25 May Come Holy Spirit: A Joyful May Gathering
Paola and Paolo warmly welcomed the 47 participants who gathered for the May Gathering, held on Sunday 24 May at Saint Raphaela’s Convent, Stillorgan, Dublin.
They explained that the May Gathering was introduced two years ago with the desire to explore more deeply the richness of Teams’ charism, drawing directly from the heart of our own movement. For this reason, the contributors to the May Gathering are members of Teams themselves, offering reflections and insights rooted in their lived experience.
This gives the May Gathering a particular character, distinct from the March retreat, where external speakers are usually invited to bring an outward perspective and a spirit of cross-pollination.
Come Holy Spirit — The Talk in The Pink Room
Sr Margaret, chaplain of Team Dublin 43, offered an inspiring and deeply engaging talk on the theme “Pentecost: Come Holy Spirit.”
Drawing on Scripture, prayer, and the life of the Church, Sr Margaret invited participants to rediscover the Holy Spirit as the living presence of God’s love at work in us and among us. Her reflection moved from the Spirit coming upon Jesus, to the breath of the risen Christ upon the disciples, and then to the wind and fire of Pentecost, when the Church was born.
A central thread of the presentation was transformation: the Holy Spirit changes fear into courage, isolation into communion, and hesitation into witness. Through images, Scripture passages, and moments of reflection, Sr Margaret helped the group to recognise the Spirit not as something distant or abstract, but as God’s life and love poured into our hearts.
At the end, participants were invited into personal and group reflection, asking what had touched their hearts, which phrase or image had spoken most strongly to them, and whether they had encountered the Holy Spirit during the evening.
Prayer and Reflection in the Chapel
After Sr Margaret’s talk, the gathering moved from the “pink room” to the chapel, where the atmosphere deepened into prayer, reflection, and song.
There, led by Eamonn and Bairbre, participants were invited to listen to a rich selection of Scripture readings and meditative reflections centred on the promise and presence of the Holy Spirit. The readings included Jesus’ words to his disciples — “I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever” — and the risen Christ’s gift of peace: “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
The reflections gently led everyone into stillness, trust, and openness to God’s love. Words such as “Let your God love you”, “Come Holy Spirit, open my eyes”, and “Refresh and renew us” helped create a prayerful space in which each person could welcome the Spirit anew.
The time in the chapel was enriched by warm and uplifting music, including familiar hymns such as “Be Not Afraid,” “Here I Am Lord,” and “God’s Spirit is in My Heart.” These songs gave voice to the evening’s themes of courage, trust, mission, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
A Joyful Social Moment
The evening concluded with a lively and friendly social moment, full of conversation, laughter, and shared joy.
A special highlight was the spontaneous singing of Slovak and Portuguese songs. The notes of Eva’s accordion rose above the cheerful chatter, almost like the Holy Spirit breaking into the Upper Room — unexpected, joyful, and full of life.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this gathering possible, and to all who joined us for such a joyful and prayerful evening. We also held close in our hearts those who were unable to be with us, remembering them with affection and keeping them in our prayers.
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