Text Box: Rosanne Maki, Director, Birthright of San Lorenzo 1048 Grant Aye, San Lorenzo 94580. (510) 481-9677 or HOTLINE (800) 550-4900. THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY On the weekend, Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15, we will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary; known also as the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin (in the Eastern Churches), for Her body did not know corruption after death, but together with her soul, was taken up into heaven. We have no historical data to indicate how long the Mother of God remained on earth after the Ascension of Christ into heaven, nor when, where, or how she died, for the Gospels say nothing of this. The foundation for the feast of the Dormition is to be found in the sacred tradition of the Church dating from apostolic times, apocryphal writings, the constant faith of the People of God and the unanimous opinion of the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church of the first thousand years of Christianity. The earliest written tradition which speaks of the death of the Most Holy Mother of God is given in the work, which, in the Western Church, is known by the title “The Transition (death) of St. Mary. From this work, which we summarize here, we learn the details of the holy and wonderful Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God: “Three days before the death of Mary, the Archangel Gabriel appeared and announced to her from her Son, Jesus Christ, the time of her departure into eternity. On the day of her death, in a miraculous manner the Apostles gathered in Jerusalem, although they had been scattered in various countries of the then-known world. St. Thomas was the only Apostle absent. The Mother of God expressed her wish to be buried in Gethsemane near her parents and her spouse, Joseph. Christ, in person, came, accompanied by Angels and Saints, to escort His Most Holy Mother to heaven. The Apostles, while singing holy hymns, carried the body of Mary to the grave where they remained keeping vigil for three days. On the third day, St Thomas came from afar and desired very much to view for the last time the Most Pure Mother of God. When the grave was opened, her body was not there, only the funeral clothes in which the body was wrapped, and flowers: lilies and roses. The Apostles then realized that Mary had been taken up body and soul into heaven. From the beginning of the sixth century, it was believed by many that the tomb of the Most Holy Mother of God was to be found in the Church of the Assumption in Gethsemane. The first church was built there in the fourth century. The Church on Mount Zion was regarded as the site of her dormition. The feast of the Dormition is one of the oldest of Marian feasts. It began in Jerusalem shortly after the Council of Ephesus (431); and it was called “The Feast of Mary Mother of God”. In the sixth century this feast received its present day title: “The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God” in the East, and The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Western Church. Holy Father Pius XII, after obtaining the opinions of all the bishops of the Catholic Church, in his Apostolic Constitution, “Most merciful God”, on the first of November 1950 solemnly proclaimed to the whole world, a Dogma: “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and our own authority, we proclaim, declare and define as a truth revealed by God, that the Immaculate Mother of God, the Ever-Virgin Mary, having ended the course of her life on earth, was taken body and soul into heavenly glory.” This Feast is associated with the old custom of the blessing of flowers and herbs. On Saturday, August 14th; Sunday August 15 during the 8.30am and 10.30am Holy Masses we will have the blessing of flowers and herbs. Please bring them to our church. You can also offer some flowers to Our Lady’s Shrine in our church and to the Grotto Text Box: HORRIBLE FLOOD IN POLAND A few weeks ago a heavy rain in Southwestern Poland destroyed many villages and towns. Some people drowned. Thousands of people lost everything; all their possessions. There is no electricity, no drinking water. All crops have been destroyed. People from around the world are trying to help them in these difficult times. In the back of the church we have collection boxes. Please help as much as you can. Write checks for St. Margaret Mary with the memo: “Help to Poland”. All the victims are praying for their benefactors. Money will be send to “CARITAS POLSKA” - charitable agency of the Polish Conference of Catholic Bishops. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND SUPPORT.