Dear friends in Christ
Pentecost is the great Day of our birth as The Church! At this time we pray with renewed earnestness: Come, Holy Spirit, renew the face of the earth. On this Solemnity we can pray that God the Holy Spirit will breath new life and freshness upon our world. Only the breath of God can cleanse and heal the uncleanness that we have experienced over these last months. The fire of the Holy Spirit is a purifying flame, as we pray: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. May the warmth and life the Holy Spirit brings, be experienced by all of us who are Baptised, that we may be on fire with the life of God!
I am thinking today of our young adults who should have been Confirmed. As with Baptisms, First Holy Communions, Marriages and Receptions into the Church, their deferral has been out of our control but they will happen as soon as we are given the all-clear to proceed. Two of the fruits of the Holy Spirit are patience and forbearance; we have had to show these in abundance since lockdown began mid-Lent! We must and can continue a little while longer as we can begin to think about opening our churches soon for private visits and prayer; later there will be a gradual return, albeit with restricted numbers, to Mass and the other Sacraments.
During the month of June — month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus — I will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the church each evening at 6pm; as in May, please join with me at home on the live-stream. I wish you a pleasant week ahead, and if you are fortunate enough to be working, every blessing for your work. May God bless you all wherever you are!
Msgr Kevin Hale