First 5: May 17, 2023

First 5: May 17, 2023

Pentecost Vigil

It was at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended to empower the early believers. The Lord still wishes to empower us today with that same Spirit. On Saturday, May 27, from 7 – 8:30pm Holy Trinity Parish will be hosting a Pentecost Vigil event. We will praise the Lord in prayer and song and pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our parish. Prayer teams will be available to pray with you individually for the many gifts that the Holy Spirit wishes to give. Join us and invite your friends as we become explosively alive in the Holy Spirit.
Another great way to prepare for Pentecost is by praying the Holy Spirit Novena. The novena to the Holy Spirit commemorates the nine days between the Ascension of Jesus and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. This year we pray the novena from May 19 to May 27 in preparation for Pentecost Sunday, May 28. You can find the novena here.

Receiving Communion

On our First Communion weekend, Fr Yves spoke about how the children had been carefully instructed on how to properly receive communion either on the tongue or in the hand. When receiving on the hand we make a throne for Jesus our King. This practice dates back to around 400 AD, when St Cyril instructed his people. Archbishop Dunn sent us a letter earlier this year regarding the same information and we have included an excerpt for you below:
            “11. Holy Communion is to be received standing, though individual members of the faithful  may choose to receive Communion while kneeling. When standing before the minister to  receive Holy Communion, the faithful should make a simple bow of the head. When  receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, they reverently join their hands; when receiving  Holy Communion in the hand, they reverently open their hands placing one beneath the  other, and they consume the host immediately upon receiving it (GIRM, n. 160). All should  respond “Amen” before they receive communion.”

Steubenville teens need your support

This year we are sending 18 teens to the Steubenville Atlantic Youth Conference (our biggest group in many many years!) which means we are hosting an online fundraiser to help cover costs. Please help send our teens to this amazing event! Donate today! For additional information, please visit our Metanoia Youth Ministry page. 

Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) Mission

Did you know that there is a CCO mission in Halifax this month?! Over twenty students from across Canada are here for the next month or so to serve at parishes in Downtown Halifax. Every summer, CCO runs missions in locations around the globe, some of which we have sent our very own young adults to! Faith studies will be led at each of the parishes starting this week. Not to  worry, you don’t need to be a parishioner to attend. You can sign up through this link here!  And feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested!

Catholic Women’s League (CWL) News

The Birthright campaign has come to a close and funds have been delivered. Thank you to all who supported this initiative and our recent Mother’s day fundraiser. The CWL appreciates your support. Congratulations to Bruce Colborne, the winner of the CWL Mother’s Day Basket.