Newsletter - August 2nd
Summer Message
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the middle of the month of holiday. This Feast is celebrated in a special way in our Catholic tradition. In some countries this day is a bank holiday and churches are full.
We celebrate the birth of Our Lady in heaven or, as say the Byzantines, her dormition. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the dogma of Mary’s assumption – body and soul – into heaven in 1950. This Feast points out the ultimate goal and meaning of our whole life, the destination of our journey on earth. One of God’s creatures is already in heaven and with her and like her, we too, who are God’s creatures, will one day be there too. This is our desire and our hope.
There is a difference between the ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the assumption of Mary. To ascend is to rise up under one's own power; while to be assumed means something that is done to one. Jesus, being the Second Person of the Trinity, had no need of assistance; whereas Mary did not have this power.
The texts chosen by the Church for this Feast help us not so much to reflect on this mystery but they invite us to pray. We pray with Mary’s Magnificat, where she is grateful for what the Lord has done for her. She has not yet delivered her son, she is still expecting and is not aware of all the “yes” she will have to give to God again and again in her life. But she is already immensely thankful for what the Lord has already done for her.
On this special month, we could – with Mary and like her – look at our life with grateful lenses. For what could I be thankful? There are certain things which are not yet fully realised and there are certainly other “yes” that the Lord will ask from me, some with a great cost. But am I prompt to be thankful “in advance” of all? Yes, the Lord reveals our final destination through this Feast, when we will be able to say, with Mary: “It was worth the journey”!
I wish to all a happy month of holiday.
Pascal Sullivan, CCN
Focus of the week
SUNDAY MASSES
Sunday Mass times will vary slightly during August.
On Saturdays there will be a Vigil Mass at 5.30pm as usual.
On Sundays there will be a single Mass at 10am in place of the 9am/11am Masses on:
1/2, 8/9, 15/16, 22/23, 29/30 August (no 9am/11am)
FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION
Vigil Mass:
Saturday 15 August 5.30pm
Feast Day Mass:
Sunday 16 August 10am
ADORATION
Adoration has now stopped for the summer, and will resume on Monday 31 August.
Notices of the Week
Download the newsletter to check out the notices of the week