarities of sodalities of Our Lady in the context of the Society of Jesus social activities in Galicia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is noted that the Sodality of Our Lady is a religious society of laypeople united by a certain professional or social affiliation, each of these congregations had its own statutes and was under the guidance of church authority. It was found that sodalities of Our Lady are the most common type of spiritual associations founded and cared for by the Jesuits, and the establishment of religious societies is a special part of the missionary work of the Society of Jesus. It is emphasized that the Jesuits not only founded sodalities but also led and constantly cared for their development. Based on the statutes and contemporary periodicals, the essence and purpose of creating these religious congregations in Galicia have been analyzed. Special attention is given to the role of sodalities of Our Lady as a Catholic response to contemporary social issues and demands, particularly as an alternative to socialist movements. It is clarified that these congregations had a specificity as they not only engaged their members in certain religious practices within the Church but also attempted to combine the individual's religious life with their social activities. On the basis of papal encyclicals the influence of the Leo XIII social doctrine on the forms of missionary service of the Society of Jesus is determined. It is noted that the social work of the Jesuit order was part of the cultural events taking place in the Roman Catholic Church at that time. A multidisciplinary approach incorporating various research methods, including source analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, has been employed. The principles of historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness, integrity, and systematicity have also been observed. It is concluded that the establishment of sodalities of Our Lady was an attempt to reduce the barrier between the Catholic Church and laity by involving the latter in more active religious and social activities. Keywords: Sodality of Our Lady, Roman Catholic Church. religious congregations, Society of Jesus, Jesuits, Galicia.