Come, O Spirit of Piety, possess my heart;
incline it to a true faith in You, to a holy love of
You my God, that with my whole soul I may
seek You, and find You my best, my truest joy.
Especially give this gift to our confirmation
candidates: Celena, Hannah, Jenna, Mark,
Sebesany. Allow them to stand with holiness in
Your presence.

Come, O Spirit of Knowledge, and make me
understand and despise the emptiness and
nothingness of the world. Give me grace to use
the world only for Your glory and the salvation
of Your creatures. May I always be very faithful
in putting Thy rewards before every earthly gift.
Especially give this gift to our confirmation
candidates: Celena, Hannah, Jenna, Mark,
Sebesany. Allow them to ever more have
complete knowledge of You in their life.

Come, O Spirit of Fortitude, and give courage to
my soul. Make my heart strong in all trials and
in all distress, pouring forth abundantly into it
the gifts of strength, that I may be able to resist
the attacks of the devil. Especially give this gift
of strength to our confirmation candidates:
Celena, Hannah, Jenna, Mark, Sebesany. Allow
them to always be strong within You.

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in
all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will.
Incline my heart to that which is good, turn it
away from all that is evil, and direct me by the
path of Your commandments to the goal of
eternal life. Especially give your counsel within
our confirmation candidates: Celena, Hannah,
Jenna, Mark, Sebesany. Allow them to always
depend upon this gift.

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten
my mind, that I may know and believe all the
mysteries of salvation, and may merit at last to
see the eternal light in Your light; and in the
light of glory to have the clear vision of Thee and
the Father and the Son. Especially give this
spirit of understanding to our confirmation
candidates: Celena, Hannah, Jenna, Mark,
Sebesany. Allow them to have this gift in their
life.

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my
soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their
exceeding greatness, and power, and beauty.
Teach me to love them above and beyond all the
passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Show me
the way by which I may be able to attain to
them, and possess them, and hold them
hereafter, my own forever. Especially reveal the
mysteries of heavenly things within the souls of
our confirmation candidates: Celena, Hannah,
Jenna, Mark, Sebesany. Allow them to partake
of these mysteries in their life.

[To be used in preparation for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon our Confirmands and within our parish. This Prayer is to he said from Friday, September 10 – Saturday, September 18, inclusive.]

Begin with this prayer each day:

O Holy Spirit, my Lord and my God, l adore You and humbly acknowledge here in Your sacred presence that I am nothing, and can do
nothing, without Your operation within me. Come, great Paraclete, thou Father of the poor, thou Comforter of the blest, fulfill the promise of our Savior, who would not leave us orphans, and enter my mind and heart as You descended on the day of Pentecost upon the holy Mother of Jesus and upon His first disciples. Grant that I may have a part in those gifts, which You did so prodigally bestow upon them.

Take from my heart all that is not pleasing to You and make of it a worthy dwelling place for Jesus.

Illumine my mind, that l may see and understand the things that are for my eternal welfare.

Inflame my heart with pure love of the Father, that, cleansed from attachment to all unworthy objects, my whole life may be hidden with Jesus in God.

Strengthen my will, that it may be conformable to the will of my Creator and guided by thy holy inspirations.

Aid me to practice the heavenly virtues of humility, poverty, and obedience, which are taught me in the earthly life of Jesus.

Descend upon me, O mighty Spirit, that, inspired and encouraged by You, I may faithfully fulfill the duties of my state in life, carry my daily cross with patience and courage, and accomplish the Father’s will for me more perfectly. Make me, day by day, more holy and give to me that heavenly peace which the world cannot give.

O Holy Spirit, thou Giver of every good and perfect gift, grant to me the intentions of this novena of prayer. May the Father’s will be done in me and through me. And may You, O mighty Spirit of the living God, be praised and glorified for ever and ever. Amen.

Then follows the hymn to the Holy Spirit: Come, Thou Creator

Come, Thou Creator, Spirit blest,
And in our souls take up Thy rest;
Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid,
To fill the hearts which Thou hast made.

Great Paraclete, to Thee we cry,
O highest gift of God most high;
O living Fount, O Fire, O Love,
And sweet anointing from above.

The mystic seven-fold gifts are Thine,
Finger of God’s right hand divine,
The Father’s promise sent to teach,
The tongue a rich and heavenly speech.

All glory while the ages run
Be to the Father and the Son,
Who gave us life; the same to Thee,
O Holy Ghost, eternally.

Amen.

Then is said the Our Father and Hail Mary.

Then follows the prayer proper to the day:

Come, O Holy Ghost, the Lord and Life-giver;
take up Your dwelling within my soul, and
make of it Your sacred temple. Make me live by
grace as an adopted son of God. Pervade all the
energies of my soul, and create in me a fountain
of living water springing up into life everlasting.
Especially take up residence within our
confirmation candidates: Celena, Hannah,
Jenna, Mark, Sebesany. Allow them to feel Your
presence within them.