BRIDGEPORT—Hundreds of faithful are expected to fill St. Augustine Cathedral this Saturday, 7:00 pm (May 19) for the Vigil of Pentecost Mass celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano. All are welcome to attend.
The evening will begin with Evening Vespers at Sunset followed by a procession into the Cathedral for Mass, which will be concelebrated by Fr. Peter Towsley, Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Danbury and Episcopal Delegate to Ecclesial Movements.
A bonfire will be lit during the Vespers Service and prayers will be said in seven languages reflecting the diversity of Bridgeport area parishioners and the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Universal Church.
The prayers of the Faithful will be read in Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Haitian, Vietnamese and English.
Manuel deSousa of the Cursillo Movement will deliver the First Reading in Portuguese; Stefano Santilli, a member of the Lay Faternity of St. Dominic will read from Exodus in Italian; Stephan Hanley of the Neo Catechumenal Way will deliver the Third Reading in Spanish; Tho Anh Nguyen will deliver the Fourth Reading from in Vietnamese; the Epistle will be read in Polish by Bozena Tomczylc; Bishop Caggiano will read the Gospel of John in English.
Fr. Frank Gomez, Pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bridgeport, will serve as Episcopal Master of Ceremonies. Deacon Jeff Kingsley will assist.
Dr. Sam Schmidt, organists for St. Augustine Cathedral, and the Sacred Heart Youth Choir will provide the music.
Seminarians from the Redemptoris Mater Seminary will act as servers at the Mass. Sandy Masso, a 3rd Order Carmelite will present the gifts.
Pentecost is a feast of the universal Church which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles fifty days after the resurrection of Christ on the ancient Jewish festival called the “feast of weeks” or Pentecost. The feast celebrates the completion of the work of redemption, the fullness of grace for the Church and its children, and the gift of faith for all nations.
