(From Fr. Cook's bulletin article June 1st)

Pentecost marks the end of the Easter Season and the miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit that constitutes our Catholic Church. In playful reverence, I ask everyone to take part in the ancient custom of Whitsunday – literally “White Sunday”, another name for Pentecost – and to wear as many white clothes as possible when coming to any Sabbath Masses on June 7 & 8. 

Babies and catechumens still wear white at their Baptisms, and we employ white attire at the reception of other sacraments, e.g., First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, etc. Clergy and liturgical ministers also wear albs – white robes named after the Latin word for white, albus – when assisting in the celebration of sacraments, and those depicted in Heaven by St. John in his Book of Revelation are arrayed in white clothing. Let’s have some fun and make Pentecost next weekend a truly Whitsunday again.

One of the other unique customs for Pentecost is the extended Pentecost Vigil. Much like the Easter Vigil, the Pentecost Vigil contains additional readings from Sacred Scripture. Unlike the early Church, we won’t stay up all night in anticipation and celebration, but please be aware that the 5 p.m. Pentecost Vigil Mass in English at Holy Name Church next Saturday, June 7^th, will be a slightly longer Mass than usual. Come Holy Spirit, come!