Dear Friends,

In just barely a month, we will celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: the moment when Mary was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven.  It’s a day marked by one of God’s most wonderful gifts, hope.  In view of what her son Jesus would do, Mary was born without the stain of original sin, a perfect vessel to bring the Christ into the world.  Because she was without sin, at the moment of her death, she did not have to wait for her body and soul to rise together to heaven. 

What’s the practical upshot of all this theology?  For you and me it’s a preview of what we  hope for ourselves… our ultimate resurrection, body and soul into the presence of God forever.  If Mary, a human being could do it in light of the mercy of Christ, we can too!  I don’t know about you, but it makes me smile inside to think about it.

Starting our relationship together, priest and parishioners, can we ask God for the gift of hope in a very particular way on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15?  

Let’s ask Him for hope for our parish, for continued growth, life, and peace together as a family here in DC.  

Let’s ask him for hope for perhaps the most hopeless among us: the hungry… Over the next month you can bring canned food to bins in the back of the Church.  On the Assumption, we will give our gift to the John S. Mulholland Family Foundation, which runs several parish food banks in the poorest parts of our city.  I used to lead one of these food banks and I can vouch for their Catholic Spirit and practical efficacy.

Finally, I ask you to pray for hope in my own ministry: this summer marks my 10th anniversary of ordination and so I want the gift of hope to go on for another ten years… heck, another fifty!  Given the timing of my move to St. Mary’s, I wasn’t able to celebrate with my previous parish family, I  hope we can celebrate and pray over this happy moment together.

On the Feast of the Assumption, two masses will be offered at St. Mary’s: 12:05 in English and 7:30pm in Latin.  Let us beg for, give and celebrate the gift of hope together!

Fr. De Rosa