Editorial

The Assumption of Our Lady: 15 August

Michael Gilchrist

Contents - Aug 2002 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The Assumption of Our Lady: 15 August - Michael Gilchrist Liturgy: New English Missal: Vatican sets guidelines for ICEL - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World - AD2000 Education: Beliefs and practices of Catholic students: the decline continues - Michael Gilchrist New program to apply Papal teachings in Melbourne Archdiocese - Michael Gilchrist Sexual abuse, celibacy and vocations: a response to the Church's critics - Fr Paul Stuart Events: Thomas More 2002 Winter School in Bendigo Helping Catholic school students to love the Church - Br John Moylan CFC New study of US seminary formation exposes fundamental flaws - John S. Webster Letters: Experts? (letter) - Jerome Gonzalez Letters: Church architecture (letter) - Tom King Letters: Women and the Church (letter) - Maureen Federico Letters: Sex abuse crisis (letter) - Mark Reidy Letters: Sexual sin (letter) - John H. Cooney Letters: Value for money? (letter) - L.L. Booth Letters: Dissent (letter) - Clair Tieppo Letters: 'New Catholicism' (letter) - Richard Congram Letters: Beyond 2000? (letter) - Mrs Peg Santamaria Letters: God's masculinity (letter) - John Davis Letters: Theological accuracy (letter) - Jan Chalmers Letters: Leaving it to God (letter) - Errol P. Duke Letters: Shakespeare (letter) - John A. Rayner Books: Dynamics Of World History, by Christopher Dawson - Michael Lynch (reviewer) Books: Abortion And Martyrdom, edited by Aidan Nichols - Tracey Rowland (reviewer) Music: 'Live Worship: Lifted', by Emmanuel Worship - Anthony Cappello (reviewer) Books: New Titles from AD Books Reflection: What Catholics should expect of their priests: men 'clothed in holiness' - Fr Fabian Duggan OSB

Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII as recently as 1950, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven had been accepted as true from the earliest years of Christianity's existence.

There was a solid and deep-rooted conviction among the first Christians that something extraordinary had happened to Our Lady at the moment of her departure from this life. This found expression in writings, sermons, devotional practices, and prayers to Mary "assumed into heaven", with churches, religious orders, cities and nations dedicated or consecrated to her under the title of Assumption.

While the human remains and final resting places of key figures like St Peter or St Paul would become shrines and centres of pilgrimage, in the case of the Blessed Mother of Jesus - the most honoured figure of all besides Our Lord Himself - there is no known final resting place, no relics to venerate.

It is true that belief in the Assumption - not specifically mentioned in the Scriptures - gains theological support from other truths of faith such as Mary's Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity and her perfect and intimate association with Christ.

Since Mary in the Bible is called the mother of Jesus, her cousin Elizabeth describing her as "the mother of my Saviour", and since her Son was God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, it followed she was the Mother of God. It would therefore have been unfitting for the earthly remains of such an exalted figure to see corruption.

But for many Catholics, the most telling verification of the Assumption can be found, not so much in learned theological treatises or definitive doctrinal statements, however necessary these are, but per medium of Mary's many apparitions which the Church has declared worthy of belief - Guadaloupe, Lourdes, Fatima, and others.

These appearances of Our Lady in a glorified body themselves have lent strong - if indirect - support to the reality of the Assumption.

• Michael Gilchrist: Editor (E-mail: editor@ad2000.com.au)

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 15 No 7 (August 2002), p. 2