Encyclical on the Most Holy Trinity

Sunday 15th June 2025

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Dear Beloved Deacons, Priests, and Bishops,

I greet you with joy on this Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Today we celebrate the central mystery of our Christian faith – one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On this Trinity Sunday, we contemplate the divine communion of love found in the Trinity. We recall that “the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life”, the source of all other mysteries of our faith. This feast invites us not only to adore the incomprehensible unity of the Trinity, but also to recognise how each divine Person works in our lives and ministries.

I write to you about the Holy Spirit – the often invisible yet powerful presence of God with us, within us and without us. Just as the Father created us in love and the Son redeemed us, the Holy Spirit is the Person of the Trinity who accompanies and sanctifies us daily. My brothers in Holy Orders, as deacons, priests, and bishops, you have received a sacred calling and a special anointing of the Spirit at your ordination. By the sacramental anointing of Holy Orders, the Holy Spirit has configured each of us in a new way to Jesus Christ. This means that in all we do, we must remain ever conscious of the Holy Spirit’s presence and guidance. In this letter, written as a brother among brothers, I wish to reflect with you on how we must always and everywhere call upon the Holy Spirit in our ministry. Whether we are reading Scripture, celebrating the sacraments, preaching, or praying, the Holy Spirit is our Advocate and guide.

As sacramental ministers we carry out our service in persona Christi, but we can only do so effectively through the power of the Spirit. The Apostles themselves were instructed by the Lord to wait for the Spirit before beginning their mission (Acts 1:4-8). In the same way, we too need the Spirit in order to minister with wisdom, charity, and strength. On this Trinity Sunday, while honouring the Father and the Son, let us focus on re-inviting the Holy Spirit into every aspect of our calling. I encourage you all to read on with open hearts, and I pray that these reflections both console and challenge you to deeper reliance on the Holy Spirit in your lives.

“Always and Everywhere” –
Invoking the Holy Spirit in Ministry

From our earliest training, we learned that every major action in the Church begins with prayer. The Church particularly “invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, especially at the beginning and the end of every important action”. In other words, always and everywhere, we should invoke the Holy Spirit. This is not just a pious saying but a practical necessity. Without the Spirit, our ministry becomes dry routine; with the Spirit, it becomes a channel of God’s grace. As one spiritual author put it, “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing and exhausting of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the ministry of Jesus flows out of you” (C. T. Boom). We have all experienced days when pastoral work felt burdensome — perhaps a challenging counselling session or a homily that would not come together. In those moments, did we pause and consciously invite the Holy Spirit to be present? Often a simple prayer, “Come, Holy Spirit, guide me,” can transform anxiety into peace and clarity.

Consider the Apostles on Pentecost morning: fearful men, huddled together, unsure of their next steps. When the Holy Spirit descended on them, they were set ablaze with courage and wisdom (Acts 2:1-4). That same Spirit who came as tongues of fire is given to us, renews each of us and provides us with the sanctification to do be as Christ to others. In fact, at our ordinations we each received a special outpouring of the Spirit. Saint Paul reminded Timothy of this when he wrote: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim 1:6). Paul goes on to say that “God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a Spirit of power and love” (2 Tim 1:7). My dear brothers, have we perhaps let the flames of that gift die down to embers through routine or self-reliance? The Holy Spirit’s gifts, given in the sacrament of confirmation and consecrated in ordination, need to be continually fanned into flame through prayer and invocation. There is never a moment in ministry when we can afford to set aside the Spirit’s help.

In every sacramental celebration, the Church explicitly invokes the Holy Spirit. During the Mass, in the epiclesis of the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest extends his hands and prays that the Father send the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, “like the dewfall,” transforming them into the Body and Blood of Christ. This moment teaches us that it is truly the Holy Spirit who makes our ministry effective – it is God who acts, we are His instruments. What happens if a priest rushes through Mass mindlessly without interiorly calling on the Spirit? The sacrament is still valid by the Church’s power, yes, but the priest deprives himself of the grace and fervour that come from cooperation with the Spirit. How much richer our celebration becomes when we consciously join in the epiclesis, aware that the Spirit is descending to work a miracle! In the same way, before we preach, or before a counselling meeting, or at the start of a new pastoral project, we should pause and invoke the Spirit, “the Giver of Life,” to come and direct our efforts.

