The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-08-12
The Assumption.

had never understood the bonds that unit
cd the Christian family" This expression
conveys a correct description of the house
hold of faith. 1t is indeed a Catholic fam
ily-a world wide, yet united homestead
where all are fed with the came doctrine
and guided by the came salutary laws.
The Feast of the Assumption, celebrated
on the fifteenth of August, is one of those |
beautiful holidays set apart by Mother
Church in order to draw together more
closely those "bonds which unite her
Christian family" Over al the world, the
festival of Mary is kept with love and rs-
joicipg aud if we could zee the whole
Catholic family as the angels do, We would
behold the Indians on cur Western plains
sending up their notes OF praise IN union
with their brethren in the fertile valleys of
Europe; while canticles in Mary's honor,
resoundipg from the southern point OF
Africa, are heard blending with those supg
by the faithful in far-oE Australia.
From ioeclAd noun tain and vine-covered prairie,
The Seautifai name al s,e Of III In naSa late Mary,
Appeals God for rich blessings on earth
On this day, we can truly cay Our Lady's
name resounds from every corner Of the
worlds broad surface. From the wooden
chapels Of our poorest missions to the
grand Cathedrals of the Old World, the
same sound goes up, accompanied by in
| yocations to her who is the mother of the
whole human family. This universal ap-
pealing to Msry's help, is mankind's recog-
milton of the legacy bequeashed them in the
person of st. John, by our Lord himself
when He said on Calvary Behold thy
Mother! and is at the same time proof of
how they prize the gift.
1t is a universal belief, although not an
article of faith, that the Blessed Virgin
was assumed into Heaven by the power of
her Divine Son and this belief comedies
30 naturally with our ideas of filial love and
reverence that it has become part of cur
faith by instinct, rather than by authority.
Heretofore, the Feast cf the Assump-
ton was the only one of obligation ii
America in honor of the Blessed Virgin
but his present Holiness, Plus TX, decreed
the observance of the glorious festival of
the Immaculate Conception to be obligs-
tory upon the faithful and hence we have
projections
And here again the truly Christian mind
ia lost in love and wonder as it contem-
plates the supernatural wisdom OF the
. jud gments of the Church. They embrace
not only all of life, but extend to the peEiot
before birth and that which follows death
> Only voice knowing itself to be iufalli
D Bile, would dare to proclaim to an aston
ished world that lowly maiden Of NaZarett
i. was conceived immaculate that Virgin
} entombed in Ephesus, had been assumed
D into Heaven And yet who will dare to den!
t OF even to doubt the truth and fitness o
: these teachings of the Church, or this be
9 lief of the faithful The Church declare
that Mary, like Adam, was born free from
{ ain. Like him, she was endowed with FREE
r will and all his other gifts, but unlike ou
t great progenitor, she remained faithful t.
= God and never for one moment swervet
K from her allegiance to Him.
: The faithful believe that after the Apos
q ties had laid the body of the Blessed Vlr
=, gin in the grave, God united it to her pur
t soul in Heaven and there she intercede
d with her Divine Son for those for whom
3 He fitted to Himself body" formed o
her pure fesh and blood.
i Wonderful mysteries Sublime decis
8 ions They are the precious deposits il
: that household of the Faith which enricl
y the souls of the believers; they are tb
It treasures of that vast Christian family il
t which all have a share they are the link
g which bind in closest union the hearts C
/. all the faithful.
d Chateaubriand exclaims: GLOW wretch
1t ed is man and how beautiful is religion |!
% We do not indorse these words religion
n is indeed beautiful but man is not wretch
2. ed when he is truly Christian. Religion
it with all it's resplendent beauty, pervade
is his life, and embellishes his existence. l
smiles upon his cradle and weeps upon hi
h tomb. 1t directs him in the days of bi
d prosperity and strengthens him in tn
bOnra nf ohOva all II dis