With all the debate happening right now concerning the proper interpretation of Amoris Laetitia, I wondered: would Fr. d’Alzon, founder of the Assumptionists, take sides in this debate? For anyone wanting to learn more about the Assumptionists, I thought a brief reflection on the founder’s views might be useful since the charism of the congregation comes from the Holy Spirit… Read More »d’Alzon, Amoris Laetitia, and Edgardo Mortara

In Russia during Soviet times many churches were shut down.  In a certain neighborhood of Kiev, Ukraine, one such church was not only shut down but demolished.  As of 2008 what remained was an empty piece of land located next to a small dilapidated building that had previously been part of the city’s electrical-system infrastructure.  Though their church had been… Read More »God is good

CNN Sr. Vatican Analyst, Crux Editor to Deliver Address at Assumption College’s Centennial Commencement College to Bestow Honorary Doctorates Upon Founder of Worcester Regional Research Bureau, Exec. Dir. of Catholic African-American Scholarship Organization During May 14 Ceremony   WORCESTER, MA (March 13, 2017)—This spring, Assumption College will celebrate its centennial commencement, an event that has evolved and grown tremendously, from… Read More »Crux Editor John Allen to speak at Commencement

As we mentioned, ecumenism is a major part of the Assumption. And so, without further ado, here are a couple of photos from our Ecumenical Prayer Service — which, by the way, had representation from Catholic, Orthodox, and all sorts of Protestant denominations. Enjoy!

  We wanted to follow-up our ecumenical prayer service post with this:  We’ll be celebrating consecrated life 7 p.m. this Sunday, Jan. 29, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. Paul Covino, director of campus ministry at Assumption College, said: “During this Mass, we want to highlight the Augustinians of the Assumption and the Religious of the Assumption. Different members… Read More »Celebration of consecrated life

You can find information about this service on both the main Assumptionist website and the college’s website. We wanted to post it here, too, though, because it actually demonstrates an important aspect of Assumptionist life:  ecumenicism.  Ecumenical Prayer Service for Christian Unity to Focus on Reconciliation Annual service to be held Feb. 17 at Assumption’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit… Read More »Ecumenical prayer service

Despite what many people believe, Christmas doesn’t end on Dec. 25. So it’s still the perfect time to share this bit of information about the congregation. A significant day in the Assumption is, of course, Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption. But another is Christmas, and not only because it is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. Emmanuel d’Alzon,… Read More »AA trivia

Emmanuel d’Alzon wanted Assumptionists to stay busy. Members of the US region of the congregation are living up to his directive. We’ve pasted some pictures of recent Assumptionist appearances and events below. Take a look!Fr. Mulumba Matsongani was on the committee that prepared and organized the St. Andrew’s African Community Choir CD launch, which took place Dec. 3. He also… Read More »Some updates from AA land

Congratulations to Frs. Mulumba Matsongani and Alex Castro, both of whom recently celebrated priestly milestones:  10 years of priesthood for Fr. Mulumba and five for Fr. Alex. In commemoration of the occasion, Fr. Alex posted this on Facebook page: This was five years ago ( Nov. 12, 2011), when I received the grace of priesthood. Now after five years, in the midst of… Read More »Congratulations to our brothers

Assumptionists aren’t just priests and brothers. Laymen and women are also members of the congregation, making them just as Assumptionist as anyone else. A few updates from the Lay Assumptionist world: –French, Colombian, and Spanish members of the International Commission met recently in Worcester and were overseen by Fr. Marcelo Marciel, A.A., a native of Chile who is currently on the… Read More »More than one Assumptionist vocation

  Pope Francis on Marriage and the Family: Faithful Continuity or Departure from Tradition? EWTN News Director, Anchor to Moderate Lively Panel Discussion at Assumption College WORCESTER, MA (October 24, 2016)—Assumption College will host a unique discussion on Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation on the family, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), featuring renowned Catholic scholars and Church leaders on Thursday,… Read More »Major panel this week

Not everyone who visits Rome gets to meet Pope Francis. But a few Assumptionists did. Members of the Augustinians of the Assumption, or Assumptionists, were in Rome recently and had the chance to chat with the Holy Father. One of them, Fr. Vo Tran Gia Dinh, who is currently serving as a Missionary of Mercy, had this to say: After the… Read More »Assumptionists meet Pope Francis

The Assumptionists were pleased to visit Rhode Island Oct. 3 for a day-long vocations workshop run by the NRVC, or the National Religious Vocation Conference. Participants from various congregations — the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the Dominican Sisters of Peace — discussed ways of attracting young people to religious life. We finished by exploring… Read More »Fruitful trip to Rhode Island

Back on Aug. 28, Bro. Blair Nuyda, a native of the Philippines, made his final profession as an Assumptionist. He reflects on the experience below. What were your thoughts as you made your final profession? As I look back over the years since I have met the Assumptionists, I feel a certain kind of joy that the Lord has led me… Read More »A final profession and renewal of vows

(image from amazon.com)  The above comes from a great book by Albert Dilanni, SM, called, unsurprisingly, “Religious Life as Adventure.” Check out this passage from the introduction: A member of my religious community, a close friend and a poet by nature, once remarked that we would not see an increase in religious vocations until religious life was once again experienced as… Read More »The Adventure of Religious Life

(from Wikipedia Commons)  Here’s an invigorating dose of Augustinian Realism: “You may think past ages were good, but it is only because you are not living in them.” From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop (Sermo Caillau-Saint Yves 2, 92: PLS 2, 441-552) He who perseveres to the end will be saved Whenever we suffer some affliction, we should regard… Read More »Gauge the Age: More from Bro. Paul Henry

Here’s a note from Fr. John Franck on the recently-finished Assumption Education Congress.  Barely three months after his ordination, the future founder of the Assumptionists, Emmanuel d’Alzon, wrote to one of his best friends this remarkable passage: “The most intimate thought of my soul is that the world needs to be penetrated through and through by a Christian idea; otherwise… Read More »Penetrating the world with the Christian Idea

Below is a talk Mary Ann Glendon gave to Assumptionist educators during the recently-concluded Education Congress.    July 25, 2016 World Congress of Assumptionists Assumption College Worcester, Massachusetts                                            PUTTING OUT INTO THE (NEW) DEEP                    Challenges Facing the Church and Catholic Educators in the Globalized World   Mary Ann Glendon   Introduction: Putting Out into… Read More »“Putting out into the (new) Deep:” A talk by Mary Ann Glendon

Fr. Alex Castro, who is home in the Philippines, wrote this July 13. Enjoy! Greetings from warm Manila! It is already my 4th week now. (Time flies by so fast!) Last night we had a big celebration of Fr. Bernard’s birthday. This week I will be meeting with the treasurers of each communities individually, and to continue where Fr. Marcel… Read More »An update from Fr. Alex