NEW DOGMA TO BE PROCLAIMED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 256, 16 August 1950, Page 5

NEW DOGMA TO BE PROCLAIMED

ASSUMPTION OF.VIRGIN MARY LONDON, Aug. 15. The Romo correspondent of the “Daily Express” says that the Vatican newspaper "Osservatore Romano” announced that the Pope is to proclaim the dogma of the Virgin Mary’s Bodily Assumption into Heaven. The announcement will be made first to a secret Consistory Court on October 30. Then on November 1 the Pope will make the proclamation to the Roman Catholic world from the balcony overlooking Saint Peter’s square. After the Pope has made the proclamation, Roman Catholics doubting that the Virgin Mary’s body is in Heaven will commit mqrtal sin. The new dogma will be the third proclaimed in the last century. The others were the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed on December 8, 1854, and the Infallibility -of the Pope, proclaimed on July 18, 1870. The decision to proclaim as a dogma the Virgin Mary’s bodily assumption into Heaven was reached after much consideration and after a poll lasting four years. Cardinals, bishops and priests all over the world were asked whether they approved of the new dogma and an overwhelming majority replied favourably. Some time ago it was reported that the new dogma would be proclaimed as the major event of the present Holy Year.