蜜芽传媒

FR PAUL: Good morning, and welcome to Leeds Cathedral! I'm Monsignor Paul Grogan and I鈥檓 Episcopal Vicar for Education in the Diocese of Leeds. On this feast of Pentecost, joining me in the Cathedral are 600 young people from Catholic schools across Yorkshire, who are part of our Diocesan Schools Singing Programme 鈥� they lead us now in the hymn 鈥楥ome Down, O Love Divine鈥�.

MUSIC: Come Down, O Love Divine (Down Ampney)

FR PAUL: Throughout the Catholic Church, this year is a Holy Year of Jubilee, during which we鈥檙e called to become 'Pilgrims of Hope' 鈥� and later in our service we'll hear from two young people about their own spiritual journeys鈥�

On this day of Pentecost, the crucified, risen and ascended Jesus fulfilled his promise to send the Holy Spirit to be with all his followers forever! For seventeen hundred years, we have been acknowledging this Third and equal Person of the Trinity in the Nicene Creed when we say, 鈥榃e believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son鈥�.

Today is the birthday of the Christian Church which began with what was, quite literally, a 鈥楤aptism of Fire鈥�! Let鈥檚 hear what St Paul has to tell us about that dramatic event which took place fifty days after the first Easter.

READING: Acts 2:1-11

MUSIC: Psalm 104 鈥� Send forth your Spirit, O Lord

FR PAUL: Let us pray鈥�

ALL: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

FR PAUL: O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolations, through Christ Our Lord.

ALL: Amen

MUSIC: Psalm 104 鈥� Send forth your Spirit, O Lord (refrain)

FR PAUL: This Pentecost we鈥檙e not just celebrating the feast marking the beginning of Christianity. Jesus and his followers were Jews, fulfilling the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. Those who went forth from that upper room, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and being understood, each in their own language, by everyone who had made the Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem, were steeped in the Scriptures and traditions of the Jewish faith.

In the Old Testament, Jubilees were every 50 years. People would return to their homes and lands, cancel any debts owed to them, and free slaves and prisoners.聽 Generations of Catholics have adopted this tradition of celebrating a Year of Jubilee and, like our Jewish forebears in faith, undertake pilgrimage journeys, celebrate joyfully, seek forgiveness and reconciliation with God and with one another, and make ever greater efforts to support those experiencing poverty and disadvantage 鈥榦n the margins鈥� of society. Today, the Church celebrates a Jubilee every 25 years with repentance, forgiveness and pilgrimages 鈥� and this year, the Jubilee has been given the theme of 鈥楬ope鈥�. We are asked to become 鈥楶ilgrims of Hope鈥�.

Ellie is a member of 鈥楾he Twelve鈥�: the group of 13 to 18 year olds who advise the Bishop of Leeds on all things concerning the young people of our Diocese. She attends St Wilfrid鈥檚 Catholic High School in North Featherstone, part of the Bishop Konstant Catholic Academy Trust. In all our Catholic high schools, Year 10 and 12 pupils have the opportunity to make a Pilgrimage to Lourdes 鈥β�

REFLECTION:

Over the years, generations of my family have visited Lourdes and growing up I heard many wonderful stories about this special place where a Beautiful Lady 鈥� 鈥淥ur Blessed Lady鈥� - appeared to a young girl named Bernadette.聽

Back in the summer of 2022, I was offered the opportunity through my school to go on pilgrimage to Lourdes. I was both excited and nervous. Nervous because the world was still only tentatively beginning to come out of 鈥榣ockdown mode鈥� following the pandemic, and excited because it was a time for us students, the pilgrims, and their carers to journey together in prayer, in thanksgiving and in hope.聽聽

In this Jubilee Year I鈥檓 now preparing for my third pilgrimage to Lourdes, as a Volunteer and a Pilgrim of Hope - and I ask myself, 鈥淲hy was that first pilgrimage so special?鈥�

Firstly, it was being away from home with so many like-minded young people, sharing our experiences and working together to help others. 聽But then, unexpectedly, it was how I became totally absorbed in the community of Lourdes.聽 Upon entering the Domain through St Joseph鈥檚 Gate I got a real sense of being in a Holy Place. When we joined together in prayer and procession, we could actually feel the presence of Our Lord and Our Blessed Lady.

Helping the assisted pilgrims is hard work but it鈥檚 also fun, and listening to their stories is both heart-warming and entertaining. It鈥檚 also humbling to witness their faith, their trust in God and their devotion to Our Blessed Lady as they seek, with hope, the healing grace that the Lourdes Pilgrimage can offer.聽聽聽

Bernadette was just 14 when she saw the Beautiful Lady in the hollow of the rock, and she referred to the Grotto as 鈥榤y heaven鈥� 鈥� From around the same age, I too have sat quietly at the Grotto and witnessed the hope it offers. Lourdes is truly an uplifting sanctuary where our faith is so alive. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, as we come together to celebrate the 鈥楩east of Pentecost鈥� let us pray that the Holy Spirit keeps the flame shining within our hearts as we contemplate the words of the [late] Holy Father, Pope Francis:

鈥淐hristians are called to walk at the side of others, and never as lone travellers. The Holy Spirit impels us not to remain self-absorbed, but to leave ourselves behind and keep walking towards God and our brothers and sisters.鈥�

MUSIC: If Ye Love Me (Philip Wilby)

READING: John 14:15-16, 23b-26

FR PAUL: The Holy Spirit helps and accompanies us as we explore our different ways: a still, small voice, bringing hope and comfort as we discern the plan God has for each of us - and try to follow the right path 鈥� Let鈥檚 hear now from Connie, a student at Leeds鈥檚 Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College, who is discerning whether her next step along the Way may be towards a vocation as a Religious Sister 鈥� 聽

REFLECTION:

When I reflect on my life, I would say that it is most definitely a pilgrimage - a spiritual journey. At the moment I am on my own particular spiritual journey to discern whether I am called to Religious Life.

