At Pentecost, the Church gives thanks for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and lets the world see how these are life-changing and world-changing. The entire parish should be involved in the celebrations Nothing the Church does can happen without the Holy Spirit – and, yet, in most parishes, we only hear of the Spirit when the bishop (or his delegate) comes to confirm the baptismal faith of its young people. Although the event attracts much parish notice, it is very much a one-off celebration of the Spirit; and often there is little preparation for the parish as a whole and few ongoing events afterwards. Pentecost Sunday should be the occasion when both Confirmation and the Holy Spirit gain the level of parish “visibility” that is their due.When the bishop came to confirm pe