This Solemnity of Pentecost marks the conclusion of the Easter season. We celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first disciples. This is the Spirit that Jesus promised them. With signs of wind and flame, the Spirit becomes very present in the lives of these followers of the Lord. They are no longer fearful and confused. The Holy Spirit makes them strong and courageous. The Spirit is evident in their behavior.
We do not see the Holy Spirit. We see the effects of the Spirit in the lives of believers. They proclaim the Good News without fear. They form a community of disciples. They reach out to the poor and the sick. They do what they learned from Jesus. The Christian community becomes a living sign of the Body of Christ on earth.
I have included a couple articles that speak more about the role of the Holy Spirit for your reading. Fundamentally, though, the Spirit sends the disciples on mission. Under the impetus of the Holy Spirit, they take up the mission that Jesus began and left for us to continue. That is why this feast is sometimes called the birthday of the Church: because the fundamental purpose of the Church is fulfilling the mission of Jesus until he comes again.
During this time of pandemic, we have been somewhat limited in our ability to expand the mission of Christ. While we have been able to celebrate the sacraments, there is much more that we can and should be doing. As we slowly open up, our attention will be directed to meeting and planning for our future. As we do so, we pray that the Holy Spirit will be our guide.
I believe the Spirit impels us to do
much more than “return to normal.” We are called to grow and expand our outreach through evangelization, faith formation, concern for those in need and working for justice. I don’t know where that will lead us, but we need to go where the Spirit leads. As Pope Francis says: “Let us dream together.”
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” [John 3:7–8]
Do you sense the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? In this passage, Jesus offers an image of how the Holy Spirit works in us. He analogizes the Holy Spirit to the wind. We can hear the wind blowing but cannot see it. We do, however, perceive the effects of the wind. For example, when you see a tree swaying, you know that the wind is blowing.
So it is with the Holy Spirit in our lives. Though we may not be able to tangibly perceive where the Holy Spirit comes from, we will be able to see the effects of the Spirit. When we perceive a new strength within us, or an increase in virtues, or an ability to forgive, etc., we are aware of the fact that the Holy Spirit is present, leading us, transforming us and guiding us.
Additionally, we do not know where the wind goes once it passes. So it is with the Holy Spirit. If our lives are under the power and care of the Holy Spirit, we do not know where we will be led. The Holy Spirit leads us in the moment but does not typically reveal our whole future. We must be content to be led by the daily gentle presence of God, allowing ourselves to be moved here and there. This requires much trust and abandonment.
Reflect on this Solemnity of Pentecost on the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Look for the effects of the Holy Spirit to discern whether or not you are being truly led by God. Allow yourself to be led and moved by the Breath of God and anticipate great things in your life.
Come Holy Spirit, renew within me the grace of my Baptism and lead me each and every day in accord with Your divine will. I abandon myself to Your glorious care and trust in the promptings of Your presence in my life. Jesus, I trust in Your Guiding Spirit.
This is an old Gregorian chant that is a prayer to the Holy Spirit. It has a beautiful and light melody. This hymn is still used on occasions that invoke the Holy Spirit (Confirmation, ordinations, conclave to elect a pope, election of a superior general of a religious order, etc.). The Latin text is roughly equivalent to the traditional hymn Come Holy Ghost.
Octave of Prayer in Honor of Mary
To conclude the month of May in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we will have a parish Octave of Prayer in honor of Mary. It will begin this Monday on the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church (May 24 this year). It will conclude on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin on May 31.
The focus will be on praising and honoring Mary, not so much on petitions or favors. (Of course, each of us can pray for whatever we want.) A packet of prayers for each day of the octave has been prepared. One of these prayers will be used at the morning Masses but everyone is encouraged to use the prayers at home, with your family or with whomever you live. The packet is available in church as well as soft copies in this week’s bulletin, on the parish website, or by clicking the link below.
As announced last week, our school principal, Mrs. Nelson is retiring at the end of this school year. Many of you have expressed gratitude and have asked for gift ideas. Those who know her know she has been dedicated to the promotion of our Catholic identity in and around the school campus. We have a beautiful new building and would like the exterior spaces to speak strongly to our Catholic faith.
In lieu of individual personal retirement gifts, it is our hope that with your donation, we can help further our Catholic identity around the school with religious art, including but not limited to statues, plaques, banners, etc. in her honor.
Giving toward this gift will be such a legacy and honor on her behalf! We hope you will join us!
