Pentecost

Come Holy Spirit Come

Pentecost is considered the Birthday of the Church.  With the Disciples of Christ around the world we pray today for the coming of the Holy Spirit to fill us with Gifts of the Holy Spirit, fill our Church, fill our world.

On the Day of Pentecost (50 days after Easter) the Apostles and Followers of The Way were gathered together when suddenly there was a noise like a violent rushing wind and there appeared tongues of fire resting on each one and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues all understanding in their own language.

Today we Missionary Disciples throughout the world are:

         filled with the Spirit,

                  and speak of the great things that God had done.

         afraid, but

                  the Lord is in our midst and says to us:

                  “Peace be with you, peace be with you.”

         set free,

                  letting the Lord breathed upon us and say to us:

                  “Receive the Spirit, receive the Spirit.”

         we are sent forth

                  to become bearers of Christ’s reconciling love

                  many the gifts of the Spirit given…

See more about the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit here:

https://www.learnreligions.com/gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-542143

During the day, join the Church praying the Pentecost Sequence as they gather together and are filled with the Promised Advocate, the Spirit of God.

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

And from your celestial home

   Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!

Come, source of all our store!

   Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;

You, the soul’s most welcome guest;

   Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;

Grateful coolness in the heat;

   Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,

Shine within these hearts of yours,

   And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,

Nothing good in deed or thought,

   Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;

On our dryness pour your dew;

   Wash the stains of guilt away;

Bend the stubborn heart and will;

Melt the frozen, warm the chill;

   Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore

And confess you, evermore

   In your sevenfold gift descend;

Give them virtue’s sure reward;

Give them your salvation, Lord;

   Give them joys that never end.

Amen.  Alleluia!

Pentecost Novena May 22 - May 30

After Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, He commanded His disciples to come together in the upper room to devote themselves to constant prayer (Acts 1:14). They prayed for nine days before receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Pentecost Novena is the first of all novenas, nine days of prayer.                                            

Come and join the world in praying a novena in preparation of Pentecost – beginning on Friday, May 22^nd, the day after Ascension Thursday.

During these Nine Days of the Novena, we are invited to pray and invoke the Holy Spirit to come and renew the face of the earth. To come be our Promised Advocate.

Novena Prayer

V. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful

R. And kindle in them the fire of your love.

V.  Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created

R. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Reading     Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11

The Day of Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven.  And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?  And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”

Listen to Taize, ‘Veni Sancte Spiritus’  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnFrxZra39I

Invocation Prayer

- Joyce Rupp

Spirit!  Power and Passion of my being,

                  press upon my heart your profound love.

                  Move through the fragments of my days;

                  enable me to sense your fiery Presence

                  consecrating my most insignificant moments.

                           Spirit!  Source of Vision, Perceptive Guide,

                                    permeate the moments of my choices

                                    when falsehood and truth both call to me.

                                    Turn me toward the way of goodness,

                                    so that I will always lean toward your love.

         Spirit!  Blessing for the heart grown weary,

                  encircle me with your loving energy,

                  empower me with your active gentleness.

                  Deepen within me a faith in your dynamism

                  which strengthens the weak and the tired.

                           Spirit!  Breath of Life, Touch of Mystery,

                                    you are the ribbon of inner connection,

                                    uniting me with the groaning of all creation.

                                    Because of you, my life gathers into a oneness.

                                    Keep me attentive to this interdependence.

                                    Fill my being with a constant compassion

                                    and a deep hope that knows no bounds.

         Spirit!  Dwelling Place, Sanctuary of Silence,

                  you are the home for which I deeply yearn.

                  You are the resting place for which I long.

                  I find both comfort and challenge in you.

                  Grant that I may keep my whole self open

                  to the transforming power of your indwelling,

                  that I may ever know the blessing

of your tremendous companionship.       

During the 9 Novena Days, take a look at the Catholic Catechism of the Church, to learn more about the:

Three Theological Virtues     Faith Hope and Love

Four Cardinal Virtues           Prudence Justice Fortitude and Temperance

Seven Gifts of the Spirit       Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude,                                           Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord

Twelve Fruits of the Spirit     Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness,

                                          Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness,

                                          Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control and

                                            Chastity

            https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a7.htm

Ascension

Jesus Leaves Earth and Leaves Care to Us

  

Traditionally Ascension was celebrated on a Thursday,

40 days after Easter.

Many places today we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus

on a Sunday when the faith community gathers.

Ascension  Reading

Matthew 28:16-20

Source: The Voice

The eleven disciples headed to Galilee, to the mountain where they were to meet Jesus.  When the disciples saw Jesus there, many of them fell down and worshiped, as Mary and the other Mary had done.  But a few hung back.  They were not sure.  Jesus came forward and addressed his beloved disciples.

