Mission Statement
We, as a parish family, commit ourselves to grow in our faith, to share what we know, and to be an everlasting light, drawing others to Christ by living His gospel.
We Believe In
God, the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth.
Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
The Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Founded on the Rock
[Jesus said to Simon] "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)
The Bulwark of Truth
The church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth. (1 Timothy 3:15b)
Guided by the Holy Spirit
[Jesus said to his disciples] "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth," (John 14: 16-17a)
To Learn More
Enroll in our Catholic Inquiry Program. Contact the Church Office at (419) 238-3979 or the Religious Ed. Office at (419) 238-3079.
Weekend Masses
4:00 PM Saturday
8:30 AM Sunday
10:30 AM Sunday
Weekday Masses
6:00 PM Tuesday
8:45 AM Wednesday
8:45 AM Thursday
8:45 AM Friday
St. Mary of the Assumption
Catholic Church
601 Jennings Road
Van Wert, Ohio 45891
419-238-3979
Eucharistic Adoration
Confessions
8:00 AM to 5:30 PM Tuesday
8:00 PM to 8:00 AM First Fridays
When there is a Holy Day, the times will change. Adoration will take place after Mass.
6:30 PM Tuesday
3:00-3:30 PM Saturday
By Appointment
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Mass Schedule
Come Celebrate!
40 Hours Devotion
October 22-24
4 PM October 22, Sunday-- Evening Prayer
7 PM October 23, Monday--Mass
6:30 PM October 24, Tuesday--Benediction
7 PM October 24, Tuesday--Mass
Sign up sheets are in the vestibule
What Is 40 Hours Devotion?
The Forty Hours Devotion is a special 40-hour period of continuous prayer made before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition.
While the Mass is our central act of worship, the Eucharist is our central belief--"the source and summit of the Christian life" (Lumen Gentium, No. 11). This devotion comes from the sacrifice of the Mass and affirms our belief in both our sacramental and spiritual communion with our Lord.
Jesus said, "I myself am the living bread come down from Heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he shall live forever; the bread I will give is my flesh for the life of the world" (John 6:51).
At the Last Supper, Jesus shared a meal with his Apostles. "Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which will be given for you: do this in memory of me.' And like wise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you'" (Luke 1-20).
Partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ brought the Apostles into Communion with Christ and with all those at the table. Jesus' command to "do this in memory of me," was more than a simple request to be thought of from time to time. This remembrance was understood in the same way as the Passover remembrance. Jesus was not expecting a re-enacting of some historical event or a symbolic representation. Jesus meant what he said. What we call the Eucharist or Blessed Sacrament is truly the Body and Blood of Christ--now.
The number 40 has always signified a sacred period of time. The rains fell for 40 days and 40 nights at the time of Noah. The Jews wandered through the desert for 40 years. Our Lord fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning His public ministry. Jesus stayed with his apostles for 40 days before he ascended into Heaven. The number 40 also recalls the traditional "40-hour time period" from our Lord's burial until resurrection.
During this time of exposition, the Blessed Sacrament remains on the altar in a monstrance so all can see. The Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the tabernacle for Mass and then returned to the altar for exposition after Mass. Some parishes include processions, singing, and praying the rosary. Sometimes a guest speaker will come and confessions may be heard. However, most of the 40 Hours is spent in profound silence. Most people spend, at least one hour in adoration. This makes the devotion something of a mini-retreat for the faithful to come for private and public prayer.
If you are new to 40-Hours Devotion or other times of Eucharistic Adoration, you may see different forms of reverence among the faithful. Before entering a pew, it is customary and most appropriate for Mass to genuflect before the tabernacle reserving the Blessed Sacrament The single genuflection shows reverence by kneeling on the right knee (the gesture of the right knee genuflection is reserved for the reverence of God). The single genuflection means that the knee touches the floor before standing again. When the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, many people will use the single genuflection; however, some people will double genuflect by kneeling on the floor with both knees, and bowing, pausing to say a short prayer. Some may make a partial prostration by kneeling on both knees and bowing to touch the forehead to the floor. And some may complete the prostration by lying on the floor with their face to the floor with hands folded under the forehead or straight out to the sides.
Whatever way we show our reverence to the Christ, 40 Hours Devotion provides us with the opportunity for spiritual growth--for ourselves individually and for the parish as a whole. In a world so busy that Christ seems to be a second thought or even a last thought, we need the 40 Hours Devotion more than ever.