This year the Assumption of Mary falls on Sunday. So we celebrate this great event and skip the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. This Solemnity was celebrated in the church as early as the 5th Century and it celebrates the Dormitio of Mary. At Mary's passing the tradition of the Church teaches that she was immediately assumed into heaven, body and soul. She is there with her Son and intercedes for us. Jesus, as the Son of God, ascended into heaven. Mary, as his mother, was taken up to heaven.
Our readings today all point to Mary. In our first reading from the Book of Revelations, St. John has this vision of Mary giving birth to Jesus. She is "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." He also has quite a vision of the devil. But the child is born and the loud voice says of him: "Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One." "Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God." Our Responsorial Psalm compares Mary to a queen arrayed in gold. In our second reading St. Paul talks about even death being conquered by God, which it is in the assumption of Mary. We celebrate this in the Alleluia: "Mary is taken up to heaven; a chorus of angels exults. In our Gospel, St. Luke tells us of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Mary is pregnant with Jesus and she visits Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist. John leaps in Elizabeth's womb at the presence of Jesus and Elizabeth full of the Holy Spirit gives us part of our Hail Mary Prayer: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." Mary then gives us the great prayer called the Magnificat. Pray it, you'll like it.
I called St. Patrick's County Park this week and our parish picnic is still there on Sunday, August 29, 2021, the day after the Feast of St. Augustine. It will run as usual from just after the 10:30 AM Mass until the evening in the Berta Pavilion. Be sure to sign up today or by next Sunday so we know how much chicken to get. At the gate tell them you are with the St. Augustine Picnic and they will tell you where the pavilion is. The parish will also cover the admission charge. Just tell them to sign you in.It is an outdoor pavilion and you can sit on benches in family groups.
We continue our usual Masses on Sunday at 8:15 and 10:30 AM. The Soup Kitchen continues on MWF serving from 11 AM - 12:30 PM. We do have Children's Church during the 10:30 Mass and we continue to putt the 10:30 on line Sunday afternoon. Our St. Vincent de Paul Group still visits the needy. Our St. Augustine Tolton Ambassadors ask you to continue to pray for Father Tolton's canonization. I thank you all for your continued support of the parish. I also ask your prayers for me as I have come down with a mild case of the shingles. I did have chicken pox as a child and according to my doctor it is the same virus which has been dormant until this week. It is not contagious.
2021 ANNIVERSARY MASS AND RECEPTION (
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All couples celebrating their 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 65th or 70th wedding anniversary this year, along with their families, are invited to attend the Jubilee Anniversary Mass with Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades on Sunday, Sept. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend or on Sunday, Sept. 26, at 11:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne. A ticketed reception will follow. Anniversary couples will receive a commemorative certificate and two free tickets to the reception. Additional reception tickets for family and friends may be purchased for $10 each. Children age 10 and under may attend the reception at no charge. To register, visit diocesefwsb.org/anniversary-masses