Pentecost Sunday
With joy we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. This feast commemorates the event that took place fifty days after the resurrection which transformed the apostles from being frightened, hunted men into fearless missionaries and eventually martyrs (The word ‘pentecost’ comes from the Greek for ‘fifty’). Jesus had already imparted the Spirit to them on Easter Sunday evening: ‘He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven…”.’ However, they had yet to receive the fullness of the Spirit. This was the dramatic, transforming event that took place at Pentecost.
The Spirit has been given to us at Baptism and Confirmation, but we have yet to receive fully this gift of God. Today’s feast is an occasion to reconsider our Confirmation and, in particular, the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, good judgment, courage, knowledge, reverence, wonder and awe in God’s presence. Like any gift these can remain in their packages, unopened, unused. It is useful occasionally to open up one of these gifts and to see where we need it in practical situations. Try it!
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit
and they shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,
did instruct the hearts of the faithful,
grant that by the same Holy Spirit
we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations,
Through Christ Our Lord.
For the diary: Eucharistic Procession on Sunday, 11th June.
Pioneer Mass
The annual Diocesan Pioneer Mass will be celebrated by Fr John
Newman PP in St Patrick’s Church in Bandon on Friday June 9th at
7.30pm. Refreshments will be served in the Parish Centre after Mass.
Anyone due for silver, gold or diamond (60 yrs.) pins which will be
presented at the Mass please contact your local Pioneer Centre, Teresa
Mc Carthy between 10.00am and 12 noon, Aislinn Cogan 087 9699 or
Sheila Murphy 087 768 6112. Anyone wishing to join the Pioneers,
contact the above. All are welcome to attend the Mass
Recent Death: Ruth Cullen, Wynneville, Evergreen Road. May she rest in peace. We sympathise with her family.
Next Sunday is the Feast of the Holy Trinity