Who was Emmanuel d’Alzon and what was his vision as founder of the Augustinians of the Assumption? That was the theme of a Day of Recollection at St.Anne/St.Patrick Parish in Sturbridge, MA, on Saturday, September 24^th. Fr. Richard Lamoureux A.A., former Superior General of the Congregation, led thirty-five spiritually curious lay and religious in a consideration of the charism and mission of the Assumption and its founder.  The theme for the morning session was “The Kingdom for Emmanuel d’Alzon.” 

Since 2009, the Archdiocese of Boston organizes an annual dinner celebration of the priesthood whose proceeds benefit the Clergy Funds Trust. This year, the third annual dinner celebration of the priesthood was attended by 1100 participants and raised 1,2 million dollars for the Clergy Funds Trust. The event took place on September 22, 2011 at the Seaport World Trade Center of Boston, Massachusetts.

On Sunday, August 28^th, 2011, on the feast of Saint Augustine, the Assumptionists celebrated the fifth anniversary of their arrival in Sokode (Togo).

On that occasion, six young Togolese made their first commitment in the Assumptionist religious family. The celebration, presided by Fr. Michel Carrière, assistant to the Provincial of France, Fr. Benoît Gschwind, took place in the parish of Our Lady of the Assumption,·adminstered by the Assumptionists in the city of Sokode.

In the 1960s the Second Vatican Council made significant changes in the way Roman Catholics worship. These changes were long overdue and have been most beneficial. It is particularly important for congregations to hear the Word of God and respond to it in their own language.

So why does a group of Catholic lay people  continue learning and singing the ancient Latin chants of the Church? Doesn’t this contradict the pastoral thrust of Vatican II?