2022/06/01: The Holy Spirit Among Us
Inspired & led by the Holy Spirit: Sharing stories as we approach Pentecost
As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, the birth of the church and the beginning of our story as the church, we come to celebrate the power of the Holy Spirit that in every "time and age" leads and directs our church. During this week before Pentecost, we will hear from parishioners sharing how they have seen the Holy Spirit at work. We hope that as you read these stories, you will recognize your own call to active participation, discipleship and community here at Saint Clement.
Reflection from Greg Wilk
A few Fridays this year, I would pray to the Holy Spirit before going out with friends for the night. I would ask the Spirit to put me into situations to bring people to Christ. One Friday, Mary Schwarz called me at 4 p.m. to discuss some Saint Clement Young Adult logistics. We talked about bible studies and I mentioned I was co-leading with a new guy George. She said George was pretty into Alpha and I should try and become friends. I called George and invited him to Young Adult sponsored adoration.
After we prayed with Jesus, George and I were talking with people in the back of church and we met Marisa who was new in town. We invited her to join our bible study and she agreed, excited to have a Catholic community in her new town. We all went to the bar and got trapped in the crowd at the front of the pub. Not loving the crowd, I pushed to the back and asked a couple older men if we could play next. They said they just saved this younger girl walking out on ice in Lake Michigan. “Greg, we heard the ice cracking and just yelled for her to run back in. We felt like we did our good deed for the day.” I simply answered, “God bless.” And that opened up a conversation with Bob about how God was working in his life recently. I said we just came from St. Alphonsus and he said he used to go there for school 40 years ago. Bob said, “maybe I’ll get back to Mass.” “God's working in your life brother.”
The Holy Spirit was at work that night. George, Marisa, and I had a great night out and became friends. George would go on later to get baptized, make first Eucharist, and get confirmed at Easter! I got home from the evening and felt a warm fire in my heart being a part of His works. I continue praying to the Holy Spirit before I go out and am regularly surprised about how He brings people to Jesus.
To learn more about the RCIA program and becoming Catholic or fully initiated into the life of the Church, click here.
For those with big questions about life or who want to learn more about the Christian faith, we invite you to try the Alpha program; click here.
To learn more about our young adult community (YAC), click here.
Video reflection from Emily Yeager
"I started through the Alpha course here at Saint Clement, and that really reignited my relationship with God and with the Holy Spirit.”
A testament to the Holy Spirit moving among us at Saint Clement
Reflection from Jeremy Kiolbassa, Director of Music
June 1st marks the beginning of my fifth month as Music Director at Saint Clement. It has been a whirlwind! The time has seemed to go by at lightning speed, yet feels like longer than four months. One of my favorite activities is spending time with parishioners after Mass, whether on the Plaza or at one of our numerous receptions. A few weeks ago I attended a reception after the 7 p.m. Mass sponsored by the Young Adult Community (YAC). As I conversed with people, I asked “how long have you attended Mass at Saint Clement?” I was astonished to learn that more than half of the people with which I spoke were here for the first time. There were at least ten! As we continued to converse I learned that most of them were invited by a friend, or had at least heard about our parish through someone they knew. Some, however, came for reasons they couldn’t explain. I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work in all of these instances.
As I reflect on my relatively short time here, I think about the number of new people that come through our doors each week. Jesus tells us at the end of Matthew’s Gospel to “Go, therefore, and make disciples…” and I see that calling embodied in every new person that walks through our doors.
To learn more about our music ministries, click here.
To learn more about our young adult community (YAC), click here.
If you are new to Saint Clement Parish, welcome! We invite you to click here.