Catholic Activity: Pentecost Favors

    Supplies

  • white parchment paper
  • red satin ribbons
  • thread
  • scissors
  • markers, crayons, poster paints
  • Prep Time

  • 3 hours
  • Difficulty

  • • •
  • Cost

  • $ $ $ $
  • For Ages

  • 6+
  • Activity Types

    Linked Activities

    • None

    Files

    • None

    Linked Recipes

    • None

    Linked Prayers

    • None

    Feasts

    Seasons

    • None

Here is a way to emphasize the importance of cultivating the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit on the feast of Pentecost.

DIRECTIONS

We first heard of this idea through a friend of a friend of the Zelatrices of the Sacred Heart. As Pentecost favors, they make bookmarks in the form of white doves cut from parchment and threaded with red satin ribbons for markers. On one wing, or on one page of a tiny folder held in the dove's beak, is lettered a gift of the Holy Spirit; on the other, a fruit. They are placed all together in a basket and each Sister chooses one. The gift written on her dove is the gift the Holy Spirit wishes her to work on for the year. Sometimes it is the same gift year after year. In such a case, one can hardly fail to get the point!

We varied this custom by cutting two-piece doves and stapling the wings on so that they are two-dimensional, then hanging them in a flock by red ribbons of varying length. Pentecost morning we each chose a dove, blindfolded. A gift and a fruit were lettered on the wings of each. They were a brilliant display of "Holy Spirits" and we let them hang there through the Octave. Lots of people who came into the house asked questions.

Activity Source: Year and Our Children, The by Mary Reed Newland, P.J. Kenedy & Sons, New York, 1956

Catholic Liturgical Year Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Thankfully, electing a pope is not like electing a president. 12 hours ago
Excellent critique of bias in New York Times abortion coverage 13 hours ago
Pope Francis the Frank June 18
“Illegals” are not “Immorals”: A Persistent Immigration Fallacy June 18
News coverage of the Vatican: the blind leading the blind June 18

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Vatican document demands governments protect refugees CWN - June 6
Pope acknowledges 'gay lobby' influence in Vatican CWN - June 11
Pope confirms he is completing encyclical on faith begun by Benedict XVI CWN - June 13