* Since this is such a special feast, I thought I would re-post my planning post from the past two years, updating it with a couple more book and menu suggestions, as well as a few of our pictures from past years… Here is the updated version!
The feast of Pentecost, also known as Whitsunday, ranks among the great feasts of Christianity. “It commemorates not only the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Disciples, but also the fruits and effects of that event: the completion of the work of redemption, the fullness of grace for the Church and its children, and the gift of faith for all nations.”
Here is a list of ideas that could be done for this day!
(Disclaimer: We will not get to all of these (more like just a few!), but I thought I would share the ideas with you just the same!)
Prayer:
- Pentecost Sunday Mass.
- Sing Veni Creator Spiritus (aka: Come Holy Ghost).
- Say some of these Prayers for Pentecost.
Come Holy Ghost, 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.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Ghost, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Ghost we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Food/Snacks:
- You can find a list of ideas I posted last year over at Catholic Cuisine.
- Since Pentecost is also known as “Whitsunday,” and one tradition is to serve white foods. Last year we had powdered sugar doughnuts and white hot chocolate with breakfast and an afternoon snack of milk and Macaroons.
- Amy’s family always enjoys Holy Ghost Sopas.
- Set the table with a red tablecloth and white plates.
- Another dinner suggestion is to serve Cornish Game Hens (representing the Dove), Pasta Alfredo (white), and Cauliflower (white).
- Here is a link to all the posts at Catholic Cuisine labeled Pentecost.
- You could also go with a “Red-Hot Theme” for dinner this year. Examples would include: fiery hot food, food cooked over flames, and any other food that is red. Perhaps even the Phoenix-Tailed Shrimp which happens to be one of the suggestions for the final Good Shepherd’s Garden Party!
- Make Holy Spirit Crackers, like the ones inspired by Alice from our Easter Tea.
- We loved the Twelve-Fruit Salad we made last year, and hope to make it again! Yum!
- For dessert, A Cake for Pentecost, complete with the mighty wind to blow out the candles. This is such a hit each year, and I plan on making it again!
Reading:
- Read Song of Songs 2:8-17 for the Garden of the Good Shepherd
theme of the day: The Dove
- Read about The Descent of the Holy Spirit pages 226-227 in the New Catholic Picture Bible
- Read The Very First Christians
- Read I Believe: The Nicene Creed
- Read The Twelve Apostles by Marianna Mayer
- Read Apostles of Jesus by Father Lovasik
- Read The Saving Name of God the Son by Jean Ann Sharpe
- Read about “Pentecost: The Outpouring of the Spirit” from An Introduction to the Liturgical Year
by Inos Biffi
Copy work:
My Lord and My God!
–traditional Eucharistic exclamation.
Craft:
- Make a centerpiece. Cut out seven flame shapes from either felt or construction paper and label them with the names of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost.
- Make the Pentecost kite found in The Big Book of Catholic Customs and Traditions.
- Make Dawn’s Pentecost Windsock!
- Here is a cute Holy Spirit Mobile. (pdf)
- This Pentecost Spinner looks like fun!
Activities:
- Do a Pentecost Cross Word Puzzle, Decoder, Word Jumble, Word Search, or a Twelve Disciples Word Search.
- Color this Pentecost Coloring Page, or any of these.
- Don’t forget the beautiful Pentecost coloring page to be found in Fenestrae Fidei: A Coloring Companion for Catholic Mosaic!
- Even more great resources for Pentecost can be found here!
- Go fly a kite! Wind is one of the symbols of Pentecost, so what better way to experience the wind than to fly a kite? If a kite is too much work, Pinwheels would be fun too!
- Play “Who Has the Fire?”
Who Has The Fire?Introduce game: What flickered around the disciple’s heads, but didn’t burn them? Fiery flames.
Need: Orange construction paper balled up to be the fire.
Directions: The children sit in a circle close together. The child who is “It” stands away from the circle and hides their eyes while the fire is passed around. When “It” says “STOP!”, the child holding the fire hides it (under their leg, up their sleeve, etc.). The child who is “It” guesses who has the fire. The child who had the fire is now “It”.
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