Pentecost Sunday (May 28, 2023)

The descent of the Holy Spirit changes the disciples. They are no longer afraid to witness to Jesus. In fact, they boldly speak out to people from every nation. The presence of God has this effect: to remove all fear and to fill us with strength.
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is courage. For those who are considering having an abortion, courage can help them overcome their fears in the face of a difficult future. For those who struggle with masturbation or pornography, courage can help them resist temptation and overcome all obstacles to chastity. For those considering assisted suicide, courage can help them overcome the fear of suffering and of being a burden to others. Courage, along with all the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, enables us all to be better witnesses to the Gospel of Life.
By instituting the Sacrament of Penance, our Lord gave the power of forgiving and retaining sins to the Apostles and their lawful successors for reconciling the faithful who have fallen after Baptism. This transforming sacrament is the pro-life movement’s greatest weapon in building a civilization of love and a culture of life. Let us have frequent recourse to this sacrament of mercy.

That we who have the Holy Spirit as our Advocate may in turn be advocates for the vulnerable, the forgotten, and the unborn, we pray to the Lord ...