Pentecost.

Special greetings to readers who celebrate Pentecost today - and anticipatory good wishes to those who will celebrate the same feast a week from today. Last year, I marked Pentecost with a post featuring Gustav Mahler's setting of the festal hymn Veni Creator Spiritus. In a similar vein, this year I'm pleased to share the Pentecost sequence Veni Sancte Spiritus. Many settings of this sequence exist, but I've decided to go with the Gregorian version sung here by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos, because - as I also wrote once regarding the Dies Irae - there are some days when only Gregorian chant will do. For the Latin text, an English translation, and some notes on this great piece of liturgical poetry, consult Wikipedia.

Though the academic year has ended, the last few days have been active ones for me: since Thursday, I've been at Manresa Jesuit Retreat House near Detroit for a two-week practicum meant to help me and several other young Jesuits hone our skills as directors of the Spiritual Exercises. If you're so inclined, please pray for me, the other scholastics taking part in the practicum, and the retreatants we will be directing as part of the program. May the same Holy Spirit whose descent we celebrate today guide us all in the days to come. AMDG.