Pentecost Sunday
May 31
Karen Brink, OSB, St Benedict Monastery, Pittsburgh, PA
“Veni, Creator Spiritus;” Come, Holy Spirit, Fill the Hearts of Your Faithful; the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit; the final sacrament in the sacraments of initiation.... Each of the previous was part of my religious education when I was a fourth grade student and we were informed that the bishop was coming to our parish to confirm all of the students in grades four through eight, nearly 100 of us, maybe more because the church was packed and only our sponsors could come to the ceremony. My aunt, who was my sponsor, bought me a Kodak Brownie Camera and my dress was pink! What I remember most, though, was the great amount of practice that we experienced. Everything had to be just right!
These are my memories of my Confirmation preparation and the actual “tap on the cheek” by the bishop, and I was confirmed. Not nearly as dramatic as the first Pentecost when the disciples of Jesus experienced wind, fire and speaking in tongues.