Pentecost, or Whit Sunday, will be celebrated in a High Mass in the traditional Latin form at St. Stanislaus Church, State Street at Eld Street in New Haven, on Sunday, May 23, at 2:00 pm. The celebrant will be Father Michael Novajosky, who serves as a special assistant to the Bishop of Bridgeport for the Eucharistic Ambassador’s initiative.

We read in the Gospel at the Mass on this great feast that our Lord foretold the coming of the Paraclete to his disciples, and the Epistle shows us the realization of that promise. God descended upon the Cenacle, and a mighty wind which blew suddenly upon the house, together with the appearance of tongues of fire within, were the wonderful tokens of His coming.

Taught by the “Light of Thy Holy Spirit” (Collect at Mass), and filled by the gifts of the same Spirit poured out upon them (Sequence), the apostles became new men to go forth and renew the whole world (Introit). In the words of the Alleluia: “Come Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love,” let us fervently pray that the Holy Ghost will come down upon us.

Music for the service, sung by members of the Schola Cantorum of the Saint Gregory Society, will include the Gregorian Mass Ordinary I, “Lux et origo,” motets by Claudio Monteverdi and Lorenzo Perosi, the proper Gregorian chants, and organ music by Girolamo Frescobaldi.