Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary

Fr Paul says this Feast would normally be a holy day of obligation but due to our COVID circumstances, the Bishop has given us a dispensation from this obligation.

The Gospel Fr Paul reads comes from Luke (1: 39-56) about Mary’s visit to Elizabeth.

Fr Paul says, we remember the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary and, on this day, we also commemorate the Assumption of Mary.

It is called the ‘Assumption’ because of the tradition that when Mary died her body she was raised up to heaven body and soul. This tradition was already known of in the 6th Century and it became widespread in throughout the years to the 20th Century.

After consulting with the bishops of the world in 1950 the pope, Pope Pius XII, formally and infallibly declared the doctrine of the Assumption to be part of the authentic and ancient doctrine of the Universal Church.  That is why we have this feast, this commemoration of the Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary.

As part of our prayer today, Fr Paul, invites us to, simply, commend ourselves to Our Lady:

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen