Catholic All Week

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples if He didn’t depart, He wouldn’t be able to send the Counselor to help us on our way to where He was going (Jn 16:5-15). Two millennia later, are we still looking up at the sky, or do we remember that we have received the Holy Spirit to help us proclaim the Gospel and live our lives accordingly? Let’s make it easier to remember to call on our Comforter and Advocate with these ideas for observing Pentecost on May 19. Bishop-elect Michael Martin says it’s his favorite feast because “we don’t celebrate the Holy Spirit enough!”

Meet the 'Apostle of the Holy Spirit' up for canonization

Pope Francis recently paved the way for the canonization of Blessed Elena Guerra (1835-1914), an Italian nun and founder of the Oblates of the Holy Spirit. Guerra is known for developing “a very special devotion to the Holy Spirit” after she was confirmed at 8. As an adult, she wrote many letters to Pope Leo XIII exhorting him to emphasize prayer to the Holy Spirit among the faithful: “Pentecost is not over,” she wrote. “In fact, it is continually going on in every time and in every place, because the Holy Spirit desired to give Himself to all men and all who want Him can always receive Him, so we do not have to envy the apostles and the first believers; we only have to dispose ourselves like them to receive Him well, and He will come to us as He did to them.” The pope agreed, and in 1896 Guerra composed the Holy Spirit Chaplet, which you can pray in the days leading up to Pentecost.

Celebrate Pentecost like a von Trap

In “Around the Year with the von Trapp Family,” Maria Augusta von Trapp shares what the “Sound of Music” family did to observe Pentecost. Beginning with Ascension Day, they prepared for the feast, discussing the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit each evening. Maria notes how different the discussions were from year to year. On the ninth day, they meditated on the two great hymns “Veni, Sancte Spiritus” and “Veni, Creator Spiritus.” Maria also wrote that many of the old churches throughout the Alps have a hole in the ceiling through which, on Pentecost Sunday, the “Holy Spirit dove” would be let down into the church, bringing the mystery of the day into a visual reality.

Cultivate a 'True Devotion to the Holy Spirit'

Many readers of Archbishop Luis M. Martinez’s “True Devotion to the Holy Spirit” consider it a spiritual classic. Former archbishop of Mexico City, Martinez lived from 1881 to 1956 and was a philosopher, poet, theologian and director of souls. In “True Devotion,” he writes that the Spirit is God’s supreme gift, and our devotion to Him should be profound and encompassing. While relying on Scripture, Martinez illuminates the difference the Spirit can make when He’s given His proper place in your soul. He explains in practical terms how readers should respond to the Spirit, how the Spirit helps them grow in virtue, and the characteristics of true love of the Spirit. Find the book at your favorite bookseller or at www.sophiainstitute.com.

Catholic All Week

Between our diocese’s bishop-elect, fresh flowers to crown Mary, and the latest offerings in Christian entertainment – this Easter season is certainly fulfilling God’s promise to make all things new. Learn more about the role of a bishop, find ways to honor Our Lady, and discover the harrowing story of a Polish Catholic nurse in Nazi Germany.

Getting to know his Excellency

With our beloved bishop of 20 years retiring and a new bishop-elect to be ordained May 29, now is a great time to teach children about the role of a Catholic bishop. One great resource is “What is a Bishop,” a coloring book that explains who these modern-day successors of the apostles are in a fun and engaging way. Check out pages from the book and buy your own at www.brotherfrancisstore.com. Many resources – such as “How does a bishop get appointed?” – also can be found at catholicnewsherald.com, where you’ll learn about what a bishop does, how he gets appointed and symbols associated with him such as the crozier (his staff) as well as information about both prelates – Bishop Peter Jugis, now apostolic administrator, and Bishop-Elect Michael Martin.

Crowning our Queen

Are you holding your own May Crowning or planning one at your parish or school? Find planning tips at www.catholicicing.com and learn how to make an ethereal flower crown with the instructions at www.TheologyofHome.com. Pressed for time? Order a kit from www.PetersSquare.com or the shop at www.CatholicAllYear.com, which also includes a video tutorial on YouTube.

Making 'Irena's Vow'

If you missed seeing “Irena’s Vow” on the big screen earlier this month, check out the book of the same title by Dan Gordon, who also wrote the movie’s screenplay. Both works tell the true story of Irena Gut, a Polish Catholic nurse who risked everything to save 12 Jews during the Holocaust. Irena, 19, is promoted to housekeeper in the home of a Nazi officer when she finds out that the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated. Determined to help the Jewish workers, she decides to shelter them in the safest place she can think of – the basement of the German officer’s house. The real-life Gut was honored by the Israeli Holocaust Commission as well as St. Pope John Paul II, who bestowed a special blessing on Gut in 1995. Today, her story is featured in a permanent exhibit in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Published by Regalo Press, “Irena’s Vow” can be found at major booksellers while audiences wait for the movie’s availability.

Catholic All Week

Behold, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). The Resurrection of Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, ushers in a beautiful time of year. The reality of new life bursting forth can be seen right before our eyes and sensed within our hearts as the Easter season continues. Celebrate this season of growth and renewal by cultivating a garden in your yard and your newly spotless soul with these ideas for Divine Mercy Sunday and the month dedicated to Our Lady.

Make a Divine Mercy Sundae

For the ultimate fresh start, take part in Divine Mercy Sunday, a day of incredible graces offered by Our Lord to St. Faustina Kowalska. For an easy and delectable way to celebrate Jesus’ unfathomable mercy with your family, make a Divine Mercy sundae like the one at www.CatholicIcing.com. You can use variations, such as blue and red berries, to represent the rays that extend from the heart of Jesus in the Divine Mercy image. Keeping the day’s celebrations simple helps you focus on having received complete forgiveness of sin, which Jesus promises us on the feast of His mercy when you receive the Eucharist worthily on this day. For more information about how to receive these graces, visit www.TheDivineMercy.org.

Grow your faith with a Mary Garden

Now is an excellent time to start or spruce up your Mary garden before May, the month dedicated to Our Lady. It can be as simple or elaborate as you like – just be sure to include an image or statue of Mary. From “Our Lady’s Slippers” (columbine flowers said to have sprung forth from Mary’s feet on her way to visit Elizabeth) to “Assumption Lilies” (hostas), a wide variety of blooms were given Marian names during medieval times, making it easy to create a garden fit for a queen and your personal devotion to Our Lady. Ideas abound online from Pinterest to the University of Dayton’s website. Peruse your options and take advantage of those April showers.

Meditate with the 'Liturgy of the Flowers'

Have you ever seen a Ladder to Heaven? You may have without realizing it. That’s the name of the bloom dedicated to the Feast of the Ascension and otherwise known as a gladiolus. Liturgical feasts and each mystery of the rosary have flowers associated with them. Even if you aren’t able to start a Mary garden this year, you can appreciate these Marian blooms through art. Find inspiration for your prayers and the garden of your soul with the Marian botanical art at www.RoseHarrington.com, a shop and blog operated by Katrina Rose Harrington, who researches historical flower theology and Mary gardens.