A modern dictionary of Catholic terms, both common and obscure.
Find accurate definitions of words and phrases. The doctrine of
Mary's entrance into heaven, body and soul. As defined by Pope
Pius XII in 1950, the dogma declares that "Mary, the immaculate
perpetually Virgin Mother of God, after the completion of her
earthly life, was assumed body and soul into the glory of
heaven." While there is no direct evidence of the Assumption in
the Bible, implicitly the Church argues from Mary's fullness of
grace (Luke 1:28). since she was full of grace, she remained
preserved from the consequence of sin, namely corruption of the
body after death and postponement of bodily happiness in heaven
until the last day. The Church dos not rely on the Scriptures
for belief in Mary's Assumption. The doctrine is rather part of
the oral tradition, handed down over the centuries. It was
therefore certainly revealed because, in reply to the questions,
the Catholic bishops of the world all but unanimously expressed
the belief that th