BSC KUCHING: Pentecost is observed on the seventh Sunday after Easter and 10 days after Ascension. It is a celebration of God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to us – a celebration of God’s covenant with us.

To prepare for a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, Blessed Sacrament Church organised a 9-Day Novena to the Holy Spirit from 27 May – 4 June. Participants listened to teachings on how to get to know and receive the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, from Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung.

BSC Rector Fr Patrick Heng

In his Pentecost Sunday homily on 5 June, BSC Rector and Mass celebrant Fr Patrick Heng, reminded the congregation that during the sacrament of Baptism and sacrament of Confirmation, “God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us live our lives as Christians.” But, “Where is the Holy Spirit in us?” he asked. “Has it flown away?”

To invoke the descent of the Holy Spirit at the Charismatic Mass, he made this prayer: “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. Amen.”

The Pentecost Charismatic Mass included praise and worship, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, praying in tongues and ministering to those with needs, by members of the Emmaus Servant Community.

The Church, which had not held a Mass for healing for more than two years because of the pandemic, attracted a huge congregation who had come to pray for healing and to receive blessing through the Blessed Sacrament.

Several parishioners testified they felt the touch of the Holy Spirit during the healing session. Indeed, the nine days of novena to invite the Holy Spirit to pour afresh on the congregation had a profound effect on many people.

Below are a couple of testimonies:

"I was touched by the HOLY SPIRIT.
1. I felt a touch on my forearm twice during the Eucharistic celebration.
2. During praying in tongues, my hands started to shake like shock waves that slowly crept up to my arms, then to my body and thighs, down to my knees while I was kneeling to receive the HOLY SPIRIT.
This was a new experience shaking so hard. Before this, I only felt the warmth on the back of my neck. This touch resulted in non-stop crying. I am happy to experience the different touch of the HOLY SPIRIT. I feel so Blessed and Happy to attend this Mass and to have received the HOLY SPIRIT, in JESUS’ NAME." – Maureen Lee

"I had earlier wondered why I could not feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I expressed this to a couple of Emmaus members at the Novena to the Holy Spirit and was told not to worry, and that I would experience the Holy Spirit’s touch in God’s time.
Then, it happened at the Grotto at 9.10am before Mass even started. I had turned on my handphone and the Archdiocesan live-stream Chinese Mass was about to start. The Chinese version of Spirit of God was playing and it sounded like angels singing so heavenly, sweetly, and so touching. I caught the vocals… every man’s heart is lonely… and I felt like the words were speaking directly to me. Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung had said many times at the novena… "I guarantee you" and I felt like he was talking directly to me. I had earlier planned not to attend the Sunday Mass. My heart was lonely and longing for the Holy Spirit… just like the lyrics from the song, Spirit of God. I'm so glad I attended the 9 days novena, and the Sunday Pentecost Mass." – Angie

By Ivy Chai
Photos: Stephanie Chua & Albert Jee