Among the Asian martyrs honored by the Church are 117 Christians who suffered and died for their faith in Vietnam since the seventeenth century—they stand as representatives for the hundreds of thousands who have suffered for their faith in Vietnam.
The canonized group includes 96 people who were from Vietnam and 21 missionaries from Spain and France; eight were bishops, 50 were priests, and nearly 60 were lay people.
St. Andrew Dung-Lac was a diocesan priest—he was named Dung An Tran when he was born in 1795 in North Vietnam. When he was 12, he moved to Hanoi with his family so his parents could find work. A catechist there offered him food and shelter and helped him receive an education. Dung was baptized, and chose the name Andrew—he became a catechist himself, teaching others the faith, and eventually was chosen to study for the priesthood. Andrew was ordained in 1823 and was known as an effective preacher and a model of holiness for those he served.
When the emperor began persecuting Christians, Andrew was imprisoned several times, but released when his congregation purchased his freedom. Eventually, though, Andrew was again arrested, tortured, and, finally, beheaded.
Dominican and Jesuit missionaries were the first to suffer martyrdom in Vietnam. These religious orders brought the faith to Vietnam in the seventeenth century and planted the seeds of Christianity that have grown ever since. Ever since, Christians have suffered under political regimes that suspected the faith as foreign influence.
The ruling powers forced many Christians to renounce their faith under threat of torture or execution—they were required to trample a crucifix to prove their allegiance to the state. Many hid, but the authorities rewarded those who turned in Christians, giving away large amounts of silver in return for reports of where the faithful were hiding. In return, Christians bribed those authorities to buy their safety. At one point, a third of the budget for a French missionary society was dedicated to buying safety for Catholics in Vietnam.
Christians were martyred in horrific ways in Vietnam, including St. Andrew Dung-Lac—their bodies were mutilated and some were tortured with the use of psychoactive drugs. Many were branded on the face, and whole towns known to hold Christians were wiped out.
An 1862 treaty with the French granted religious freedom to Catholics but did not stop all persecutions throughout the country. Most recently, in the last century, the Communist government tried to purge the nation of religion, and more than 600,000 Christians fled, leaving everything behind. The Church is still suffering in Vietnam.
Please Help Our Neighbors
Showers of Blessings is running low on some clothing items that they offer to the clients who avail themselves of this ministry. If you are able to contribute to this important ministry to those who have no place to call home, you can drop your clothing donations at the parish office. The items most needed are men’s jeans (especially sizes 28-34), men’s t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts. But anything would be helpful. If you would rather make a monetary contribution, just indicate that it is for Showers of Blessings.
Thank you.
Parish Blood Drive
Please save the date! As part of our commitment to the wider community, our parish is hosting a blood drive on May 30, 2021 from 08:30 AM to 01:30 PM. This is being organized by our Knights of Columbus.
Donating blood is an easy and convenient way for you to make a lasting difference for someone in need. If you have never donated blood before, make a commitment to save a life. All Covid-19 protocols are being followed. Check out these FAQs and make your appointment today. Thank you for your support.
Online Giving Reminder
Please remember to log in to your Online Giving account to make sure your payment method is up to date.
For help with forgotten passwords, please contact Online Giving technical support at 800.348.2886, ext. 2.
Click on the Online Giving icon below to create or access your account.
"Catholic Trivia”... not because they are trivial but because these might be things that not everyone knows. Test your knowledge by reading the five questions, remember your answers (or jot them down), then click the link below to find the answers.
Pentecost is originally a Jewish festival. What does it celebrate in the Jewish calendar?
According to the Acts of the Apostles, who was present in the room for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost?
What are the traditional seven gifts of the Holy Spirit?
What are the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit?
What does it mean to say that the Holy Spirit is a Paraclete or Advocate?
If you have other members of your family or your friends who would like to be on our email list, just let me know or write to Mary McLain at mmclain@stpatrickcarlsbad.comWe will be pleased to add them.
We have opened a YouTube channel where we have daily and Sunday Masses as well as Fr. Ron's new Bible Study posted for the parish called St Patrick Church Carlsbad that you can subscribe to.
The Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles gathered in Jerusalem.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 104:1,24,29-31,34
God’s Spirit renews the earth.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7,12-13
We are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gospel Reading
John 20:19-23
Jesus appears to his disciples and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Background on the Gospel Reading
The season of Easter concludes with today’s celebration, the feast of Pentecost. On Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem; this event marks the beginning of the Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the Acts of the Apostles, today’s first reading. The account in today’s Gospel, John 20:19-23, also recounts how Jesus gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. Yet the event in John’s Gospel takes place on Easter Sunday. There is no need to try to reconcile these two accounts. It is known that after his death, Jesus fulfilled his promise to send to his disciples a helper, an Advocate, who would enable them to be his witnesses throughout the world.
In the context of the feast of Pentecost, John 20:19-23 reminds us about the integral connection between the gifts of peace and forgiveness and the action of the Holy Spirit. Jesus greets his disciples with the gift of peace. Jesus then commissions his disciples to continue the work that he has begun: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” He breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and sends them to continue his work of reconciliation through the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ act of breathing the Holy Spirit upon the apostles mirrors God’s act of breathing life into Adam. In fact, both the Greek and Hebrew words for “spirit” can also be translated as “breath.” This Gospel reminds us that the Church is called to be a reconciling presence in the world. The reconciling presence of Christ is celebrated in the Church’s sacramental life. In the Sacrament of Baptism, we are cleansed of sin and become a new creation in Christ. In the Sacrament of Penance, the Church celebrates the mercy of God through the forgiveness of sins.This reconciling presence is also to be a way of life for Christians. In situations of conflict, we are to be agents of peace and harmony among people.
This version of the Pentecost hymn comes from the ecumenical monastic community of Taize in France. In this performance, 54 young people from 36 different countries sing together "Veni Sancte Spiritus" from their homes. The multiple languages remind us of the first Pentecost where people of many languages heard and understood the message of the apostles.
For more information and to register, please visit the Confirmation tab on the Parish Website starting May 25.
Registro de confirmación abierto, para obtener más información, visite el sito web de la parroquia o comuniquese con el ministerio de jóvenes al (760) 434-3278
Diacono Miguel Enriquez
“En el día de Pentecostés, todos los discípulos estaban reunidos en un mismo lugar. De repente se oyó un gran ruido que venia del cielo, como cuando sopla un viento fuerte.” ¿Imaginemos de ver podido estar en ese lugar cuando el Espíritu Santo se apareció y se posó sobre ellos permitiéndoles hablar diferentes idiomas y proclamar las maravillas de Dios? ¡Tuvo que ser un momento sensacional! Pero todos hemos experimentado ese mismo viento fuerte y el Espíritu Santo posarse en nosotros… fue en nuestro bautismo. En el día de nuestro bautismo cada uno de nosotros fuimos bautizados en la Santísima Trinidad, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo que nos da todo lo que necesitamos para ser discípulos de Jesucristo, y vivir una vida que de fruto. ¿Qué tipo de fruto? En la carta a los Gálatas, San Pablo nos dice, “los frutos del Espíritu Santo son el amor, la alegría, la paz, la generosidad, la benignidad, la bondad, la fidelidad, la mansedumbre y el dominio de si mismo.” Creo que este Pentecostés es un momento oportuno para examinar nuestras vidas y ver qué tipo de fruto estamos dando. Que ajustes tengo que hacer para que el Espíritu Santo se mueva en mí, y pueda dar lo que el Señor me esta pidiendo que de y sea. ¡El Señor nos ha dado todo lo que necesitamos para dar fruto!
Por favor haga clic en los enlaces indicados. Espero que les ayude en sus momentos de reflexión.
Understanding Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders – Part I
What is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is defined as a serious mental disorder characterized by disordered thoughts, delusions, hallucinations, and often bizarre behaviors. Carlson, 2010. Schizophrenia is also described as a severe form of psychopathology in which personality seems to disintegrate, thought and perception are distorted, and emotions are blunted. Gerrig, 2009. Specialists have detected several types of Schizophrenia, which come from three major categories of symptoms: positive, negative, and cognitive.
Schizophrenia often first appears in men in their late teens or early twenties, and the onset in women is typically twenties or early thirties. Schizophrenia has a strong genetic component and may run in families. It can be effectively treated with medication and therapy.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, less than 1% of Americans have Schizophrenia.
Major Categories of Symptoms
The symptoms of Schizophrenia appear gradually, over three to five years. The negative symptoms are the first to emerge, followed by cognitive, and the positive will appear several years later. During this period, the brain abnormalities of a schizophrenic individual can easily be detected by physicians.
