I came of age at that time, being of the “Medicare” generation. I would say that it may or may not have been mentioned, that the Virgin Mary died before her Assumption. I know that for myself, I was taught that she DID die in my Catholic elementary school taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph. This was just prior to Vatican II. So Catholics were still taught in the Faith, pretty much how they were for ages past. However, once Vatican II occurred, it was hijacked in the USA (and perhaps elsewhere) by the liberals, who were anxious to toss out every ancient teaching they could lay their hands on. So it may explain WHY so many are confused as to Church teaching on this subject. I run into Catholics OFTEN who complain that the Church KEEPS changing everything. (These are good faithful Catholics, who adhere to Church teaching, but are not learned enough to distinguish between what is ancient and what is novel; what is doctrine and what is discipline, etc.)
I went to Catholic School in the 1970s. Frankly, my religious education was pretty good. Certainly, we didn’t memorize the Baltimore Catechism and we used some pretty fluffy books (my mom kept them, so I’ve had a chance to look at them as an adult). But I knew the faith pretty well. I don’t know if this is due to the teaching of the Sisters of Mercy, the highly catechetical nature of the Byzantine Divine liturgy, or my own parents. I doubt it was from my parents, though they tried. My dad went to Catholic school in the 1950s, including a highly rated prep school (Chaminade High School in St. Louis), with priests and religious in his extended family, but came out very poorly catechized. I think it was because his family faith was weak. My grandparents cared enough to send the kids to Catholic school, and my grandmother’s house was full of crucifixes and Holy Water fonts, but they didn’t go to Mass. My mom converted as a teenager in 1964, after having received private instruction. She was told that all that a Catholic must believe is what is contained in the Nicene Creed. I just don’t buy it that it all fell apart from this wonderful state of catechesis prior to Vatican II. I, on the other hand, knew the basics of the faith pretty well. The two things that stand out is that we didn’t have First Confession until 4th grade, and that the good sisters had never heard of Eastern Catholics. They spent several years trying to “correct” the way I made the sign of the cross and dear Sister Paul was quite horrified that I went up to receive Holy Communion in first grade. The pastor approved my reception of communion, but I think she whispered a quiet prayer for my soul until I made my proper “First” Communion in second grade. Even after the pastor assured the sisters that we were, indeed, a Catholic family, I think some of them were never quite convinced. Others embraced it and took the opportunity to learn about Byzantine Catholicism.
High School was not quite so solid. One year, my teacher was a Jesuit priest who had some interesting ideas. I lived in a military city and liberation theology was all the rage. I had teachers who spent the weekend blocking the passage to the military bases, protesting US involvement in Central America. They were interesting times, as are all times. Still, somehow in all of that, I was assigned to read Casti Connubii and Humanae Vitae in a class on Marriage.
So really, it wasn’t all bad in the era immediately following Vatican II.
As for reading the document; probably very few Catholics ever read the document before the age of the internet. I suspect that very few have read the document in its entirety EVEN IN THIS THREAD!
I often have to remind myself that the vast majority of Catholics have never read an encyclical, nor any other official Church document. Many faithful Catholics who are striving to be good Catholics have not had any formal instruction in the faith since 8th grade and they only get what happens at Sunday Mass.
But I am like you, when I started hearing over and over how the Virgin Mary never died in my local parish, and from local parish priests, I was shocked and confused. That is why I made it my business to learn as much as possible about this matter, based on OFFICIAL church teachings.
One thing you will NEVER find: Official Church teachings that say the Virgin Mary NEVER died. The adversaries that promote this error have only one fall back: viz. That they are free to believe what they please in this matter.
That is why I have repeated my constant refrain, THAT
IF you want to know the mind of the Church, you will realize that the Virgin Mary DID die.
Not only is this the mind of the Church, but Saints and visionaries have repeated OFTEN that the Virgin Mary HERSELF told them she died and that her body was in the tomb for 3 days. (See my earlier post on the Basilica of Ta’ Pinu in Malta) Not that this constitutes dogmatic Church teaching; But the pious soul who humbly seeks the Truth, will undoubtedly come to it.
I’m not one to rely on private revelation, but I do try to always see what the Church teaches about a subject and what has been taught historically.
It is clear to me that the Church has taught the physical death of Mary. It is also becoming more and more clear to me that it really doesn’t matter what you believe on this topic, since it doesn’t endanger one’s salvation to believe the wrong thing. On the other hand, I’m not sure why someone would choose to believe contrary to the overwhelming consensus of the Church Fathers and saints.
Well, why not just ignore them and TRY to contribute to the topic of the thread?