The Holy Spirit is “God active within us,” who “helps us to remember”. On Monday morning, 13 May, Pope Francis — during his homily at morning Mass at Santa Marta — once again centred his reflection on the Holy Spirit and on how little Christians pay attention to him today.

It would seem that “the Holy Spirit is unknown”, thinking of the many who still today “do not know how to explain who the Holy Spirit is” and who “say: 'I do not know what to do' with him”. The Pope continued that “in this manner the poor Holy Spirit is always last and can not find a good place in our lives”.

“Let us think of this: the Holy Spirit is God, he is God alive within us... the God who awakens the memory”. The Pope pointed out that memory “is a grace from the Holy Spirit” and that “the Church has her own memory, the Passion of the Lord”, the memory that takes away sins. “I wish today — said the Pope — to ask for the grace of this memory for all of us”. An intention entrusted to the Virgin Mary, “woman of memory”.

At the end of the Mass Pope Francis wished a happy birthday to Mons. Peter Bryan Wells, Assessor of the First Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, accompanied by his father and brother.

Also concelebrating were: Cardinal Antonio Maria Vegliò, President of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, and the Secretary, Bishop Joseph Kalathiparambil, who accompanied a group of employees from the department.