12 August 2026 / Weekly Newsletter #106 - 12 August 2026

Reflection of the week

This Saturday, 15 August, is the Feast of Assumption.

The Feast of the Assumption of Mary commemorates the glorification of Mary, chosen by God, to be the mother of Jesus the Christ. The feast acquired a special status as a feast of Mary when Pius XII in 1950 defined the assumption as a core belief of Catholic faith. 

On this feast we are encouraged to affirm our humanity and work to enhance the dignity of people as daughters and sons of God. 

(from Stories and Seasons: Saints and Feasts for Catholic Schools and Parishes by Kevin Treston)

Mary’s Song of Praise: Luke 1:46-55

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is on those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm,
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
 he has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent empty away.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his posterity for ever.”

Image: Bronze sculpture by Leopoldine Mimovich OAM Austrian-Australian, 1920-2019.

Liberation theologian, Leonardo Boff sees the Assumption of Mary as God's vindication of the poor and humble. Mary's exaltation fulfils the promise of the Magnificat, where God "lifts up the lowly" (Luke 1:52) and subsequently the Assumption of Mary becomes a symbol of God's commitment to justice and liberation.

Ref: Leonardo Boff, The Maternal Face of God: The Feminine and Its Religious Expressions (1987).