“I am here speaking with all the authority of God,

Who has commanded me to give you this commission:

Go out and make disciples in all the nations…

And I will be with you, day after day,

To the end of the age.”

Called To Discipleship

We are today in the midst of a Global Pandemic. Our discipleship includes working to see the deeper invitation that the pandemic is providing. How might we be conscious of the transformation occurring in ourselves, our communities, the nation, and the global community as we live through this time? We have been sent to all the nations. What does our discipleship look like during this New Reality?

Let us go forward to tenderly care for all that has been bequeathed to us.  We do so remembering the promise of the Beloved: “I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.

US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking

Focus of the May issue:

Health Care

Most victims of human trafficking have contact with a health care provider sometime during the time they are being trafficked. Despite this, up until recently many health care providers failed to recognize or address the signs of trafficking.  The focus of the May newsletter is to raise awareness of the health consequences of trafficking and how health professionals are becoming better equipped to identify and aid human trafficking victims.

Stop Trafficking Newsletter is produced by US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking, to serve as a forum for exchange among religious congregations and their collaborating organizations:

·       to promote awareness regarding human trafficking;

·       to exchange best practices in advocacy for and empowerment of survivors of human trafficking;

·       to recommend actions to counter human trafficking;

·       to share information about survivor services.

Click to Read the May 2020 Stop Trafficking! Newsletter:

 https://www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020_05_Stop-Trafficking.pdf

5th Anniversary of Laudato Si'

Everything is Connected

Pope Francis invites us to celebrate

Laudato Si’ Week

May 16 - May 24

Care for Our Common Home (Laudato Si') is the new appeal from Pope Francis addressed to "every person living on this planet" for an inclusive dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. Pope Francis calls the Church and the world to acknowledge the urgency of our environmental challenges and to join him in embarking on a new path. This encyclical was written with a hope and a resolve, looking to our common future with candor and humility.

We’re living through history-shaping events.

Laudato Si’ teaches us how to build a better world–together.

People everywhere are crying out for hope, and our faith is urgently needed to light the way.

For Laudato Si’ Week, 16-24 May, Catholics are uniting in solidarity for a more just and sustainable future.

Stand united with our brothers and sisters in faith as we grow through the crisis of this moment to build a better tomorrow.

• Reflect and prepare through online trainings, 16-23 May
• Join the worldwide day of prayer, 24 May
• Put preparation into action during the Season of Creation, this September

Listen to Pope Francis’ Invitation to celebrate Laudato Si’ Week here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji1YpDcHncY

Read the full text of Laudato Si’ here:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html

To take the St. Francis Laudato Si’ pledge by going to:

 https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/program/st-francis-pledge

The pledge involves…

1.     Praying with and for creation.

2.     Living more simply by lowering your family's, parish's, and/or religious communities' carbon footprint.

3.     Advocating to protect our common home.

Pope Francis writes in his encyclical, Laudato Si' that "all it takes is one good person to restore hope."  

Some ways to do this are:

Pray

·      As an individual or a group, set a regular time to prayerfully consider your contribution to climate change.

·      Pray for the resolve to lessen your impact.

·      Pray with Pope Francis' Laudato Si'.

·      Discern how your community's liturgy can reflect a care for creation and the poor.

Live

·      Educate yourself and others on the issue of climate change.

·      Calculate your carbon footprint.

·      Consider some cost-free ways to lower your energy use.

·      Investigate renewable options.

·      Learn how climate affects the vulnerable.

Advocate

·      Share this pledge with family and friends.

·      Discuss your views with your pastor.

·      Let your local, state, and federal officials know that you are concerned about climate change.

Prayer to Care for Our Common Home

Father of all,
Creator and ruler of the universe,
You entrusted your world to us as a gift.
Help us to care for it and all people,
that we may live in right relationship--
   with You,
   with ourselves,
   with one another,
   and with creation.

Christ our Lord,
both divine and human,
You lived among us and died for our sins.
Help us to imitate your love for the human family
by recognizing that we are all connected—
   to our brothers and sisters around the world,
   to those in poverty impacted by environmental devastation,
   and to future generations.

 

Holy Spirit,
giver of wisdom and love,
You breathe life in us and guide us.
Help us to live according to your vision,
stirring to action the hearts of all—
   individuals and families,
   communities of faith,
   and civil and political leaders.
Triune God, help us to hear the cry of those in poverty, and the cry of the earth, so that we may together care for our common home.
Amen.
   

