From the Principal

COME, HOLY SPIRIT – PENTECOST  

Easter 2026 will conclude on Whitsunday, 24 May, known more widely as Pentecost Sunday.  Whitsunday occurs fifty days after the actual feast of Easter Sunday, and during this time the Church scriptures today at Mass lead believers through the early days of the Church in Jerusalem. 

It was when the Holy Spirit, in the form of a flame, entered the upper room and descended on the heads of the apostles that the official Christian Church was established.  Thus, Pentecost is amongst the major feasts for Western and Orthodox churches.

Imagine the scene as the apostles, who had been visited by the Resurrected Jesus, lay waiting and uncertain about the next stage of their ministry to the people, by spreading the Word of God and evangelising the people to follow the Messiah.  Consider the eeriness of the scene – a group of men, Mary, mother of Jesus, and probably other females – suddenly hear the wind blow as it enters the room in the form of a flame.  Each flame descends above and blesses and sanctifies the apostles.  The Holy Spirit, third person of the Holy Trinity, is portrayed in art as a dove.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit fill the hearts and minds of the apostles and others who had lived with Jesus and followed and believed and questioned and at times doubted, and who had actually seen and heard the Risen Christ.  Now, it was them who would ensure that Christ’s Good News of salvation would be offered to all those who accepted their messages in faith.  We know that the apostles were gifted with languages in some mysterious ways so that all would understand them.  Tongues of fire are traditional Pentecostal images.

Churches and Christian communities sprouted up after the apostles gathered their belongings, courage, and strength and commenced their teaching and ministry.  Each one’s work provides extraordinary examples of faith in God, often persecution and rejection, at other times amazing shouts of ‘Alleluia’. 

Monicans who are Christian are baptised and made members of the Church. They are blest with oil.  From there other sacraments are given such as First Holy Communion (Eucharist) and Confirmation when the Holy Spirit’s gifts are bestowed upon the candidate.  Confirmation is both a personal experience and a community event.  The person is accepted as full member of the Church of Jesus Christ and welcomed by the community. 

Pentecost provides quite spectacular symbols for us to interpret and through which we can understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The flames flicker and warm our hearts; the wind drives us forward to reach out and welcome in others; the dove is the symbol of peace (a Monican Kingdon Value) for us, and the colorful vestments worn by priests on Pentecost Sunday are vibrant red thereby representing the energy of our lived spirituality.

Whether it be through the Pentecostal churches that exist or through our Christian Confirmation, may the Spirit continuously imbue this world with love, hope, joy, perseverance, and FAITH.

Mr Brian Hanley OAM 

Principal