Every one of us – deacon, priest, or bishop – has specific ministries where invoking the Spirit is essential. Deacons, for instance, often have the ministry of charity and the Word. In the Acts of the Apostles, the first deacons were chosen precisely because they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). Let our deacons never forget that example: your service at the altar and your outreach to the needy must be sustained by the Holy Spirit’s love. Priests, who labour in the vineyards of parish life, administering sacraments and teaching the faithful, you know how varied and unpredictable each day can be. How can you respond to a midnight sick call with compassion, or handle an angry parishioner with patience, unless the Spirit fills you with grace at that moment? And to my fellow bishops – shepherds of the flock – the administration and oversight we perform can easily become mechanical, even secular, if we do not consciously invite the Holy Spirit into our decision-making. Recall the words of Acts 20:28, where St. Paul admonished the elders: “Keep watch over the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (Acts 20:28). It is the Holy Spirit who truly appoints and works through us as overseers (episkopoi). Our authority is not truly ours; it is the Spirit’s authority entrusted to us as servants. This should humble us and drive us to constant prayer, “Come Holy Spirit, guide me as I guide Your people.”

Let us remember, too, that the Holy Spirit is the source of unity and communion. In the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit is sometimes described by theologians as the personified Love between the Father and the Son. When we invoke the Spirit, we invite unity into our communities. In parish conflicts or in diocesan challenges, calling on the Spirit can melt away misunderstandings and foster reconciliation. How beautiful it is when a presbyterate or a diocesan team pauses to pray together: this invites the Spirit of unity into their collaboration. As St. Cyril of Jerusalem taught, the Spirit comes as a true friend and protector “to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.” All these actions – teaching, counselling, strengthening, consoling – are things we attempt in ministry; how much more fruitfully we do them when the Holy Spirit is actively at work in us!

Ministering with the
Guidance and Power of the Spirit

Our day-to-day ministry should be a co-ministry with the Holy Spirit. We are never alone in serving God’s people. The Holy Spirit has been given to the Church as the “Counsellor” or “Advocate” (John 14:26) — one who stands beside us to guide and encourage. In practical terms, this means cultivating an inner habit of listening to the Spirit during our work. For example, while preparing a homily, we might find a certain phrase or scripture verse comes strongly to mind — do we pause and ask if the Spirit is prompting us to include that message for our congregation? Or when visiting a sick parishioner, perhaps we suddenly feel urged to offer a particular prayer or simply remain silent and listen. These interior movements can be the Holy Spirit’s gentle voice directing our pastoral care. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” (John 14:26). We should take that promise seriously! The Spirit can whisper to our hearts the very wisdom of Christ when we need it most.

Being “led by the Spirit” is not reserved only for mystics. It should be part of every Christian life, and especially every minister’s life. Saint Paul in the letter to the Romans says, “all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom 8:14). In practice, how do we allow the Spirit to lead us? Firstly, by praying each morning for the Spirit to fill us and guide us. A simple heartfelt prayer before you even put your feet on the floor: “Holy Spirit, I welcome you. Direct my path today.” Secondly, by staying receptive during the day – that means not getting so caught up in our own plans or stress that we ignore the subtle guidance God sends. I know how packed a clergy schedule can be, but making a little room for the unexpected is making room for the Holy Spirit. Perhaps you’re heading out the door and someone calls with an urgent need – rather than react with annoyance at the interruption, invoke the Spirit and respond with grace. You may discover it was a divine appointment after all.

