✝️Faith and Mission

Celebrating the Assumption of Mary

Every year on 15 August, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, her being taken up, body and soul, into heavenly glory.

Venerable Pope Pius XII confirmed this belief about the Virgin Mary as the perennial teaching of the Church when he defined it formally as a dogma of Catholic faith in 1950, invoking papal infallibility to proclaim, “that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

At its heart, the Assumption reveals God’s purpose for humanity: not disembodied escape, but the full redemption of the body, the triumph of divine love over death, and the victory of grace in a human life. The Assumption has become a shared affirmation across Christian traditions: that God is faithful, that the body matters, and that our final destiny is communion with Christ in glory.

The Feast of the Assumption is always a Holy Day of Obligation for both Roman and Eastern-rite Catholics, on which they are obliged to attend Mass or Divine Liturgy.

Saint Mother Teresa’s Prayer: “Do it Anyway”

This prayer was found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta. It is accredited to Mother Teresa.

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

"At the moment of death we will not be judged according to the number of good deeds we have done or by the diplomas we have received in our lifetime. We will be judged according to the love we have put into our work."

MOTHER TERESA

Meet Blessed Carlo Acutis

Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London, to Andrea Acutis and Antonia Salzano. From a young age, Carlo displayed a profound love for God and the Church that inspired his parents. “Before Carlo’s birth, I was really caught up in the culture of our time,” his mother says. “I was a prisoner of everything that is relative and limited.” But “Carlo showed me how to live in my century while turning toward eternity.” His family later moved to Milan, Italy, where Carlo’s passion for computer programming blossomed alongside his deepening faith. Acutis is currently a blessed and on his way to canonization.

Pope Leo XIV declared Carlo Acutis to be canonized on September 7, 2025. Prior to this announcement, Carlo’s canonization date was temporarily paused, due to the death of Pope Francis and the 2025 papal conclave. Carlo Acutis, known for his deep devotion to the Catholic faith and his adept use of technology to share religious content, is set to become the first millennial saint.

Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Lesmurdie – 50th Anniversary Mass

17 August 2025 at 9:30am

An invitation is extended to all parishioners, their families and friends to join in the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Church. Mass will celebrated by the very Rev Vincent Glynn VG, Oblate Fathers and visiting Priests. After this special Mass, there will be morning tea served in the Parish Hall. Everyone is welcome to take part in this solemn occasion with the OLOL community.

Bibbulmun Track Maintenance

“All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.”  

Pope France, Laudato Si

Ten young men from Years 7 – 9 joined Mr Wallis, Fr Michael, Mr Websdale and Mr Maag and travelled to the deep south of the State to carry out maintenance of the Bibbulmun Track. Our destination was Boarding House Campsite, which is a half hour drive from Manjimup. The College is currently looking after a section of the Bibbulmun Track that includes the Boarding House Campsite, 6km of track and two bridges.

After spending the first day clearing fallen branches and one large tree off the track, the boys then went back to the campsite and enjoyed a BBQ cooked on the fire and a hot milo before going to bed. In the morning, the team got about packing up and doing a final clean of the campsite. Before we headed back to the College, the group enjoyed a special Mass that was celebrated under the tall Karri trees. Some of the boys commented that it was like being in a Cathedral.

Hopefully we will have another maintenance group heading down south at the start of Term 4. New volunteers are most welcome to join the group.

Damian Wallis

Director of Faith and Mission