Fr. Marciano Lopez Solis, A.A., with Bishop Seitz in the Migrant Shelter housed at St. Francis Xavier Parish

The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water …
And the ransomed of the LORD shall enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy. They meet with joy and gladness … sorrow and mourning flee away. (Isaiah 35: 7, 10)

On Tuesday, December 7th, St. Francis Xavier Parish received a visit from Bishop Mark Seitz, the bishop of the Diocese of El Paso. Bishop Seitz is a strong supporter and initiator of the work being done with migrants throughout the diocese. You can read his most recent pastoral letter on the topic, “Sorrow and Mourning Flee Away,” here.

He celebrated Mass at the parish, toured our temporary shelter, and encouraged the local Assumptionist community, parishioners and volunteers to continue their work with migrants, applauding them for the example they give to the rest of the diocese. He thanked the volunteers for their hard work and assured them of the diocese’s support.

During Evening Prayer on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Joseph Binh Nguyen, our young Vietnamese-American, was welcomed into the Assumptionist Postulancy Program at the Center. This was Binh's first formal step towards religious life in the Assumption. This joyous celebration was continued by a festive meal. Soon he will move to St. Anne's in Sturbridge for this chapter of his formation with Fr. John Franck as his formator. We wish Binh the Lord's choicest blessings as he continues his faith-filled journey!

Click here to see more pictures...

In our Final Video Tour, Abbi Sullivan ‘23 accompanies Br. Daniele Caglioni, A.A. on a guided tour of the Emmanuel House, home of the Augustinians of the Assumption! Here we learn about their home, lifestyle, and community!

Easter celebrations at our parish in Tlilapan, Veracruz, which serves the poor and indigenous populations

“Nothing brings down more blessings from above than thanking God for what he has done for us already...and the more sincere, loving and spontaneous our thanksgiving the more abundantly will he pour his blessings into our hearts, until that day when we will receive that gift of gifts once and for all, God himself!” - Venerable Emmanuel d’Alzon

In this season of giving thanks, we are especially grateful for the benefactors who support us and the works that we sponsor; whether it’s a school for children affected by violence in the Congo, pastoral ministry with the indigenous communities in Mexico, or ministry with migrants here in our very own country - we have you to thank for the continuation and success of these ministries.

Knowing the varied interests and passions of our benefactors, we’ve compiled a list of 5 unique causes for those who would like to participate in Giving Tuesday. We invite you to prayerfully consider supporting the cause that is closest to your heart:

Prince of Peace School, founded by the Assumptionists, is located in one of the most dangerous regions of Africa - North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The region has been marked by seemingly endless massacres of civilians by various armed groups. The school, which opened in the fall of 2016, is a project filled with hope for all involved.

The following excerpt from Le Pélerin Magazine describes how the school was founded in direct response to the violence in the region:

“In the face of the suffering of street children, wandering through the streets of Beni after witnessing their parents being massacred in their villages, the Assumptionists had to act.”  Fr. Protais Kabila, then the provincial of the Assumptionists in the eastern region of the DRC (the capital of which is Kinshasa) still recalls that day in 2016 when he convinced his confrères to build a school. But not just any kind. For these orphans of war, the teaching would be centered on non-violence. Its name describes an entire program: Peace of Peace. With money given by friends, he built 8 classrooms on a piece of the Congregation’s property on the outskirts of downtown Beni, an ever-growing metropolis, with 100,000 in the city center alone.

Facebook has announced that they will match every donation made on Facebook (up to an $8M USD cap) on Giving Tuesday beginning at 8am Eastern Time. This is a great, easy way to make your donation to the Assumptionists go even further. All you need is a Facebook account and your credit or debit card information. The process is very simple:

1. Click the Donate button on the Assumptionists’s facebook homepage

2. Enter the amount you'd like to donate.

3. Select a payment method or enter your payment information.

4. Click Donate [Amount].

Thank you for your generosity. If you have any questions about making a donation to the Assumptionists, please contact us at (617) 783-0400 or email info@assumption.us.