The power of the Holy Spirit is what enables us to fulfil our mission joyfully and courageously. Recall how the frightened Apostles became bold evangelists after the Spirit came at Pentecost. That same boldness is available to us. We sometimes face situations that require moral courage – maybe speaking out on a sensitive issue or standing firm in Church teaching when pressured to compromise. By ourselves we are weak or fearful, but with the Spirit we find strength. “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses,” Jesus said (Acts 1:8). Many times, in the Acts of the Apostles we read that, before a difficult task, the Apostles were “filled with the Holy Spirit” and then spoke the word of God boldly. When you feel afraid to confront a problem in your parish or diocese, pray for a fresh infilling of the Spirit’s courage. The Spirit is also the Consoler, as Jesus calls Him – meaning He gives comfort in our trials. In the struggles of ministry (and there are many, as we all know), it is the Holy Spirit who sustains us with supernatural hope and peace. I have met priests going through very challenging assignments who remain joyful and serene. Inevitably, when I ask how they cope, they mention their reliance on the Holy Spirit through fervent prayer. As Pastores Dabo Vobis teaches, a priest can trust that he will “never lack the grace of the Holy Spirit as a totally gratuitous gift… amid the difficulties, temptations, and weaknesses” of life. This is true for all of us in ordained ministry – the Spirit’s grace never fails us, but we must humbly ask for it and cooperate with it.

One concrete way to minister with the Spirit is to incorporate small invocations into our activities. The Catechism notes that the simplest prayer is “Come, Holy Spirit”, and encourages the faithful to use it often. We clergy should model this. For instance, before you preach the Gospel at Mass, you might whisper inwardly, “Holy Spirit, anoint my lips and the hearts of my people.” Before a meeting of the parish council or clergy council, begin with a spontaneous prayer to the Holy Spirit, not just a routine Our Father. Such practices openly acknowledge our dependence on God. They also teach our people to rely on the Spirit. How beautiful to lead our parishioners in calling on the Spirit in all circumstances! Then the whole Church learns to live by the Spirit’s power.

Brothers, let us also not forget that the Spirit brings creativity and renewal. The Holy Spirit is endlessly innovative in guiding the Church – “Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5). If we rely on the Spirit, our ministry will stay alive and never become stagnant. You may receive new ideas for evangelisation, inspired initiatives for serving the poor, or fresh insight into how to engage the youth. When such inspirations come, test them and, if they ring true, have the courage to act on them, trusting the Spirit. Our times pose many new pastoral challenges, but the Holy Spirit is never puzzled or overwhelmed. He already sees solutions and paths forward that we might overlook. Tapping into His wisdom is our great advantage as we navigate modern complexities. As pastors, we are collaborators with the Holy Spirit in tending Christ’s flock. What a freeing realisation: we do not have to carry the burden alone – the very Spirit of God is the chief Pastor, and we are His co-workers.

Reading Scripture and Praying in the Spirit

One of the most important areas where we must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit is in reading and interpreting Scripture. We all spend significant time with the Word of God – preparing homilies, leading Bible studies, or simply nourishing our own soul in prayer. How do we approach the Scriptures? The Church reminds us that because the Holy Scriptures are inspired by the Holy Spirit, “Sacred Scripture must be read and interpreted in the light of the same Spirit by whom it was written.” In practice, this means praying to the Holy Spirit before and during our scripture reading. A common practice before proclaiming the Gospel at Mass is to pray quietly, “Cleanse my heart and my lips, Almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim Your Gospel.” We can add, “Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind and heart as I read.” Never let reading Scripture become a mere academic or intellectual exercise for you. Yes, use your exegetical skills and commentaries, but always with a prayerful openness to the Spirit who “gives a spiritual understanding of the Word of God to those who read or hear it”.

