for the Vincentian Family - from writings of our founders

1. for the Vincentian Family
from the writings of our founders
Thoughts on the
Assumption
of Mary

2. The following passage is from
Collected Writings: Vol. 3a
Spiritual Writings, Notebooks,
and Other Documents
Pages 212-213
by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

3. DEATH AND ASSUMPTION OF OUR
BLESSED MOTHER
The time of long separation was fast Ending,
how di
ff
erent for Mary was her descent from
Mount Olivet going back without her divine
son on the road to Jerusalem, her new career
of true exile and separation opening before
her, compared with the delightful summons to
descend and to meet him for Eternity – Mary
entered the shades of death, through which in
a moment she would pass to heaven, Jesus
has tasted death, his Blessed Mother must
follow his footsteps, her eyes too must close
her tongue be silenced, her ears closed to the
voice of surrounding friends – her limbs
composed in motionless stillness, her heart
stopped and its last breathings expire, a
scene of death as we call it – but a scene of
bliss to beholding Angels, a changing of
worlds, a passage from earth to Heaven
15th century icon

4. – a passage how sweet for Mary, a change
how admirable, a departure how joyful,
how easy an Entrance, how triumphant into
that world, which alone could o
ff
er her a
Mansion worthy of her full grace and
inconceivable dignity – Heaven for the
Mother of God, how suitable a place, and,
oh! how beautiful is death when
contemplated in Mary – yet how inexorable
since even she must be subjected to his
iron rod, at least so far as to acknowledge
his entire dominion over the whole family of
Adam, the great lesson for our own death.
which to each one of us may be so near, is
sweetned by union with the death of our
Blessed Mother – O Jesus, Mary and
Joseph protect us in the hour of death
assist us in our last agony –
From ceiling of the "Assumption of Mary" in
Santa Maria Immacolata a via Veneto (Roma)

5. But death was not for Mary as for us, a
summons to the tribunal of Judgment – on
what should Mary be judged? what
accusation could be brought against perfect
purity and spotless innocence the dwelling of
the Holy Ghost, the delight of the Father
whose smile of Eternal complacency had
rested upon her from the
fi
rst dawn of her
being – By whom was Mary to be judged? by
her son! her Jesus! Ah happy Mother! we
behold removal from this Earth, with all
delight of heart, we believe as the Church
our Mother permits us to believe, that your
blessed body immediately shared the
triumph of your Soul – this Earth would have
been too much honored, too much glori
fi
ed
to have swallowed up and preserved these
remains of a sacred
fl
esh from which our
Jesus had taken his own…
Giuseppe Calì, Assumption of Mary
(Għajnsielem Parish Church)

6. …rather it was to be returned to Heaven
Entire, the worm could not be permitted to
feed after Jesus upon it, the face he had so
long beheld, where Love, and smiles, sorrow
and tears had equally shown him the face of A
Mother could not be mouldered under ground,
this breast where he had fed and rested. these
arms his cradle of repose, these hands which
had provided the wants of his infancy – O who
could think they would be left to dissolve in
the Mouldering grave, would Mary have been
less favored than Enoch, and Elias, ah no! she
is taken up to Heaven where the Angels rejoice
and they triumph for ever – But we must pass
the Mouldering grave, we must be summoned
to be judged on high, there we must
continually look after who is gone so joyfully –
O Mary be to us indeed a Mother, pity the
fears and sorrows of your children in our state
of long uncertainty and danger show yourself
a Mother to us in the hour of our death
Titian. Assumption of the Virgin. 1516-18.

7. O yes my Mother, you will be our glorious
Advocate, you will tum your Eyes of Mercy on
us, from your high abode – Now you must be
possessed of more power and Charity than
Ever, now must you look on the Souls covered
with the Blood of your Jesus, redeemed at so
dear a rate, with redoubled love and care, draw
us then after the Sweet odours of perfume
defends us from the gross corruptible
impressions of our Miserable Nature, and keep
our hearts in heaven with thee, that we May
Use the things of this passing world, as not
using them – that we may die to them, O our
Mother! May our life be even now hidden with
thee in our Jesus – Bless us then with this
dearest grace that our conversation May be
with you above, while our duty like your Charity
must remain below, and we watching with
persevering hope, through a participation of
your darling virtues, to be called at last to share
your reunion with your Jesus, our Jesus our all
by Bernardino Luini

8. Miscellaneous Quotes
Mentioning the feast of the
Assumption

9. L.491 - TO BE GIVEN TO MONSIEUR
VINCENT before he says Mass,
Eve of the Assumption [1656]
“My Most Honored Father,
Your holy blessing, please, for all your poor
Daughters of Charity, three of whom beg
your Charity to o
ff
er the renewal of their
vows to Our Lord tomorrow, the Feast of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. There is a
fourth sister making this request. She was
crippled in the service of the poor soldiers.
Only a life of great pain remains for her but
she is bearing her a
ffl
iction well, thank God.
I believe that Monsieur Portail has spoken to
you about them since they are presenting
themselves with his approval.”
– Louise de Marillac
(SW p. 519)

10. L.458 - TO MY VERY DEAR SISTER
BARBE ANGIBOUST, Daughter of
Charity, Servant of the Sick Poor at
Bernay
(September 1655)
“…Sister Marie Papillon arrived safe
and sound. She received the simple
habit with great joy on the Feast of the
Assumption.
I told her about her sister's good will
but she said that she was still quite
young. Perhaps it would be better to
let her test her vocation a little longer.”
– Louise de Marillac
(SW p. 482)

11. 126. CHARITY OF WOMEN (CHÂTILLON-LES-
DOMBES)
(November-December 1617)
Common Rules
The entire Company will go to confession and receive
Communion four times a year, when they can do so
conveniently, namely, on the feast of Pentecost, the
feast of Our Lady in August, and the feasts of Saint
Andrew and Saint Martin*. This is done to honor the
ardent desire of Our Lord Jesus that we love the sick
poor and help them in their need. In order to ful
fi
ll this
holy desire, they will ask for His blessings on the
confraternity, that it may
fl
ourish more and more for
His honor and glory, the relief of His members, and
the salvation of the souls who serve Him in it or have
given of their resources to it.
– Vincent de Paul
(CCD 13b: 18)
*The Assumption, August 15; Saint Andrew, patron of the
church in Châtillon, November 30; and Saint Martin, patron of
the church in Buenens, of which Châtillon was an annex.

12. 4.55 Spiritual Journal to Cecilia Seton
August 10 to October 16, 1807
15th
"Assumption – Blessed Lord grant me
that Humility and Love which has
crowned her for Eternity – happy
happy Blessed Mother, You are
reunited to Him whose absence was
your desolation – pity me – pray for me
it is my sweet consolation to think you
are pleading for the wretched poor
banished Wanderer – "
– Elizabeth Ann Seton
(CW Vol. 1, p. 471)

13. Images: Depaul Image Archive, Wikimedia Commons