May 12th Foundation Day

Congratulations  Cluny  Sisters

Province of U.S.A. & Canada 2017 Province Chapter Gathering

The congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny has approximately 2600 sisters in 57 countries, 30 provinces, 418 communities across 5 continents, working in education, health, evangelization and social action.

May 12th Foundation Day

In the hearts of Cluny Sisters around the world today there is a great joy and deep gratitude for the charism that has been given to the congregation and the mission that has been entrusted to them since the beginning.

• to know and do the Holy Will of God through discernment and total availability
• to sow seeds of hope and compassion reaping a harvest of liberation and justice
• to be a sign for our world through community life... a place of personal growth, spiritual support, conversion and pardon, discernment, shared mission and caring.
• to be grounded in prayer and contemplatives in action... celebrating and nurturing our relationship with God in many different ways.

The Beginnings

Anne Marie Javouhey, born on November 10, 1779 in a village in Burgundy, heard the Spirit’s call to proclaim God’s love for all persons without distinction of race, religion or social status, throughout the five continents.

In 1804 Pope Pius VII, visited France for the coronation of the emperor Napoleon, and stopped in Chalon-sur-Saône. Anne and her three sisters had an interview with him and he encouraged them in their vocation. As other young women joined them, Anne went to the Bishop of Autun who advised her to draw up a Rule of Life and then apply to have Statutes for the young Society. The Emperor approved these on December 12, 1806.

On May 12, 1807, nine young women pronounced their vows of religion before the Bishop of Autun in St. Peter’s Church, Chalon. "Now we are religious!" wrote Sister Anne Marie who from now on could give free rein to her dynamic spirit. The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny was born. After three years the congregation and works had grown and another house was needed. Anne Marie’s father, Balthasar Javouhey bought for his daughters the former Recollets Convent in Cluny. Soon the name Cluny, linked to that of the Sisters of St. Joseph, would be known throughout the world on five continents.

On  May 12th, our Foundation Day, Cluny Sisters and their Associates and Collaborators in mission around the world celebrate their MISSIONARY CALL that began in 1807 with few, in response to the needs of that time and the urgings of the Holy Spirit – a remarkable Pentecost Moment in the Church and the World. 

During this Covid-19, Global Pandemic…

“Anne Marie’s Charism lives because her daughters,

from every race and nation and tongue,

have but one heart and one soul and continue in the Church

the work the Lord entrusted to her.”    

(Constitutions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny p. 14)

“ ‘It is God’s work we are doing’ … The certainty of sharing, through the Congregation, in the Church’s vast mission of evangelization is a powerful stimulus, which makes us more conscious of our responsibilities.  With faith in the continuous call of the Holy Spirit, every sister feels committed to carry on today the task begun yesterday.”                   

(Constitutions of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny p. 18)

Happy  Foundation  Day,  Sisters!

Good Shepherd Sunday

Come  Follow  Me

We follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd

Do we recognize His Voice

He offers us life

Do we have His Life in Abundance

Parable of the Good Shepherd

John 10: 1-10

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Our Unique Vocation

Jesus continues to call us today to follow Him.  He knows us intimately as a Shepherd knows each of the sheep.  He calls us by name.  He leads us to green, life-giving pastures. He leads us to restful and peaceful waters and He refreshes us.

Washed in the waters of Baptism we have been anointed disciples and followers of Jesus. Today we continue to follow in our Single Life, Married Life, Consecrated Religious Life or Ordained Priesthood. We follow Jesus in the extraordinary events of our day… in this the time of Global Pandemic.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, let us listen more deeply to His Voice and by our lives, follow in new and creative ways. Along the pathway let us call others to do the same.

Jesus continues to call us by name.

We hear His Voice as He says:

“Love One Another as I Have Loved You”

We follow.

GOD WHO FORMED ME

Your living waters flow within me.

They nourish my love for your Word.

They inspire me to follow your Son and pour out my life for others.

I am ready to further your mission.

Help me find the best way to share my gifts in service to you and all peoples.

Giving you glory is my greatest joy.

In all that I do, may I proclaim your truth and give witness to your love.

I trust that you will be ever present - coursing through me and quenching my thirst for your justice and mercy.

May I forever be worthy of your life-giving call.

Amen.

Prayer: Psalm 23

adapted by Nan Merrill

O my Beloved, you are my shepherd,
I shall not want;
You bring me to green pastures for rest
and lead me beside still waters
renewing my spirit,
You restore my soul.
You lead me in the path of goodness
to follow Love's way.

Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow and of death,
I am not afraid;
for you are with me forever;
your rod and your staff they guide me,
they give me strength and comfort.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of all my fears;
you bless me with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the heart of the Beloved
forever.