The pilgrimage of life is not a short thing, a passing moment of discovery, a brief encounter of prayer. It is constant. Your individual spirit, your soul, is always changing, developing and being informed by life鈥檚 encounters - and the journey of life is long.

Many of our spiritual journeys are impacted by encounters in our physical lives and these encounters can sometimes block our paths. This is also true of my journey. But God is there showing a different way, like a beam of light directing me back to the right path. Sometimes I find it hard to see the beam of light, but I know that that light will come back to me and shine on me and that gives me courage and hope. God is consistent.

It is important on life鈥檚 pilgrimage to see the beauty in many things and not just those things that the modern world directs us to. The changes of the seasons, a friendly smile, a word of thanks are all signs that show us God鈥檚 love and that can have a positive impact as we journey forward.

[Pilgrimage can be a difficult concept for some people to get on board with. It can be viewed as a very religious action that doesn鈥檛 have a place in their lives. They may already find God to be uncertain for them and so viewing life as a pilgrimage would seem like an odd thing to do.]聽

Whether we call them sins, vices, or just bad habits - the things that 鈥榯rip us up鈥� are tricky to avoid. These distractions often seem more tangible than something 鈥楽piritual鈥�, so vices can look as if they are an easier choice than virtues. But when I see life as a pilgrimage I can see how sometimes I may step away from the right path, but the right path stays constant and is still there for me to follow again when I am ready!

I am always inspired by this quote from Galatians: 鈥業f you think you are too important to help someone, you are fooling yourself. You are not that important.鈥� When I find myself following the wrong path this helps me find my way back.

I can be incredibly stubborn and argumentative, and it can be mentally, physically and emotionally difficult to be obedient. But throughout my life, throughout my social and spiritual encounters I am learning how to be one with God. Through my prayer life the Holy Spirit calms my fears, allows me moments of peace and always guides me.

Finding the right path is different for everyone - and we don鈥檛 all use exactly the same 鈥榤ap鈥�. But each right path leads to the same destination 鈥� being with God in heaven.

I think sometimes pilgrimage is viewed as something that is hard to do - just as life certainly is, but if life is a pilgrimage then the end point is well worth the journey and that gives my life direction and meaning as I travel as a Pilgrim of Hope.

FR PAUL: Let us turn with renewed hope and confidence to the Father praying earnestly for the peace and reconciliation only he can give in the words of the ancient hymn of praise to the Holy Spirit, Veni Creator Spiritus.

MUSIC: VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS

FR PAUL: Our prayers are led by Esosa, who is a pupil at St Patrick鈥檚 Catholic Primary School in Leeds: and who was elected as this year鈥檚 Leeds Children鈥檚 Mayor.

Prayers:

We pray that the Holy Spirit, the source of life and love, will keep all our hearts aflame with love for God, love for one another, and care for the whole of his creation.

We pray for the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV, that the Holy Spirit will guide and guard him. We pray for all who lead our world, that they may use their gifts for good and not for gain, motivated by a love of all your people. We hope and pray that they may see and take the right path - and have the courage to speak the truth.

We pray for people who are ill in body, mind or spirit 鈥� especially those who are lonely or afraid. May they know the love of God, be strengthened with hope, and find respite and peace.聽

We pray for all who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur around this time. We pray especially for all victims of violence and war, that they may now know eternal peace. And we pray for all those who mourn, that they may know the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

We pray for the soul of Pope Francis, for all who have died recently and those whose anniversaries occur around this time. We pray especially for all victims of violence and war, that they may now know eternal peace. And we pray for all those who mourn, that they may know the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

FR PAUL: Let us pray for the coming of God鈥檚 Kingdom in the words Jesus taught us:

ALL:

Our Father, who art in heaven
hallowed be thy Name,聽
thy kingdom come,聽
thy will be done,聽
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those聽
who trespass against us.聽
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.聽
Amen.

FR PAUL: Our music has been led by Leeds Cathedral Junior Choir, the Catholic Youth Choirs of Huddersfield and Bradford, and junior choirs from across the Diocese, whose members are drawn from our Schools鈥� Singing Programme. Thousands of children 鈥� of all faiths and none - who attend our Catholic schools experience the many social, health and academic benefits of learning music 鈥� or just singing together for the sheer joy of it. Psalm 65 鈥楯ubilate Deo鈥�, sung now in Latin, exhorts all people to be joyful, serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song!

MUSIC: Jubilate Deo (Anthony Gray)

FR PAUL: Thank you for joining us this morning and sharing in our worship with the young people of the Diocese of Leeds. May the flame of Pentecost keep the flame of Hope forever burning in us all - and may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit come down on you and remain with you for ever.

ALL:聽 Amen

FR PAUL: As we look forward in hope to the fulfilment of God鈥檚 promises throughout this Holy Year and beyond, our final hymn is one which has been specially written for the Jubilee of Hope: Like a flame my hope is burning.

MUSIC: Like a flame my hope is burning.

Original text: Pierangelo Sequeri
English translation: Andrew Wadsworth
Music: Francesco Meneghello

Organ Voluntary: Choral vari茅 sur le th猫me du 鈥榁eni Creator鈥� (顿耻谤耻蹿濒茅)听

蜜芽传媒 RADIO 4: Sunday Worship came from Leeds Cathedral.聽The service was led by Monsignor Paul Grogan. Elizabeth Leather and Roland Mander conducted the Choirs and the organists were Darius Battiwalla and Frankie Tempest. The producer was Claire Campbell-Smith.