The feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, on August 15, commemorates that the Virgin Mary “having completed the course of her life on earth, was taken body and soul to the glory of heaven.” In addition, it is the day on which Consecrated Life is celebrated in all the dioceses of the country, in order to highlight the work carried out by religious men and women throughout Chile.
Sister Andrea Valdés, from the Congregation of the Third Franciscan Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception and coordinator of the Conferre in the region, says that this date is seen as a day of encounter to give thanks for the life of vocation and as an opportunity to share and get to know other religious women.
In the Diocese of Rancagua there are 19 female and 13 male congregations, which were invited to a meeting that will take place on Thursday 15th at the Hermitage of Santa María de Los Ángeles in Puente Negro, where they will celebrate the Eucharist and then there will be a lunch to share fraternally.
Praying for vocations
Sister Andrea explains that the lack of vocations to consecrated life is a recurring issue of concern, and that is why there is a work plan as Conferre for the realization of promotional activities in each of the congregations’ pastorals. This is accompanied by the prayer of all the faithful, especially in this Year of Prayer to which the Pope has called.
The nun also points out that the context of vocations has changed. Today we speak of late vocations, although it is only a concept, because there are people who already have a profession and work experience and are over 30 years old who decide on religious life. It is only a concept, because there is no time limit for God, she says.
Assumption of Mary
The Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary reminds us of the ascension of the body of Mary, the mother of Jesus of Nazareth, to heaven after her days on earth were over. This means that the Mother of Jesus, unlike the rest of human beings who die in God’s grace, was taken to heaven even with her body, a thousand-year-old belief that has been depicted in a long iconographic tradition. This belief was concretized in the dogma of the Assumption of Mary, of November 1, 1950, defined by Pius XII. In this dogma, the Pope affirms that the body of the Virgin was glorified immediately after her death, without waiting for it, like the rest of human beings, until the end of time. In this way, the body of Mary, who carried Jesus in her womb, did not experience corruption.
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