Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - 15 August 2025
15th August 2025
"And with regard to ourselves, how deservedly do we keep the feast of the Assumption with all solemnity. What reasons for rejoicing, what motives for exultation have we on this most beautiful day! The presence of Mary illumines the entire world so that even the holy city above has now a more dazzling splendour from the light of this virginal Lamp." St. Bernard of Clairvaux
On the 15th of August we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. The Assumption of Mary is a Catholic doctrine of faith stating that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was assumed (taken up) body and soul into Heaven at the end of her life. The Catholic Church celebrates this important feast day on 15 August and, in Australia, it is a Holy Day of Obligation, meaning all Catholics are required to attend Mass unless a serious reason prevents them, such as a severe injury or illness, natural disaster/accident, care of infants. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin (CCC 2181).
Our parish will celebrate this important Solemnity with a vigil Mass on Thursday 14 August at 5.30pm and then on the actual Solemnity with Holy Mass at Holy Trinity School at 9.15am.
Feast of the Assumption Prayer
O Blessed Virgin Mary, united to the victorious Christ in heaven, you are the image and first-flowering of the Church as she is to be perfected in the world to come. You shine forth as a sign of sure hope and solace for the pilgrim People of God. In your Assumption, you manifest the fullness of redemption and appear as the spotless image of the Church responding in joy to the invitation of the Bridegroom, your Son, who is the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Grant that we may follow your example on earth thereby imitating your Son as well and being enabled to share your glory, with Him for all eternity. Amen. 🙏💐💖
Reflection by Venerable Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
"Here is one body that reflects in its uncounted hues the creative love of God. To a world that worships the body, the Church now says: “There are two bodies in Heaven, one the glorified human nature of Jesus, the other the assumed human nature of Mary.” Love is the secret of the Ascension of one and of the Assumption of the other, for love craves unity with its beloved. The Son returns to the Father in the unity of Divine Nature, and Mary returns to Jesus in the unity of human nature. Her nuptial flight is the event to which our whole generation moves.
"Mary is always in the vanguard of humanity. She is compared to Wisdom, presiding at Creation; she is announced as the Woman who will conquer Satan, as the Virgin who will conceive. She becomes the first person since the Fall to have a unique and unrepeatable kind of union with God; she mothers the infant Christ in Bethlehem; she mothers the Mystical Christ at Jerusalem; and now, by her Assumption, she goes ahead like her Son to prepare a place for us. She participates in the glory of her Son, reigns with Him, presides at His Side over the destinies of the Church in time, and intercedes for us, to Him, as He, in His turn, intercedes to the Heavenly Father. She is the Mediatrix, under the Son, of all graces. As St Paul speaks of the Ascension of Our Lord as the prelude to His intercession for us, so we, fittingly, should speak of the Assumption of Our Lady as a prelude to her intercession for us. First, the place, Heaven; then, the function, intercession.
"The nature of her role is not to call her Son’s attention to some need, in an emergency unnoticed by Him, nor is it to “win” a difficult consent. Rather it is to unite herself to His compassionate Mercy and give a human voice to His Infinite Love. The main ministry of Mary is to incline men’s hearts to obedience to the will of her Divine Son. Her last recorded words at Cana are still her words in the Assumption: 'Whatsoever He shall say to you, that do ye.'"