Bishop Dennis Sullivan visited Catholic high schools around South Jersey in the past week to celebrate Masses, visit classrooms and pray that the Holy Spirit’s presence would be felt by students, teachers, administrators and staff as a new year gets underway.
PHOTO GALLERIES: Bishop celebrates Mass of Holy Spirit at Camden Catholic, Paul VI, Wildwood Catholic, Holy Spirit and Gloucester Catholic
“Pope Francis referred to the Holy Spirit as our ‘traveling companion,’” he preached during Masses of the Holy Spirit. “The pope’s description teaches us about the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, enabling us to live as the children of God and as disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Referring to the first reading from the Book of Kings and Elijah’s journey, the Bishop explained that it is not possible to live Godly lives without the Holy Spirit.
“In today’s story, Elijah is in a bad way; at a very low point in his life. He has had it. Listen to what he says: ‘Take my life, Lord.’ He is despondent, depressed, struggling. Exhausted, he falls asleep under a tree and ‘an angel touched him,’ brought him food and drink,” Bishop Sullivan preached. “God provided food for Elijah. God was with him. God got him up. God restored him.”
The Gospel reading from Luke 24 spoke of a similar despondency: Two disciples’ experience on the Road to Emmaus after the Crucifixion of Jesus.
“They were in a bad way, despairing and grieving … when they are joined by a stranger,” the Bishop said, reminding all that the stranger was Jesus. “When they were disappointed, grieving and struggling, he was with them – walking, talking, sharing. Sisters and brothers, like the prophet Elijah, like the Emmaus disciples, we, too, can be touched by God.
“The Holy Spirit comforts you in your struggles whatever they are; the Holy Spirit encourages you during your teenage years as you grow up and mature; the Holy Spirit in your day in and day out. Close is the Holy Spirit. Not at a distance,” he continued. “If you are ever down like Elijah, pray, ‘Come. Holy Spirit,’ who can touch you and lift you up. … He walks in your journey.”
On the Bishop’s journey from Sept. 22-27, he visited the Catholic high schools of Camden Catholic, Cherry Hill; Paul VI, Haddonfield; Wildwood Catholic Academy, North Wildwood; Holy Spirit, Absecon, and Gloucester Catholic, Gloucester City. After celebrating a Mass at each school, he toured classrooms and athletic fields; enjoyed breakfast with students and staff, and even received gifts such as mugs, banners, tote bags and blankets emboldened with logos to ensure he would remember each school visit.
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