Friday 15 August is the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. The Dogma of the Assumption was proclaimed by Pope Pius 12th in 1950. On the 75th anniversary of this proclamation it is prudent to revisit his words.
“The Immaculate Conception and the Assumption are two principles that are most closely bound together. Christ overcame sin and death by his own death, and one who through Baptism has been born again in a supernatural way has conquered sin and death through the same Christ. Yet, according to the general rule, God does not will to grant to the just the full effect of the victory over death until the end of time has come. And so it is that the bodies of even the just are corrupted after death, and only on the last day will they be joined, each to its own glorious soul.”
“Now God has willed that the Blessed Virgin Mary should be exempted from this general rule. She, by an entirely unique privilege, completely overcame sin by her Immaculate Conception, and as a result she was not subject to the law of remaining in the corruption of the grave, and she did not have to wait until the end of time for the redemption of her body. Thus, when it was solemnly proclaimed that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, was from the very beginning free from the taint of original sin, the minds of the faithful were filled with a stronger hope that the day might come soon when the dogma of the Virgin Mary’s bodily Assumption into heaven would also be defined by the Church’s supreme teaching authority.”
Munificentissimus Deus – The Most Bountiful God – paragraphs 4-6; Pope Pius 12th. 1950
We celebrate the 75th anniversary of this dogma with these Masses for the Assumption of Our Lady
8:30 am at Our Lady of Peace
And 8:30 am at Notre Dame de Lourdes (simultaneously)
Lastly, 6:30 pm at Notre Dame de Lourdes
The Assumption always is a signal that the beginning of the school year is quickly approaching. I saw my first pumpkin spiced latte last week – with a one-hundred-degree heat index it was not an option I was remotely considering. At Notre Dame de Lourdes the First Grade Open House is scheduled for Sunday 24 August from 11:30 am until 12:30 pm. The first day of school, during the first week of September, is just three weeks away. Sunset is before 8pm on Thursday, so, in this late summer season we offer the following prayer.
O God, our Creator and guide, we give you thanks for the gift of this summer season. We are grateful for the long days, warm sunshine, and for the opportunities for rest and relaxation. We treasure the moments we have had with family and friends, for the time to experience the beauty of nature, and for the chance to recharge. As the days grow shorter and the school year approaches, we ask for your guidance to embrace this transition with open hearts. Through your grace may we carry the warmth and joy of summer throughout the remainder of August and into a bright new season filled with hope. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Our first Coffee Sunday of the season is upon us – next week Sunday 17 August in the St. Joseph Conference Room of Notre Dame de Lourdes School. Coffee Sunday is held after 9:30 am Mass at Notre Dame. Come and enjoy some nice breakfast treats along with coffee, juice, and fellowship with parishioners. It is also a nice opportunity to see the spiffy condition of our parish school. Coffee Sunday is held on the third Sunday of each month – mark your calendar!
Speaking of socializing – The annual carnival at Notre Dame de Lourdes School will be conducted from Thursday 25 September through Saturday 27 September. Thank you to all who are planning and organizing this event and thank you for your support of this important fundraiser for our school community.