First Day Novena For the Holy Spirit

Today, we begin the nine day prayer - a novena - asking for the Holy Spirit and His Seven Gifts.

FIRST DAY (Friday, 6th Week of Easter)

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!

The Holy Spirit

Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared--sin· Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us."

Prayer

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.
Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen.

To be recited daily during the Novena

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

(To be recited daily during the Novena)

Vocation Views Newsletter, May '10

I have uploaded the newest edition of the Vocations Views Newsletter.

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Christ promises two gifts in today's Gospel passage - the gift of peace, and the presence of an Advocate, the Holy Spirit. He does not give these as the world gives, with strings, expectations, or the threat of withdrawing it. All the same, have we accepted those gifts - have we asked for his peace and the Holy Spirit? If He is giving us the Advocate (in Greek, Paraclete) to 'call to' (the literal meaning of both words) our side, shouldn't we call Him, especially in matters of how we are to live?

How to build a better priest

Fr. Barron has long been a outspoken preacher of the truth. In an interview entitled How to build a better priest at USCatholic.org, he really presents a powerful vision of the priesthood. Read the entire interview!

Updated Seminarian Information

After a delay caused by my forgetfulness, I have finally posted the Seminarian Information. Please check it out!

Fifth Sunday of Easter

Jesus gives a new commandment - love one another. While it sounds easy enough, those that try to love find how difficult it truly is. Love, after all, is a choice, a decision of the will, not a feeling. We must act not in accord with our feelings, but with the truth and the will...

"Vianney" By St. Luke Productions

Last night, I had the profound grace of viewing the play Vianney by St. Luke Productions. It was beautiful, simple, moving, and uplifting. If it is in your area - go!
In addition to being able to see the play, I was able to meet and speak with the actor, Leonardo Defilippis. (Actually, I was given the honor to introduce him, too.) He is a good man, very faithfilled. Please pray for his strength as he continues to perform the play during this year for priests. May his performance continue to be used by God to move the hearts of the faithful, and to encourage those who have responded and will respond to a call to the priesthood.