A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people who are all close to my heart!
Lots of love, blessings, and prayers to you all.
The Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother
August 15th should be one of the most important and memorable days for all Catholics. This is for the simple reason, that we will be celebrating the Assumption of our Blessed Mother.
This year, since it falls on a Monday, the churches in America have made it not a day of obligation. But may I request of all of us, to come for the 8:00 a.m. Mass that we have at our church and celebrate this as we have in the past many years.
the theology and the catechism of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother.
We will honor and praise our Blessed Mother for being the Mother of Christ and the Holy Mother of the Church. Let us try to understand the theology and the catechism of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother.
Addressing a jubilant crowd of over 500,000 people packed into St. Peter’s Square, Pope Pius XII solemnly defined in Munificentissimus Deus on November 1, 1950, that
“the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”.
Although the solemn definition may have been at the midpoint of the twentieth century, the belief in the Assumption of our Blessed Mother exemplifies the dynamism of revelation and the Church’s ongoing understanding of it as guided by the Holy Spirit.
Why We Believe in the Assumption
Granted the Assumption does not appear in Sacred Scripture. For this reason, many fundamentalists who literally interpret the Bible would have difficulty with this belief. Nevertheless, we must first pause and reflect on the role of our Blessed Mother in the mystery of salvation, for this provides the foundation for the belief in the Assumption.
We firmly believe that for the first moment of her conception, Mary was free from all sin including Original Sin by special favor of Almighty God. The Archangel Gabriel recognized her as “full of grace”, “blessed among women” and “one with the Lord”. Mary had been chosen to be the Mother of the Savior. By the power of the Holy Spirit, she conceived our Lord, Jesus Christ, then through her, true God became also true man. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Moreover, Mary stood at the foot of the cross with her Son, supporting Him and sharing in His suffering through her love as only a mother could do. Finally, she was with the Apostles at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended and the Church was born. Therefore, each of us can step back and see Mary as the faithful servant of God who shared intimately in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord.
For these reasons, we believe that the promises our Lord has given to each of us of sharing eternal life, including a resurrection of the body, were fulfilled in Mary. Since Mary is free of Original Sin and its effects(one of which is the corruption of the body at death), since she was present at Pentecost, this model disciple appropriately shared in the bodliy resurrection and glorification of the Lord at end of her life.
The Feast of the Assumption gives each of us great hope as we contemplate this one facet of the beautiful woman of faith, our Blessed Mother. Mary moves us by example and prayer to grow in God’s grace, to be receptive to His will, to convert our lives through sacrifice and penance, and seek that everlasting union in the Heavenly Kingdom.
God bless you all.
With lots of love and blessing.
Ever wanting to be faithful to your service.
—Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | September 03, 2023
“Our Lady of Good Health” is Our Lady of Vailanganni, popularly known in southern India. We will remember her miracles on September 9th with a special mass and celebration.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 27, 2023
Aug. 28 is the memorial of St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church. He’s one of the most influential Church Fathers and theologians in history.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 13, 2023
Holy Days of Obligation | The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains holy days of obligation this way:
Family needs or important social services can legitimately excuse the obligation of Sunday rest (specified in the Fourth Commandment). The faithful should see that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health {CCC 2185}.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | August 06, 2023
St. Clare’s feast day is August 11th. Known as the patron saint of television because when she was able to see and hear mass on the wall of her room.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 30 2023
August 4th we celebrate the feast of St. John Vianney who is the patron saint of priests – a French priest, a renowned confessor with supernatural powers. Baptiste-Marie Vianney, also called Cure d’Ars, (born May 8, 1786, Dardillly, France—died August 4, 1859, Ars, canonized May 31, 1925, feast day August 4 (formerly August 9), a French priest who was renowned as a confessor and for his supernatural powers.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | July 23 2023
Feast of Joachim and Anne | the parents of Jesus’ mother, Mary. On July 26 the Roman Catholic Church commemorates the parents of the Virgin Mary, Saints Joachim and Anne. The couple’s faith and perseverance brought them through the sorrow of childlessness, to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless woman who would give birth to Christ.