Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. This is our prayer for Pentecost, the feast also affectionately known as the “birthday of the Church.” Just as the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and sent them forth to proclaim the good news, we are sent in that same Spirit to bring the light and love of Christ to all we meet. This is our great mission. This is our great hope. May God give success to the work of our hands and our hearts.
As we celebrate Pentecost this year, we will begin the process of bringing two vibrant parish families into one great parish united in that mission to live and love Christ. We will continue to honor our histories as we forge a new beginning. Our foundation in this year of transition will be our foundation in Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Through this process of prayerful discernment, we will grow stronger in our mission as the people of God. I am confident that God will bring success to this work of our hands and our hearts.
I recognize that this process of becoming one parish has challenges and that there are some fears that need to be addressed, but I also believe we are up to that challenge. We are people that celebrate liturgy with devotion and reverence. We are people who pray fervently for and with each other. We are people generous with their time and talents. We are a vibrant and loving community of faith. We have done great things and we will do great things.
This process should be filled with a positive hope at the possibility of all that we can and will do in the future. Think of this Pentecost as the beginning of our new adventure, a new walk with our loving and provident God. With the guidance of his Holy Spirit, the gift that enflames and empowers us, we can be the miracle of faith, hope and love God has called us to be. May our efforts be blessed and guided by that wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, the Spirt of faith, hope and love. Have a happy and joyful Pentecost.