CELEBRATING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

                This weekend we are celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the Feast of Pentecost. The Greek word for Pentecost means “fiftieth,” and in early Christian times referred to the entire Fifty Days of Easter. Pentecost has its roots in the Jewish Festival of Weeks which is the fifty day celebration following Passover. It was a harvest festival in which the first fruits of the harvest were offered to God in gratitude. It eventually became associated with the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. Early Christians reinterpreted the Jewish festival as a commemoration of the coming of the Holy Spirit because the Acts of the Apostles records that the Holy Spirit came to the disciples when the festival of Pentecost was fulfilled.

                This Feast of Pentecost still celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit into our lives particularly for those who will be confirmed Sunday afternoon at the Cathedral by Bishop Richard Malone. Among those who are being confirmed are the 11 members of St. Louis Church. The Gift of the Holy Spirit will be conferred upon: Eamonn “John” Dwyer, Madeline Grace “Mary” Leonard, Dominic John “Patrick” Loss, Michael John “Dominic” Loss, Patrick John “Michael” Loss, Brandon Thomas “Sebastian” Lukomski, Claire Emelia “Bridget” Maywalt, Isabella “Grace” Menza, Diane “Michael” Randazzo, Eleanor “Teresa” Robertson, and Ashton “Kelly” Walter.

                We congratulate the members of our parish who have given witness to their faith by preparing themselves for the sacrament of Confirmation through prayer, study and works of charity. We thank their parents and sponsors who have been their first teachers in the ways of faith by their example and witness to the faith.

                Thank you to all who have helped prepare our parishioners for the Sacrament of Confirmation along with Ashlee Campbell our Director of Faith Formation and Wendy Mistretta their instructor.