Bishop Mark O’Toole, Chair of the Bishops’ Conference’s Department for Evangelisation and Discipleship, is  encouraging Catholics to pray for and help people come to know Jesus Christ between the great Easter celebrations of the Ascension and Pentecost – from 13 to 23 May 2021.

Catholics often use this time to pray a novena – nine days of prayer – for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Bishop O’Toole urges Catholics to engage with those who, for whatever reason, no longer come to Church or have never done so:“In the time leading up to that nine days, have a think about your family, your work colleagues, your friendship circle. Think about five people whom you might begin to have a conversation with about your faith in Jesus Christ.

It might be somebody who, during this time of the pandemic, has given up the practise of their faith or somebody who’s searching for deeper meaning because of the experience of disease and death in this past year.“I think, especially, we want to pray for those five people during the nine days of prayer between Ascension and Pentecost. 

In the 19th Century Blessed Elena Guerra, the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, felt it was important that the Church be renewed to the passion of the first Christians at Pentecost and petitioned Pope Leo XXIII in the following manner:

“Pentecost is not over. In fact it is continuously 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 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.”

This novena is a result of Blessed Elena’s petition and has been used down the centuries to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Booklet

You can read the booklet to help you pray the Pentecost Novena and follow the prayer intentions. Just Click Here.

Podcasts

Want to join us in praying the Pentecost Novena? We have a special playlist so you can follow and take part.