This great apostle of Germany was born in Devonshire, England, around the year 680. When he was small, some missionaries stayed a while at his home. They told the boy all about their work. They were so happy and excited about bringing the Good News to people. Boniface decided in his heart that he would be just like the missionaries when he grew up.While still young, Boniface went to a monastery school to be educated. Some years later, he became a popular teacher. When he was ordained a priest, he was a powerful preacher because he was so full of enthusiasm.Boniface wanted everyone to have the opportunity to know about and love Jesus and his Church. He became a missionary to the western part of Germany. Pope St. Gregory II blessed him and sent him on this mission. Boniface preached with great success. He was gentle and kind. He was also a man of great courage. Once, to prove that the pagan gods were false, he did a bold thing. There was a certain huge oak tree called the “oak of Thor.” The pagans believed it was sacred to their gods. In front of a large crowd, Boniface cut down the tree with an axe. The big tree crashed. The pagans realized that their gods were false when nothing happened to Boniface.Everywhere he preached, new members were received into the Church. In his lifetime, Boniface converted great numbers of people. In place of the statues of the pagan gods, he built churches and monasteries. In 732, the new pope, St. Gregory III, made Boniface an archbishop and gave him another mission territory. It was Bavaria, which is part of Germany today. Boniface and some companions went there to teach the people about the Christian faith. Here, too, the holy bishop was very successful.Then, one day, Bishop Boniface was preparing to confirm some converts. A group of fierce warriors swooped down on the camp. Boniface would not let his companions defend him. “Our Lord tells us to repay evil with good,” he said. “The day has come for which I have waited so long. Trust in God and he will save us.” The Barbarians attacked, and Boniface was the first one killed. He died a martyr on June 5, 754. He was buried at the famous monastery that he had founded at Fulda, Germany. This was what he wanted.

Hebrews 4:14-5:10
Jesus Christ the great High Priest

Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

The Blessed Virgin Mary has been given the title of Mother of the Church since she gave birth to Christ, the Head of the Church, and she became the Mother of the redeemed people before her Son had given up the spirit on the Cross. Pope Paul VI solemnly confirmed the title in an address to the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council on 21 November 1964 and decreed that the whole Christian people should, by the use of this beautiful title, give still greater honour to the Mother of God.
‘The joyous veneration given to the Mother of God by the contemporary Church, in light of reflection on the mystery of Christ and on his nature, cannot ignore the figure of a woman (cf. Gal 4:4), the Virgin Mary, who is both the Mother of Christ and Mother of the Church. In some ways this was already present in the mind of the Church from the premonitory words of Saint Augustine and Saint Leo the Great. In fact the former says that Mary is the mother of the members of Christ, because with charity she cooperated in the rebirth of the faithful into the Church, while the latter says that the birth of the Head is also the birth of the body, thus indicating that Mary is at once Mother of Christ, the Son of God, and mother of the members of his Mystical Body, which is the Church’ (Decree of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship)

Taken from Universalis.

The name “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word meaning “fiftieth.” Like Easter, it is tied to a Jewish feast. 49 days (7 weeks, or “a week of weeks”) after the second day of Passover, the Jews celebrated the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot).
Passover celebrates the freeing of the Jews from slavery; Shavuot celebrates their becoming God’s holy people by the gift and acceptance of the Law; and the counting of the days to Shavuot symbolises their yearning for the Law.
From a strictly practical point of view, Shavuot was a very good time for the Holy Spirit to come down and inspire the Apostles to preach to all nations because, being a pilgrimage festival, it was an occasion when Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims from many countries.
Symbolically, the parallel with the Jews is exact. We are freed from the slavery of death and sin by Easter; with the Apostles, we spend some time as toddlers under the tutelage of the risen Jesus; and when he has left, the Spirit comes down on us and we become a Church.

Today, Pentecost is the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in Jerusalem, and the Church was formed.

We receive the Holy Spirit throughout our lives, especially at our Baptism, when we are received into the Church, and again in our Confirmation receiving the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.)

We need to thank God for these wonderful free gifts that He has given to us. We need to pray and Bless His Holy Name, in thanksgiving and honour.
“Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me in to life.”
Verse from Taize hymn. Ps 103 (104)
(See YouTube clip of Taize chant)

God loves us so much, that He sent down his only son, Our Lord Jesus Christ to be sacrificed for all mankind on a cross, to wipe away the sins of the world. In order to conquer death, and give us life everlasting with Him in Heaven.

This is God’s steadfast love (in Hebrew – hesed). God’s loving kindness.

Jesus is now ascended into Heaven and is seated at God’s right hand, preparing a place for us, with him.

He sent down the Holy Spirit on His Holy Church at Pentecost, making it flourish and fruitful in faith, love and charity. To make us a Christian community fitting to be called the ‘Body of Christ’.

Remain in the Holy Spirit, remain in God’s love.
Praise and Bless the Holy Trinity, One God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Today is our birthday party, let us celebrate, with shouts of joy and singing God’s praises.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle 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.
Let us pray. O God, who by the light of the Holy
Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant us in
the same Spirit to be truly wise and ever rejoice in
His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.
Amen
(Veni, Sancte Spiritus)

Words of wisdom

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Congratulations to Fr Giles Goward, formally our Pastoral Director at Oscott, has been appointed 24th Rector at St. Mary’s College. He assumes office at the end of June.

More details please visit: https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/news/new-rector-for-st-marys-college-oscott