The coming of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, is of extreme importance for Christians and our relationship with God. We receive the Holy Spirit first at baptism and again at confirmation. Each of us is provided with gifts often referred to as fruits of the Holy Spirit. The greatest gift of the Spirit is God himself. Pope Francis states, “the Spirit himself is 'the gift of God' par excellence, he is a gift of God.” The Holy Spirit as God, brings God. 

It is not possible to love God, to be loved by Him without the Holy Spirit. Yet it has been remarked that for a large number of people, the Holy Spirit is often forgotten. Pope Francis has warned that the Holy Spirit has become “the Forgotten One”. He stated, “We often pray to Jesus; we pray to the Father, especially in the ‘Our Father’; but not often to the Holy Spirit,” he said.  “The Holy Spirit who has entirely animated the life and ministry of Jesus, it is the same Spirit that today guides the Christian existence, the existence of a man and a woman who say they want to be Christian.” We must not forget the Holy Spirit.

In the days leading up to Pentecost it is Catholic practice to pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit. The word “novena” is derived from the Latin word for nine. Catholics will frequently pray a novena — a prayer repeated once a day for nine days — for a particular intention. This novena asks for the Holy Spirit’s seven gifts: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. The words of the novena are as follows:

O Lord Jesus Christ who, before ascending into heaven, promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your apostles and disciples, be pleased to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that he may perfect in my soul the work of your grace and love.  Grant me the spirit of wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the spirit of understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth; the spirit of counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven; the spirit of fortitude that I may bear my cross with you and that I may overcome all obstacles that oppose my salvation; the spirit of knowledge that I may know God and know myself in him; the spirit of piety that I may find the service of God sweet and pleasurable; the spirit of fear of the Lord that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to offend him.  Animate me in all things with your spirit.  Amen.

Louise Barry - Religious Studies Coordinator