Pentecost Sunday

“The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. He gives her life,
he inspires her mission, and he guides her into all truth.”
~ St. Augustine

Celebrated fifty days after Easter, it commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary, as described in the Acts of the Apostles. Catholics often refer to Pentecost as the “birthday of the Church” because the Apostles were strengthened by the Holy Spirit to go forth and preach the Gospel to all nations.

The symbols of Pentecost include wind, fire, and the dove, representing the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The feast reminds Catholics that the Holy Spirit continues to guide, strengthen, and inspire the Church and all believers through the gifts of wisdom, understanding, courage, and love.
Pentecost marks the beginning of the “Age of the Spirit.” Catholics believe that through Baptism and Confirmation, each believer receives the same Spirit that descended upon the Apostles. This indwelling provides the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord), which enable the faithful to live a life filled with special graces.

The fact that people from “every nation under heaven” heard the Apostles in their own language underscores the universal nature of the Church. The word “Catholic” means universal; Pentecost is the moment the Church’s mission officially expanded beyond the confines of Judea to the ends of the earth.