French Catholic Bishops Announce Special Prayer for Feast of the Assumption

French bishops have asked the Catholic faithful  to revive a centuries old  prayer,  on the August 15 Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin into Heaven, for traditional beliefs of the Church now under wide attack, including traditional marriage, and opposition to the practice of  euthanasia.

The French Catholic Church will revive a centuries-old custom next week with an updated national "prayer for France" opposing the same-sex marriage and euthanasia reforms planned by the new Socialist government. These two issues are at the forefront of a general assault on traditional Catholic practices in France.  

Socialist President Francois Hollande pledged during the election campaign last spring to reform marriage laws and his government has said it would do so early next year.


Same-sex marriage is legal in several European countries, including traditionally Catholic Spain and Portugal. It is also allowed in Canada as well as in six U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. Switzerland and the U.S. state of Oregon allow assisted suicide.


The prayer, to be read in all churches on Aug 15, echoes the defense of traditional marriage by Pope Benedict and Catholic leaders around the world as gay nuptials gain acceptance, especially in Europe and North America.

King Louis XIII decreed in 1638 that all churches would pray on Aug 15, the day Catholics believe the Virgin Mary was assumed bodily into Heaven, for the good of the country. The annual practice fell into disuse after World War Two.

In the text, Catholics will pray for newly elected officials "so that their sense of the common good will overcome special demands." This would include support for traditional families "throughout their lives, especially in painful moments."

Opposing gay adoption, it says children should "cease to be objects of the desires and conflicts of adults and fully benefit from the love of a father and a mother."

The prayer is unusual for French bishops, who usually keep a low political profile. Church spokesman Monsignor Bernard Podvin said they wanted to "raise the consciousness of public opinion about grave social choices."

Pope Benedict said in January that same-sex marriage threatened "the future of humanity itself." In March, he denounced moves to legalize it in the United States, where President Barack Obama has since come out in its support.

Catholic Church leaders in England and Scotland have spoken out against gay marriage this year after Prime Minister David Cameron and the Scottish regional government both announced plans to legalize it.
Defending the Church's opposition, Lyon Cardinal Philippe Barbarin said marriage was defined at the very start of the Bible as created by God to join man and woman.