Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters PO Box 6026, Techny, IL 60082-6026 319 Waukegan Rd., Northfield, IL 60093 Holy Spirit Missionary Association Phone: 847-441-0126, ext. 704 Sacred Scripture reveals to us that the energy capable of moving the world is not an anonymous and blind force but the action of the "Spirit of God... moving over the face of the waters" (Gn 1: 2) at the beginning of the Creation. And Jesus Christ "brought to the earth" not the vital force that already lived in it but the Holy Spirit, that is, the love of God who "renews the face of the earth", purifying it from evil and setting it free from the dominion of death (cf. Ps 103[104]: 29-30). This pure, essential and personal "fire", the fire of love, came down upon the Apostles gathered in prayer with Mary in the Upper Room, to make the Church an extension of Christ's work of renewal. Benedict XVI, Solemnity of Pentecost, May 31, 2009 April 12, 2012 Dear Holy Spirit Missionary Associates, Pope Benedict XVI in his above homily uses the image of fire as he speaks about the energy that the Holy Spirit is capable of generating. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has been active in the world since its foundation and is still very much present now creating and renewing things that have been brought into existence. When I think of fire I often think of destruction and loss. It is such because of my personal experience of fire as a force that destroys things and shatters peoples’ lives. This is very much true of fire but when I reflected on the image of fire in relation to the Holy Spirit I realized that it has a slightly different meaning. As we know fire is used to purify many metals and minerals; things that are difficult to bend take up many shapes when exposed to fire. Such is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It purifies our hearts of things that clutter it and helps us to make more space for valuable things. The Holy Spirit also reshapes our hearts so that they will easily open to the needs of those who come into our lives. May we always be open to the actions of the Holy Spirit who purifies and forms us ever anew! With this letter I also want to introduce to you Sr. Pat Snider who is going to continue the leadership of the Holy Spirit Missionary Association. She has a rich experience of working with retreats and also missionary experience the most recent in Antigua, West Indies. I want to wish all of you blessings as you continue to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am enclosing a Novena Prayer for Pentecost. For us as Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters Pentecost is a very important feast day that we precede with a Novena prayer. I hope you will join us in praying to the Holy Spirit for God’s manifold gifts! Grateful for your presence in my life, ______________________ Sr. Elwira Dziuk, SSpS
Art by Sr. Agnes Paul, SSpS
Called by the Spirit, Embracing the World.