Pentecost Faith Festival teaches about the Holy Spirit

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
May 27, 2004

DENISON - St. Rose of Lima in Denison held a Pentecost Faith Festival on May 12 in the parish center.

All parishioners were welcome to attend with their families. Registration was done two weeks ahead of time so planning could be done accordingly. There were about 200 people registered.

"I think it is a good thing," said Marilyn Grote, who attended the festival with her husband. "I like the fact that it gets all of the different ages involved. We all need our faith rejuvenated every once in a while. I think that is a good way to do that and to see it in action with other people. It makes me feel good. I like to see the faith of others too. It is inspirational to me to see what other people think and do."

The festival began at 5:30 p.m. with five young women processing into the parish center to music while waving streamers. After the procession, foreign exchange students read passages from the Bible in their native languages and then in English.

"The Holy Spirit enabled all of us to converse in our own language and everyone could be understood," said Bob Meyer, a member of the planning committee.

Participants then shared a meal together that was prepared by the Knights of Columbus. There were questions at each table about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit for the families to discuss while they were eating.

"That was a nice introduction to what they were going to talk about for the evening," said Michelle Ahrenholtz, a St. Rose parishioner.

At each table there were between four and eight people. Unlike the other faith festivals when the generations were split, all generations stayed with their families for the entire evening.

Father Edward Murray gave a mini sermon on Pentecost. He also dressed for Mass and explained the historical significance of each vestment as he put it on. The planning committee decided that it would be a good way to show people what the priests wear. The committee also figured that many of the younger people there may have served Mass and observed what the priests wear but the older generation, especially females, may not have had the opportunity prior to the faith festival.

"In this day and age we really need to concentrate on our faith, not just go through the motions on Sunday morning," said Grote. "This helps you to really live it everyday. It keeps it more in your mind."

The families made windsocks as their craft activity. The windsocks were colored with streamers hanging from them. On each of the streamers the groups wrote the gifts of the Holy Spirit. On the body of the windsock they wrote the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

During the activity, the groups experienced 1 Corinthians 12 firsthand. One person had on a blindfold (blind), one plugged their ears (deaf), one had tape over their mouth (mute) and one had their hands taped together (lame). Despite each person having a difficulty, they all worked together to make their windsocks.

"Our oldest is five and she got a lot out of it," said Ahrenholtz. "She was excited to talk about Pentecost being the church's birthday. That was something that even as a 5-year-old she can relate to."

Ahrenholtz also commented that it is nice to put into action what is talked about at Mass on Sunday. It makes the holy days more tangible and real to everyone.

"Each time we've gone, we sit with different people in the church as well, so you get to know other members in the church," said Ahrenholtz. "So it is not just what we know, but also how to share that with the other people."

In honor of Pentecost being the birthday of the church, each person identified one gift that they could give to the parish or the church. The gifts were written down, put in small boxes and wrapped as birthday gifts. The gifts will be put on the altar on Pentecost Sunday. Along with the gifts, each person signed a birthday card that will also be presented at the Pentecost Mass.

The evening ended with a song, "You are my God," and a prayer.

"We hoped that the outcome would be that people would realize that the Holy Spirit coming upon us to spread our faith was the beginning," said Meyer. "We hope that the intergenerational gathering will enable us to learn from each other."