Have you ever had the experience of reading a familiar Scripture passage and suddenly noticing something new, as if a particular line speaks directly to a current situation? That is often the Holy Spirit at work, “reminding” you of what Jesus wants you to hear. In our preaching, it is the Spirit who can guide us to emphasise the message that our community specifically needs at that time. If we rely only on our own cleverness or favourite themes, we might miss what the Spirit is saying to the Church today. Scripture is called the “Living Word” precisely because the Holy Spirit continually animates it in the life of the Church. When you sit with the Sunday readings in preparation, do so in a spirit of lectio divina, not just sermon-writing. Meditate and listen before you compose your homily. Ask, “Holy Spirit, what are You saying to me and to my people through this Word?” You may be surprised by the insights that arise. The Catechism beautifully says, “The Holy Spirit gives a spiritual understanding of the Word of God to those who read or hear it, according to the disposition of their hearts.” Let’s ensure our hearts are well-disposed – humble, open, eager – each time we crack open the Bible, so that the Spirit may grant us understanding beyond the surface.

When teaching others, encourage them likewise to call on the Spirit. A brief prayer like, “Come Holy Spirit, enlighten me,” before a Bible study or personal devotion can open the door to deeper insight. Remember the encounter of the deacon Philip with the Ethiopian official (Acts 8:26-39)? The Ethiopian was reading Scripture (Isaiah) but could not understand it until Philip, prompted by the Spirit, came to explain and proclaim Christ. We too are like Philip when we preach – instruments for the Spirit to illuminate Scripture for our flock. It’s humbling to realise that apart from the Spirit, even our best explanations will not touch hearts. We must pray both before we speak or write about Scripture, and even as we deliver the homily or lesson, that the Holy Spirit will be the one speaking through us. Many times, I have whispered a prayer to the Spirit halfway through a homily – for example, if I sense attention is waning or my own focus drifting – and invariably He helps me refocus or find the right words to conclude strongly. The Spirit is truly the “Interior Teacher” of those we instruct; we are His microphone, so to speak. Keeping this perspective preserves us from arrogance and gives us confidence at the same time.

In our personal prayer life, too, the Holy Spirit is indispensable. We know this in theory, but do we experience it daily? The Scriptures teach that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” (Rom 8:26). Those times when prayer feels dry or difficult – when we sit in the chapel and our mind races or we feel empty – are precisely when we should invoke the Holy Spirit. Simply pray, “Holy Spirit, pray in me. Come, Holy Spirit,” and then allow Him to pray through you in silence. The Holy Spirit is called the “Master of Christian prayer”, the one who makes our prayer possible. How comforting it is to lean into the Spirit’s help when prayer is hard! And even when prayer is flowing well, it is the Spirit who is moving our heart to love God. In the end, all genuine prayer in us is initiated by the Holy Spirit’s grace. As the Catechism states: “Every time we begin to pray to Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit who draws us on the way of prayer by His prevenient grace”. So, in a very real sense, all our prayer is a response to the Spirit’s promptings. Recognising this has made my own prayer life more dynamic – I start prayer by acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s presence, sometimes even imagining my breath is the Spirit breathing in me as I breathe slowly and call on the Divine Name. I commend this practice to you: begin your meditation or breviary or rosary by consciously uniting with the Holy Spirit, who is already praying within you.

Additionally, praying to the Holy Spirit can be a source of great strength. While our prayer is usually directed to the Father through the Son (which is right), the Church also has a rich tradition of direct prayer to the Holy Spirit. The simple cry, “Veni Sancte Spiritus – Come, Holy Spirit,” has been used from ancient times and is present in our liturgy and hymns. Perhaps incorporate the Pentecost Sequence (“Come, Holy Spirit, come…”) occasionally in your private prayer, or the beautiful invocation: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.” These prayers not only call upon the Spirit to act around us; they also stir up our awareness of the Spirit within. We need that fire of love enkindled again and again, lest our ministry become lukewarm. Praying in the Spirit also means listening in prayer. After calling on the Holy Spirit, sit in the silence that follows. You may experience a gentle inspiration, or a new understanding of a problem, or simply a renewal of trust in God. The Holy Spirit often speaks in “a still, small voice” (cf. 1 Kings 19:12), a quiet inner witness. If we never slow down and quiet down, we might miss His voice. Our people look to us for spiritual leadership – how can we lead them unless we ourselves listen to the Spirit? Thus, our commitment to personal prayer, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, is not a luxury but a necessity. It is the well from which we draw water to give to others.

