15th August:  The Feast of The Assumption

For hundreds of years, Catholics observed the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15 -- celebrating Mary's being taken bodily to Heaven after her death -- but it was not until 1950 that the Church proclaimed this teaching a dogma of the Church -- one of the essential beliefs of the Catholic faith.

The Feast of the Assumption has always been loved dearly by the faithful who are children of Mary. It is a sign to us that someday, through God's grace and our efforts, we too may join the Blessed Mother in giving glory to God. The Assumption is a source of great hope for us, too, for it points the way for all followers of Christ who imitate her fidelity and obedience to God's will. Where she now is, we are meant eventually to be, and may hope to be through Divine grace. Mary's being taken to heaven after her life on earth was ended is the logical outcome of her immaculate nature, uniquely protected -- also by God's grace -- from personal sin. We seek to imitate her self-sacrificing love, her indestructible faith and her perfect obedience.

As the 15th is a Sunday this year,
Masses in the parish will be as normal.

Holy Days of Obligation
These are major feasts of the Church's year when - in addition to Sundays - Catholics are obliged, as long as they able, to go to Mass. "They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord's Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body" (The Code of Canon Law 1247).

In the medieval period, days off work for the workforce in Catholic countries, consisted of Sundays and single days off on major feasts of the Church. So for the workers holyday was the same as holiday. A combination of the Protestant work ethic and the industrial revolution brought an end to this system of time off from work in the secular world, introducing one extended summer break.

The Church has retained a number of its feasts, the major ones are known as Solemnities. Some of these Solemnities are known as 'Holy days of Obligation', when those who are able are expected to attend Mass.

Holy days in Ireland
* Immaculate Conception (8th December)
* Christmas Day (25th December)
* Epiphany (6th January )
* St Patrick (17th March) (2008 - 15th March, because 17th falls in Holy Week)
* Assumption of Our Lady (15th August)
* All Saints (1st November)

In Ireland since October 1996, the Irish Bishops' Conference removed the obligation on the feasts of Ascension and the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), and the consequent transfer of these two feasts to the following Sundays in accordance with universal liturgical law. This decision has been confirmed by the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship