Pentecost Celebration

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you."

Acts 1:8

Through our Baptism we have received the Light of Christ, and we celebrate the Paschal Light of Christ with the Liturgy of Light. We also receive the Gifts of the Spirit at our Baptism: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord (see Isaiah 11:2-3a).

One of our favorite celebrations in the atrium—for both the children and adults—is the celebration of Pentecost. In each Atrium, the prayer table is set with a red prayer cloth and seven red candles labeled with the Gifts of the Spirit. After proclaiming each gift and lighting the candles, the children are called by name to come and light a candle of their own from one of the seven candles. We each received these Gifts of the Spirit at our baptisms. Now we have the opportunity to pray for an increase in one of these Gifts.

Below we have adapted this celebration for you to do at home with your family.

Materials Needed and the Setup

  • A prayer table

  • A red prayer cloth

  • The Holy Bible

  • A Paschal Candle (from the Liturgy of Light), or a large white candle

  • Seven red candles and holders (or white, if you don't have red)

  • Seven place cards with the names of the gifts (in order)

  • Small candles, enough for each person

  • Optional: a separate place for the small candles, a prayer card (e.g. Prayer to the Holy Spirit), a song card (e.g. “Envia tu Espiritu (Sea renovada la faz de la tierra)”), a cross or crucifix, a Good Shepherd statue

Set up the prayer table with the items ahead of time, with the seven candles left to right and the Paschal Candle behind. For example:

Moments of the Presentation

Note: The format and possible meditative questions are geared towards the 3-6 year old. Follow the interests of your children, whatever their ages, as you ponder together the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Introduction and Pentecost Reading

Jesus died and rose again from the dead. Light the Paschal Candle. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus told his disciples to go back to the Cenacle in Jerusalem and wait for a “helper.” Jesus wouldn’t leave them alone. He promised to send them the Holy Spirit. We can read about the coming of the Holy Spirit, what we call Pentecost, in the Bible.

Read Acts 2:1-4 (or -11 with older children).

The apostles experienced a "great wind" that filled the place where they were sitting. Have you ever experienced a great wind? What was it like? Can you see wind? I wonder how the Holy Spirit is like wind?

Let’s read the passage again. Reread Acts 2:1-4 (or -11).

The Spirit appeared as wind; how else did it appear? (They saw "tongues of fire" that came to rest on each of them, but did not harm them.) What would that look like? I wonder how the Spirit is like fire?

The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit! We too are filled with the Holy Spirit!

Today we will make a celebration! We will celebrate the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; each of us received the Holy Spirit at our Baptisms!

I will light seven candles, each representing a gift of the Holy Spirit. During our celebration, each one of you will come and light a candle from one of these, choosing which gift of the Holy Spirit that you want more of right now.

Pentecost Celebration

Invite each person to carry something from the prayer table and form a line. Parade around the room singing a song, e.g. "Envia tu Espiritu,” and end by (re)setting up the prayer table.

We begin in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Proclaim the Gifts with simple explanations, lighting each candle in turn (with a matchstick, not from the Paschal Candle):

  1. Wisdom: The gift of loving God more than anything else. Wisdom.

  2. Understanding: The gift of understanding how to live like Jesus. Understanding.

  3. Counsel: Counsel means advice. The gift of counsel helps us judge what is right and what is wrong. Counsel.

  4. Strength: This is spiritual strength or courage. The gift of strength gives us the courage to do what is right. Strength.

  5. Knowledge: The gift of knowing more and more about God each day. Knowledge.

  6. Piety: The gift of piety means to respect God and the Church. Piety.

  7. Fear of the Lord: This kind of fear doesn’t mean being afraid. It means wonder and awe. The gift of the fear of the Lord makes us aware of the glory and majesty of God, how great he is and how small we are. Fear of the Lord.

Invite the each person in your family to come up one by one and choose which gift of the Spirit they want more of. When a someone chooses a gift, say: “Holy Spirit, please give [name] more of the gift of [gift].”

The lit candles are placed on a separate, adjacent table or they can be held.

After everyone is finished, end with a closing prayer and song (such as “Holy Spirit Come” or "The Liturgical Color Song").

Further Work

Afterwards, you and your children may wish to continue meditating on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Here are some possible options:

  • Copy or trace the name of the gift they chose on a prayer card

  • Draw the outline of a dove, cut it out, punch a hole, and run a red string through it to make a “Holy Spirit” or “Pentecost necklace”

  • For older children, they can make a Pentecost Windsock or a “Spirit Spiral": Here's an example, and here's a blank one to print. After adding the words and color, cut along the spiral and attach a string to the middle.

  • Free art

  • Journaling

  • Further prayer

  • Scripture reading and study, such as: Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 12, and Joel 3:1