Pope celebrates feast of Holy Spirit

Pope Benedict XVI marked the solemn feast of Pentecost on Sunday affirming that the Church has been catholic from the first moment of its existence. Speaking during his homily at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope said that the Holy Spirit created the people of God as the "Church of all peoples." Pentecost, that celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Virgin Mary and the Apostles as narrated in the Acts of the Apostles, marks the birth of the Church. Pope Benedict said the Church "embraces the whole world, she transcends all frontiers of race, class, nation; she razes all the bastions and unites men in the profession of the one and triune God . From the very beginning the Church is one, catholic and apostolic: This is her true nature and as such she must be recognized," the Pope asserted. The Church’s holiness is "not due to the capacity of her members, but because God himself, with his Spirit, always creates her, purifies her and sanctifies her," the Pope added.
Later, speaking before reciting the weekly midday ‘Regina Coeli’ prayer in St. Peter's Square, Pope Benedict said the Holy Spirit fills the universe and prepares unity among nations. Speaking about the action of the Holy Spirit the Pope said, "God's voice divinized the human language of the Apostles, who were enabled to proclaim the one divine Word polyphonically." "The breath of the Holy Spirit,” he said, “fills the universe, generates faith, brings truth, preparing unity among the nations." The Holy Spirit sanctifies, abolishes divisions, resolves the confusion wrought by sin. He helps men to act in conformity with the good, gives meaning to prayer, strengthens the evangelizing mission, makes the hearts of those who hear the good news burn, and inspires Christian art and liturgical melody. It is the Holy Spirit, the Pope said who "creates faith in us in the moment of our baptism," and "allows us to live as children of God.”
After praying the ‘Regina Coeli’, Pope Benedict reminded all of Monday’s beatification of a young martyr of the concentration camps in his native Germany, entrusting to such ‘heroic witnesses of the faith" the cause of world peace. Alois Andritzki a 28-year old priest and martyr, who was killed by a lethal injection by the Nazis in Dachau, was to be declared Blessed on June 13 in Dresden. "Let us praise the Lord for this heroic witness of the faith, who joins the ranks of those who gave their lives in the name of Christ in the concentration camps,” the Pope said, adding, "this day of Pentecost I would like to entrust to their intercession the cause of peace in the world." The Pontiff asked that the Holy Spirit would "inspire courageous proposals for peace and support the effort to advance it, that dialogue might prevail over arms and respect for man's dignity overcome party interests."
The Holy Father also reminded the faithful of World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday, June 14, and encouraged young people to follow the example of those who donate blood. He commended blood donors "who in a silent way contribute to help brothers in difficulties." The theme of this year’s World Blood Donor Day is "More blood. More life."