May 24, 2026 • Pentecost Sunday

Dear Parish Family:

Pentecost Sunday is sometimes referred to as the Birthday of the Church.  Having received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles leave the Upper Room and go out and do the work of Jesus. Pentecost was the start of the next chapter of Salvation History.  It is a time of new beginnings.  A time of renewal!

I began guitar lessons in first grade.  By third grade, I was playing in the guitar group for school Masses.   One of the first songs I learned to play was about the Holy Spirit.   The lyrics were: “The Spirit is a moving all over, all over this land.”   As your pastor, I am humbled and edified to say the Spirit is moving all over,  all over this parish.  

I see the Holy Spirit inspiring the good people of Good Shepherd Parish in amazing ways.    Your generous sharing of time, talent, and treasure reflects the Holy Spirit working in and through you.   The creativity and dynamism of our parish ministries and organizations are evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence.    The Holy Spirit unites.   The community that we share and are building witnesses to our cooperation with the Holy Spirit’s prompting to make God’s People one.  

Thank you for your amazing response to our first 250 Works of Mercy challenge.   To feed the hungry, last week you brought over 425 cans of tuna that were donated to New Hope Ministries Food Bank in Mechanicsburg.   This weekend, the work of mercy is to give drink to the thirsty, and our goal is to collect 250 bottles of water for the Market Square Presbyterian Church Homeless Ministry.   Next weekend, we will focus on the work of mercy to shelter the homeless, and our goal is to collect 250 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste for Bethesda Mission. 

In addition to the 250 Works of Mercy the U.S. Bishops ask us to do for the 250th birthday of our nation, they also call us to do share in 250 hours of Eucharistic Adoration.   See page seven of this week’s bulletin for details.

We gather for the first weekend in our Summer Church.  Like the apostles, we wait in the upper room in prayer as our church receives renewal and restoration work.   Much time and effort went into creating this sacred space for Mass, the Sacraments,  devotions, and private prayer.   A huge shout-out to all who helped bring this transformation about, including our parish staff, especially Jen Miller and Bill Toth, all our volunteers who helped with the move and set-up, and CZCS Construction who worked so quickly to renew and refresh our walls, ceiling, and lighting, as well as Harrisburg Wall and Flooring who donated the carpeting.  This was a massive undertaking and was accomplished in a very short amount of time.  It is another proof of the Holy Spirit at work.

This week in the main church, preliminary work was done by moving things for renewal and restoration to begin.  Everything is on track.  Please continue to pray for this sacred endeavor.   Thank you for your support of the Now Is the Time project.  

Love and prayers,
Father Neil Sullivan