On Friday, July 7, 2017, 50 high school sophomores and staff members from three Assumptionist institutions in South America arrived on the Assumption College campus for a month's immersion program. They hale from Buenos Aires, Argentina Instituto San Roman, Colegio Nuestra Senora de Lourdes), and Bogota, Colombia (Colegio Emmanuel d'Alzon). In addition to daily English classes, the students have an opportunity to visit a number of sites (Boston, several times; NYC; Old Sturbridge Village; Newport, Rhode Island, among others) as well engage in lots of American "things" (shopping, cookouts, a professional baseball game, learning how to make and eat 'smores, etc.).

Tuesday, July 4^th, saw the gathering of many of the Aussumpion Family religious and lay members, (ranging from 2 mos. to 101 years,) in our backyard at the Assumptionist Center in Brighton. I think that it would represent 5 generations!  In coming together, it gave us the  honor of officially welcoming Fr. Dennis Gallagher, A.A. as our new Provincial and thanking Fr. Miguel Diaz, as our former Provincial. I addition, we remembered Fr. Claude Grenache, A.A. who began this noteworthy event and for whom we hope to carry on this tradition.

Thanks to Michelle's expert cuisine no body went home hungry!

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English pilgrims visit the chateau of Lavagnac (Fr. Tom O’Brien, A.A., in the center)

It was a first that took place this past June 10 when a group of lay and religious pilgrims arrived from the other side of the English Channel here at Lavagnac in order to walk in the footsteps of their founder, Fr. Emmanuel d'Alzon. Accompanied by several Oblate Sisters from Nimes, they were under the direction of Fr. Thomas O’Brien, pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption in East London. The Oblates arrived in England at Charlton in 1903 where they opened a school, three years after the arrival of the Assumptionists. This group of pilgrims had come to the 'Petit Versailles’ of Languedoc, as the chateau of Lavagnac has been dubbed, to recall the memories of the d'Alzon family who had lived here for so many years, but which has now fallen into a sad state of disrepair. On this sunny day, Mr. Bernard Bals, members of whose family worked for the d'Alzon's and who himself has maintained a love for the family, especially its most distinguished son, Emmanuel d'Alzon, led the pilgrims along their way, giving the history of the chateau and explaining the life of its occupants, especially that of Emmanuel whose parents moved here when he was quite young. He related how d’Alzon returned here often once ordained and once he had founded the Assumptionist Congregation, in order to visit his family and just relax. As Mr. Bals explained, Fr. d’Alzon proved himself in many ways to be a prophet, a man well ahead of his time in so many ways.

Father, who have molded into one our nation, drawn from the peoples of many lands, grant, that as the grains of wheat become one bread and the many grape one cup of wine, so we may before all others be instruments of your peace.

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.  

(Liturgy for Independence Day - Prayer Over the Offerings)