Moving Date of Ascension Wrong

by Letters Editor · July 4, 2019

Leslie Selbourne, Cape Town – I find it very strange how easily the bishops could have allowed and applied to Rome to have the solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ be moved from the actual feast day (a Thursday) to the nearest Sunday, just in order for the majority of the faithful to observe this day as a holy day of obligation.

And while most Catholic churches were closed on that Thursday evening, I noticed other Christian churches were open and celebrating the Ascension, such as the Anglican, Dutch Reformed and New Apostolic churches in my area.

I also noticed that most schools were closed out of respect for this feast day but some Catholic schools were open, writing exams.

What is happening here? Am I missing something?

I look at how packed our churches are, for example, on Ash Wednesdays and yet the bishops never moved that day to the nearest Sunday.

Catholics know how important certain feast days are to their faith. Why confuse and compromise our faith so much? Should the Ascension not enjoy greater reverence than Ash Wednesday?

Once we give in to pleasing people’s preferences, we are treading seriously on compromising our faith.

What will we do if the South African government decides to move Good Friday and Christmas to the nearest Sunday?

Will we just succumb as well, and accept it out of obedience to the state?

Should our current leaders not be aware of the consequences certain decisions on matters of faith could have on the local Church?

The Church was a force to be reckoned with during the apartheid years. Why are our leaders not standing up and defending the faith rather than just giving in to convenience people.

What happened to sacrifice and going the extra mile because of our love for our God?

One thing about our Muslim brothers and sisters is that they don’t compromise their faith because for them their faith is real! Is the solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ real for us?