The Narthex
Time to Start the Novena to the Holy Spirit
To pray to the Third Person of the Trinity and meditate on His role in personal sanctification
By John M. Grondelski | May 15th 2026 11:37 AMThe interval between the Ascension and Pentecost was archetypal for a particular kind of prayer: the novena. Before the end of His final post-Resurrection bodily appearances to His disciples, Christ instructed them on the fortieth day to remain in Jerusalem, wait, and pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit.…
READ FULL BLOG POSTAscension: Learning to Prayerfully Wait
Tampering with Ascension Thursday warps both Scripture and our preparation in God's time
By John M. Grondelski | May 9th 2024 1:01 PMOnce more, Ascension Thursday is upon us and once again we see the liturgical and theological incoherence the Catholic bishops of the United States caused, in the name of being “pastoral” while exercising canonical fiat, in the liturgical calendar. I have three major criticisms of what they have done --…
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