Hello everyone. I hope you are well and keeping safe. This Thursday is the feast of the Ascension. we will have our regular Mass at 10AM. I will celebrate a Mass specifically for our children at 12 noon. I will try my best to speak directly to them and encourage them on this feast day and during these tough days.
As you know, many dioceses move the feast to the following Sunday. But here in the Archdiocese we stick to the Church liturgical calender. Both Masses will be livestreamed at 10AM and 12 noon.
In my former parish, many of the faithful prayed a novena to the Holy Spirit the day after the feast of the Ascension up until Saturday, the Vigil for the Feast of the Pentecost. Perhaps you would like to pray the following novena with me beginning Friday. You might care now to think about specific intentions for the Holy Spirit to come in bright refreshing ways in your life. That's what I am going to do. I will also be praying for this great parish. All the best. Here is the novena (provided by EWTN network):
Novena to the Holy Spirit
Friday after Ascension Thursday — Saturday, the Vigil of Pentecost
This is the prototype of all novenas. It commemorates the nine days between the Ascension of Our Lord and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost Sunday. During this time Our Lady and the twelve Apostles prayed in the upper room for the coming of the Paraclete.
O Holy Spirit, O my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge, here in Thy divine presence, that I am nothing and can do nothing without Thee.
Come, great Paraclete, Thou father of the poor, Thou comforter the best, fulfil the promise of our blessed Savior, Who would not leave us orphans, and come into the mind and the heart of Thy poor, unworthy creature, as Thou didst descend on the sacred day of Pentecost on the holy Mother of Jesus and on His first disciples.
Grant that I may participate in those gifts which Thou didst communicate to them so wonderfully, and with so much mercy and generosity. Take from my heart whatever is not pleasing to Thee, and make of it a worthy dwelling-place for Thyself. Illumine my mind, that I may see and understand the things that are for my eternal good.
Inflame my heart with pure love of Thee, that I may be cleansed from the dross of all inordinate attachments, and that my whole life may be hidden with Jesus in God. Strengthen my will, that I may be made conformable to Thy divine will, and be guided by Thy holy inspirations.
Aid me by Thy grace to practice the divine lessons of humility, poverty, obedience, and contempt of the world, which Jesus taught us in His mortal life. Oh, rend the heavens, and come down, consoling Spirit! that inspired and encouraged by Thee, I may faithfully comply with the duties of my state, carry my daily cross most patiently, and endeavor to accomplish the divine will with the utmost perfection.
Spirit of love! Spirit of purity! Spirit of peace! Sanctify my soul more and more, and give me that heavenly peace which the world cannot give. Bless our Holy Father the Pope, bless the Church, bless our bishops, our priests, all Religious Orders, and all the faithful, that they may be filled with the spirit of Christ and labor earnestly for the spread of His kingdom.
O Holy Spirit, Thou Giver of every good and perfect gift, grant me, I beseech Thee, the intentions of this novena (state your special intentions here)
May Thy will be done in me and through me. Mayest Thou be praised and glorified forevermore! Amen.