Archives for August 2017

A Holy Day of Obligation
(Taken from Assumption of Mary Wikipedia Article)

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, informally known as The Assumption, according to the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of Anglicanism, was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches as dogma that the Virgin Mary “having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” This doctrine was dogmatically defined by Pope Pius XIII on November 1, 1950, in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus by exercising papal infallibility. While the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church believe in the Dormition of the Theotokos, which is the same as the Assumption, the death of Mary has not been dogmatically defined. In Munificentissimus Deus (item 39) Pope Pius XIII pointed to the Book of Genesis (3:15) as scriptural support for the dogma in terms of Mary’s victory over sin and death as also reflected in 1 Corinthians 15:54: “then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”

In the churches which observe it, the Assumption is a major feast day, commonly celebrated on August 15. In many Catholic countries, the feast is also marked as a Holy Day of Obligation.

Please join us as we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on:

August 14th, Vigil Mass at 7:00pm
August 15th, The Feast Day 7:30 & 9:00am and 7

Prayer To Our Lady, Assumed Into Heaven

Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, we believe in your triumphant assumption into heaven where the angels and saints acclaim you as Queen. We join them in praising you and bless the Lord who raised you above all creatures. With them we offer you our devotion and love. We are confident that you watch over our daily efforts and needs, and we take comfort from our faith in the coming resurrection . We look to you, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. After this earthly life, show us Jesus, the blest fruit of your womb, O kind, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen

 

It’s obvious that not every parish has a school. All parishes must insure that religious instruction is given to young people, and this task is accomplished through the Religious Education program that all parishes maintain. However, there are some parishes that move beyond this obligation to maintaining a school well. I would think that these points are more likely obvious.

What is not obvious must be the realization that this is a Grace. Some parishes receive the Grace from God to have a school. When one sees it in this light, one will certainly know that having a school is hardly a burden. Rather, it is a favor given by God. A gift, better yet! That is what Grace is- a gift!

Considering the Religious Education department is also a Grace or Gift from God, I cannot help but invite the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace parish to just marvel at the varied ways that God has blessed us.

We have the exquisite opportunity to pass on the legacy of the Roman Catholic Church to young people. We have the privilege to teach young people all about Jesus Christ, the Blessed Mother, the Saints, and the essentials of Catholic teachings. We have the good fortune to know with certainty that the Church continues on. Fulfilling the Lord’s command, we are able to witness the Church grow in number and strength. Young people enter the Church and learn about it. Later on, we will see these same people become accomplished in life. They, too, will get married and have children of their own, who will perhaps in turn enter the same school of Our Lady of Peace as did their parents. We are graced to see that the Church is indeed eternal and lives on.

To be fair though to what God commands and what the Church invites us to fulfill, we cannot really expect to receive the “full” benefit of the Lord’s Graces through these gifts if we only observe. We must be active participants as well. It is nothing but a further blessing to participate in what is none other than the fullness of His Life as it manifests in our midst. To experience all that God is giving through our young people at OLOP, visit our website at www.olopdarien.org, call or write to the Principal, Tony Wilkinson, and find out about all that the School will be doing this year. There will be many programs put on by the school that you can see. Want to do more than that? See what you can volunteer for. Don’t forget to call Jeanne Waliczek and see what is going on with the RE program. Maybe God is calling you to teach religion? You can never tell. Returning to the school, maybe you can read a book to lower grade children. The above suggestions all involve active participation. There are other ways too that should be considered. Donations to both programs are welcome. Why? Some folk cannot afford the tuition of either program yet they continue to nourish the desire of a Catholic education for their children. We can help them! The school needs to upgrade its technology ability. The current technology advised for teaching is quite expensive. Public schools are funded. Private schools like ours need all the financial generosity it can find. Yes, our parish subsidizes the school-and it is not enough. What and who can fill the gaps? You! Please thank God for what He has given, and please help. And above all- pray for the school’s continued success!

God bless you!