Living in the Communion of the Trinity

On this glorious feast of the Holy Trinity, we are reminded that the Trinity is a communion of life and love, and we are invited into that communion. Our ministries will bear lasting fruit only if they are rooted in the life of the Trinity – in the love of the Father, the grace of Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor 13:14). I urge each of you, brothers, to rekindle your devotion to the Holy Spirit, the Forgotten Member of the Trinity in many people’s hearts. Yet the Spirit is actively working in us and through us at every moment. When we call on Him, we acknowledge our need, and we open the door for Him to act. When we neglect Him, we are like sailors refusing to unfurl the sail while complaining there is no wind! The wind of the Spirit is always blowing; we need to raise the sails of prayer and invocation to catch that divine wind and move forward.

In your daily Mass and Liturgy of the Hours, pay attention to how often the Holy Spirit is mentioned – you might be surprised. The liturgy is saturated with the presence of the Spirit, from the epiclesis to the doxologies. Let those familiar prayers come alive for you again. For example, every Preface ends by invoking the angels and saints “and the powers of heaven” in singing the Sanctus – in doing so, we implicitly stand in the Spirit who unites heaven and earth in worship. Every Eucharistic Prayer calls the Spirit; every baptism is done in the name of the Holy Trinity; every absolution in confession invokes the Holy Spirit’s forgiveness and healing. We are never operating apart from the Trinity. So let us consciously unite ourselves to that eternal divine life as we minister. This will preserve us from burnout, from pride, and from discouragement. It will keep us full of that divine energeia that the Eastern Fathers spoke of – the energising power of God working in feeble human instruments.

My brothers and sisters, I write these words as a fraternal encouragement and also a challenge. It is challenging to relinquish a little control and let the Holy Spirit lead – it requires humility and faith. It may be challenging to deepen our prayer lives amidst heavy responsibilities. Yet, this is the path to true pastoral effectiveness and holiness. I challenge myself as well with these words. We are all pilgrims still, learning to walk by the Spirit day by day. But what a difference it makes to consciously walk that way! Our ministry becomes joyful – not without trials but filled with an underlying joy of knowing God is with us and doing the real work. Our preaching gains a certain fire that touches hearts. Our administrative duties, done with the Spirit, can even become occasions of grace rather than mere paperwork. People sense when a minister is Spirit-filled – they see the light in our eyes, the warmth in our actions, the “fire” of love in our service. That draws them ultimately not to us, but to Christ. We have all had the privilege of meeting holy clergy in our lives who exemplified this. We should aspire, by God’s grace, to be that kind of clergy for the next generation.

On this Trinity Sunday, as Archbishop and brother in Christ, I call on each of us to renew our commitment to living and ministering in the Holy Spirit. Let us support one another in this resolve. Speak often to your brother clergy about the need for the Spirit; share with each other your experiences of the Spirit’s guidance. This builds up a culture among us where reliance on the Holy Spirit is the norm and not the exception. Imagine a presbyterate where every priest is a man of the Spirit – what vitality for the local Church! Imagine a diaconate where every deacon serves with the fervour of the early Church – what a witness to the world! Imagine an episcopate where every bishop is deeply attuned to the Spirit – what renewal and unity the Church would experience! This is not mere fantasy; it is the will of God for His Church. The Holy Spirit was poured out on all at Pentecost – Mary, the Apostles, the brethren – and continues to be poured out in abundance today.

In closing, let us together invoke the Holy Trinity: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all as we strive to serve God’s people (2 Cor 13:14). I entrust each of you to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, who knew better than anyone how to surrender to the Spirit’s word in her life. Through her intercession, may we become ever more receptive ministers. My heartfelt prayers are with you, especially that the Holy Spirit rekindle the flame of your ordination day in your heart. “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love!”

Thank you for your devoted service to Christ and His Church. May Almighty God bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Yours in the Holy Trinity,

✠ ✠ Felix Gibbins, OSB Cam
Archbishop Primus of the United Kingdom