Milwaukee - The Catholic bishops of the Wisconsin province have announced a transfer of the Feast of the Ascension. The feast, traditionally celebrated the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter (40 days after Easter), will be transferred and celebrated on the seventh Sunday of Easter, one week before Pentecost Sunday. The transfer is effective immediately and means the Feast of the Ascension will be celebrated throughout the state on Sunday June 4.

Last year the Vatican, at the request of the bishops of the United States, granted permission for date change, giving ecclesiastical provinces in the United States the authority to make the transfer.

The bishops of the Wisconsin province determined that there were a number of spiritual benefits in transferring the feast from Thursday to Sunday. In today's world, people are often pressed to fulfill the obligation of some feasts not recognized in the secular culture. Observing the Ascension on Sunday allows for heightened celebration and an increased opportunity to educate people about the meaning of the feast.

The Ascension of the Lord commemorates Christ's Ascension into heaven 40 days after his Resurrection from the dead (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51, Acts 1:2). It marks the completion of Christ's mission on earth and his glorious entry into heaven.

The Wisconsin province consists of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the dioceses of Green Bay, LaCrosse, Madison and Superior.