Dear Parishioner

A mysterious wind blowing from out of the blue. From where? Who knows.  Where is it going? Who knows.  But blow it does and fills us with awe and wonder.  Did you feel it? Maybe you missed it. Maybe it passed you by. Were you paying attention? Has life taught you about looking out for such breezes? Has life taught you about listening out for such moments, moving beyond, underneath the surface, of what is said out loud? Have you been listening? Really listening?  True listening requires time, effort and care.  Don’t be afraid of going deeper, to your belly, your gut and staying there for a while and allowing what has been simmering, bubbling, emerge, reveal itself.   That can be frightening, unsettling because you can’t really control it and often leads you to unchartered, unknown waters. What makes you go deeper?

Today we celebrate the wonderful and awe-inspiring feast of Pentecost. The day we celebrate when a not so gentle, but mysterious all the same, wind came rushing from the heavens and into the room where the still frightened disciples were huddled together, still terrified of the world outside that room. This mighty wind filled the room and descended on the disciples like tongues of fire and they immediately ran out and started talking in tongues to all the different peoples gathered.

Wisdom; Understanding; Knowledge; Counsel; Courage; Piety and Fear of the Lord,  7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit: given to us when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, like 56 of our young people did last Sunday.  Why?  To ensure that we never stop making God the centre of our lives; always striving to understand who God truly is; always exploring how God has revealed Himself and continues to reveal the mysteries of faith to us and always having the courage to do what is right.  Veni Creator Spiritus! And never leave us!

Fr Ambrose McCambridge PP, OSB