Above: Traditional image of Pentecost
FEAST OF PENTECOST
Fire in the soul to witness to Jesus
What is the secret to the Christian life fully lived? How can I possibly strive to live the great truths Jesus taught in the Gospel and bear witness with clarion honesty to the reality of Jesus alive in my soul?
The answer is in today’s feast – the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. Ever since that moment when they began speaking in ‘strange tongues’ and bearing witness fearlessly before Jews and Greeks, mankind has been alive with the spirit of Jesus which is God’s Holy Spirit.
‘But, but, but,’ I stutter and say, “How can I ‘get the power’ of the Holy Spirit so that I can live my life with overwhelming conviction that will knock the socks of my unbelieving friends, and even influence my children to return to Mass and to receiving the sacraments regularly?”
Thomas Aquinas had a great phrase (in Latin) which roughly translated means: “What you haven’t got, you can’t give!” It can apply to a faith on fire. If my spirit, my soul, is not ‘on fire’ with a powerful love of Jesus, it is impossible to start fires in the hearts and souls of others. So first, we must rattle the bellows at the furnace and truly ‘get stoked’.
Here is a powerful prayer of abandonment to the Holy Spirit by Cardinal Mercier. Try it daily for a year and watch how your life will begin to burn constantly with love for God and others. Then you will certainly set others alight! … The fire of Love will burn brightly in your spirit and you’ll see the world with new eyes, the eyes of Jesus.
Cardinal Mercier’s Prayer to the Holy Spirit
The Secret of Holiness
“Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me, comfort me, strengthen me.
Tell me what I should do; give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me
and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know Your holy will. Amen.”
Of this prayer Cardinal Mercier said plainly:
“I am going to reveal to you a secret of sanctity and happiness. If every day during five minutes, you will keep your imagination quiet, shut your eyes to all things of sense, and close your ears to all the sounds of earth, so as to be able to withdraw into the sanctuary of your baptized soul, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, speaking there to that Holy Spirit saying: “O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul …”
If you do this, your life will pass happily and serenely. Consolation will abound even in the midst of troubles. Grace will be given in proportion to the trial as well as strength to bear it, bringing you to the gates of Paradise full of merit. The submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity.”
Pray the prayer for yourself, your family, and for our parish each day. Cut the prayer out and keep it handy… in your purse, your wallet, or on the fridge door!
(Cardinal Mercier, in the absence of the Belgian king, became Belgium’s leading figure who opposed the German invasion in August 1914 – WWI.)
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Parish Contact Details
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Remember in Prayer
Shirley Ash, Tommy Upton, Kevin Seymour, May Houlihan, Joan Sandral, Kevin Lovell, Imelda Gauci, Pauline Kerr, and all mentioned on our In Memoriam Board for this month
Rosaries in your neighborhood
* Nora Kingston, 24 Alfred St ph. 6033 2026. Wednesdays at 4.30pm
* Chris & Janet McLean, 5A Lindsay St: ph. 04 299 823 66 Wednesdays at 5.30pm
* Karinya Aged Care Chapel, Sundays 11am
* St Mary’s Church, Saturdays 8.45am
FORTHCOMING MEETINGS / EVENTS
Balldale Majellan 27th May 12.30pm at Nora Kingston’s, 24 Alfred Street, Corowa
Wrap w Love: Mon 01st June 9.30am in Hall
Bishop’s dinner
Volunteer Dishes – for Parish Dinner for Bishop Hanna on Friday19th June 6.00pm for 6.30pm at St Mary’s School Hall. Clipboard now available on back table. Please sign on and indicate what kind of dish you will bring. Thank you.
Monthly Adoration commences June 07th 10.00am – 5.00pm
All are welcome to come and adore the Lord!
- The large Monstrance will be used.
- Adoration will be in Our Lady’s chapel, thereby encouraging closeness to the Lord and avoiding heating costs in the nave during winter.
- If Father is available, Adoration will conclude with Benediction.
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MASS INTENTIONS 24th – 31ST May
Sat 23 6.30 Mass (Pat Kelly, K. Mulquiney),
Christian Unity week concludes
Sunday 24th Pentecost
9.00am Mass (for all parishioners)
Monday 25th Our Lady Help of Christians
9.00am Mass (Unity among all churches)
2.00pm Funeral Mass for Natalie Doyle
Tuesday 26th St Philip Neri
9.00 Mass (Nell, John Leahy; Imelda Gauci)
Wednesday 27th St Augustine of C-bury
9.00am Mass (Shirley Ash, May Houlihan, Joan Sandral)
Thurs 28th
11.40 Nov.& M.(Pauline Kerr; Roy, Pat Potter)
Friday 29th
9.00am Mass (Nepal & plane crash victims )
Saturday 30th
8.45am Rosary & Mass (B. Crisfield; M. McKoy)
6.30pm Vigil Mass (Vin Fitzgerald, K Lovell, K Elliott)
Sunday 31st HOLY TRINITY
9.00am Mass (All parishioners)
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Roster for 30TH – 31ST May
Gifts:
6.30pm – P Culhane, M Macqueen
9.00am – R Whitmore
Lectors:
6.30pm – C Knight, J Lowden
9.00am – M Milthorpe
Special Minister:
6.30pm – T Drum, I Brooks
9.00am – K Roberts, P Lemmon
Altar: – Mary Fitzgibbon
Welcomers:
6.30pm – Sandral Family
9.00am – C Sutcliffe
Altar Servers:
6.30pm – Steph Lassey, Olivia Smerdon
9.00am – Bella Heagney, Isabel Bush
Collection: K Freeman
Counters: Arthur & Mary Campbell
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