Come Holy Spirit!

05-24-2026Pastor's LetterFather Wilson

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Easter Sunday is of course the center of history; but if there had never been a Pentecost, Easter would only be an event of the past. The Holy Spirit continues Christ’s saving work in every generation.

This is how the Church was born: the Apostles were together in prayer, when a violent wind came, and tongues of fire settled on their heads.

Wind signifies movement; this makes us understand that God's presence is active, stirring up the paralyzed, waking the lazy from their drowsiness, removing the dry branches from the lives of men. And we know that fire spreads; it means heat, enthusiasm, love.

Holy Mother Church presses on after 2000 years! Through the Holy Spirit the souls of every Christian are shaped into the image of Christ. He acts silently through the Sacraments and gives us the strength to live in obedience to the faith.

Pope St. John Paul II once told some young people who were about to be confirmed: “The love of the Holy Spirit that you are about to receive is stronger than yourselves, than your indifference, than your passivity, than your apathy, than your lack of fruits, than your discouragement, than your sin. Love can do anything. You have not received a traitor's spirit, but rather a spirit of courage in the fight, a spirit that is stronger than yourself. Love is stronger than you are.”

Every day the Church begins anew. Every time a group of men and women, young people and old, children and adults gather together to hear the words of the Risen One, the powerful action of the Holy Spirit is present. In a certain sense we are always in a new springtime of the Church.

This Sunday we rejoice that 15 people will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, and one person, previously confirmed, will make a full profession of faith in the Catholic Church! In the past, we have celebrated these confirmations at the Easter Vigil. However, it is very appropriate that these Confirmations take place on the Solemnity of Pentecost, when we celebrate the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church.

These 16 people have been attending OCIA or the equivalent in Spanish, RICA. Upon making their Profession of Faith and receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, they will for the first time, partake with us in the Most Holy Eucharist, which reflects the unity of the one, holy catholic and apostolic Church. And so, we rejoice in this outpouring of the Holy Spirit! Please pray for these Confirmandi and welcome them “home!”

All the best...in Christ.

Father Wilson