08 Aug Solemnity of the Assumption 2016
The University of the Assumption (UA) community will focus on the care for creation as it commemorates the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary from August 3 to 15, 2016.
The solemnity, celebrated by the Catholic Church every August 15 is an ancient tradition, dating back to the time of the apostles who commemorated the “memory of Mary” in honor of her death. Later, it was named as the Assumption of Mary because the feast is a celebration not only of her death but of her being taken up into heaven, body and soul. In 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Assumption of Mary a dogma of the Catholic Church through the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus.
This year’s celebration in UA took its inspiration from Laudato Si. Pope Francis, in his encyclical, called Mary, who was “carried up into heaven . . . the Mother and Queen of all creation” (No. 241). The Holy Father wrote, “just as her pierced heart mourned the death of Jesus, so now she grieves for the sufferings of the crucified poor and for the creatures of this world laid waste by human power” (ibid).
The theme of the celebration will be emphasized in various creative activities, namely. bulletin board design, charcoal painting and poetry writing competition on August 3, 4 and 5 respectively.
Triduum Masses will be celebrated on August 11 and 12 at 7:30AM and on August 13 at 9:30AM. On August 13, a symposium on Mary will be conducted for the maintenance personnel by the Campus Ministry Office and Outreach Ministry.
On the day of the solemnity, Holy Mass will be held at 7:30AM by Most Reverend Florentino G. Lavarias, Archbishop of San Fernando at the Bishop Emilio Cinense Gymnasium for high school and college students. He will be assisted by the University President Fr. Joselito C. Henson and the Vice President for Administration Fr. Victor S. Nicdao. Simultaneously, Fr. Oliver S. Yalung and Fr. Israel Garcia will be concelebrating the Holy Eucharist at the university chapel for the grade school pupils.
At 9:30AM, seven (7) choir groups from the colleges and schools will be competing in the traditional Marian Choral Competition in the gymnasium. This will be followed by the UA Central Student Council (UACSC) sponsored “salo-salo” (shared meal) at the St. Thomas Aquinas Courtyard (STACY). Winners in the different competition held earlier will be awarded during the “salo-salo”.