The negative symptomsare distinguished by deficits, such as social withdrawal and poverty of thought process, which leads to poverty of speech and flattened emotional responses.
The cognitive symptoms are closely related to the negative symptoms and may be produced by abnormalities in the same brain regions. These symptoms include difficulty retaining attention, decreased ability to perform movements with fingers, hands, legs, poor memory and learning, and poor abstract and problem-solving performance. Specialists notice that these symptoms are also present in other neurological disorders, particularly those that involve damage to the frontal lobes.
The positive or psychotic symptoms involve active signs such as delusions, hallucinations, or thought disorder. Hallucination, which is the most noticeable symptom of Schizophrenia, is the perception of stimuli that are not present.
Hallucinations: Clinicians detect sensorial hallucinations that are auditory, manifested as voices talking to the person. Iqbal & Birchwood found out that many patients experience distressing voices that insult them and issue commands. In contrast, others hear warm and reassuring voices, leading to feelings of comfort and amusement. An interesting aspect of these voices is that they vary depending on the patient's position of subordination. They found that what people who hear voices experience with their dominant voice is a mirror of their social relationships in general. The olfactory & gustatory, which are less common, can include good and bad smells and tastes. The tactile creates a feeling of things moving on their body, like hands or insects, and the visual, which includes seeing people, or patterns.
Delusions: These are beliefs that seem strange to most people and are easy to prove wrong. The person affected might think someone is trying to control their brain through TV or that the FBI is out to get them. They might believe they are someone else, like a famous actor or the president, or that they have superpowers. The different types of delusions include:
Persecutory: Feeling that someone is after them or being stalked, hunted, framed, etcetera.
Referential: The person believes that public forms of communication, like songs, lyrics, or a gesture from a TV host, are a special message just for him/her.
Somatic: The person thinks they have a terrible illness or strange health problem like worms under the skin or damage from cosmic rays.
Erotomaniac: The person might be convinced a celebrity is in love with him/her or thinks people are not attracted to pursuing him/her.
Religious: The person might think they have a special relationship with a deity or that a demon possesses him/her.
Grandiose: They consider themselves a major figure globally, like an entertainer or a politician.
Thought disorder: People with Schizophrenia can have a hard time organizing their thoughts. They might not be able to follow along when you talk to them. Instead, it might seem like they are zoning out or distracted. When they talk, their words can come out jumbled and not making sense.
Types of Schizophrenia
Disorganized type: It includes incoherent speech, hallucinations, delusions, and bizarre behavior. A person often acts in a silly or childish manner, such as giggling for no apparent reason. They also lose coherence in their speech and communication. Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2009.
Catatonic type: Involves stupor or extreme excitement. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines catatonic as a psychomotor disturbance that may involve stupor or mutism, negativism, rigidity, purposeless excitement, and inappropriate or bizarre posturing. With this behavior, the individual can remain motionless, often in an odd position, showing little or no reaction to anything in the environment. Extreme negativism and resistance to instructions are other traits of this type.
Paranoid type: Consists of a combination of delusions and hallucinations. Individuals who suffer from this form of schizophrenia experience complex and systematized delusions of persecution, grandeur, and jealousy. The behavior of the individual with this type of Schizophrenia is expected to be intense and somewhat formal.
Undifferentiated type: Display a combination of symptoms and do not fit into the other categories. The symptoms do not differentiate among various schizophrenic reactions. This is the most confusing type of Schizophrenia because the symptoms are confusing.
Residual type: Individuals who have suffered from a past episode of Schizophrenia but are currently free of positive symptoms. These individuals present mainly negative symptoms. We recall that negative symptoms are characterized by social withdrawal, apathy, reduction in speech, blunted and inappropriate emotional responses.
Carlson, Neil R. (2010). Psychology of Behavior (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.
Gerrig, Richard J. & Zimbardo, Phillip (2009). An Overview of Psychology: It's Past & Present, Your Future. (Custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions.
Our parish offices are now open, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 4:30pm
During this time of inactivity, we will use our parish email system to communicate with parishioners to offer spiritual reflections and make announcements.
In case of an emergency, you can always reach us by phone. We will be checking regularly for messages and respond as soon as possible. If need be, the answering service can get in touch with one of our priests quickly- 760-729-2866.
If you know someone who does not receive our emails, please forward this to them, or have them reply to this message.
To email a priest at St. Patrick Church click the link below:
