Holy Spirit is all around us

Father Champigny recently spoke in the Albany Diocese at a teaching day for the Healing Ministry Committee of the Albany Diocesan Service Committee for Catholic Charismatic Renewal.

Father Champigny said when people find they understand something they hadn't before or something suddenly becomes clear, it is the work of the Holy Spirit.

"Anything that happens that is life-giving and love-giving is the Holy Spirit," he said.

While people tend to associate the Holy Spirit with the sacrament of Confirmation, Father Champigny said the Spirit is not limited to just that sacrament. "In every sacrament, you receive the Holy Spirit," he said.

When facing challenging times, people can find solace through the sacraments, he continued. "When I am counseling people having problems in a marriage, I tell them they can rely on the grace of the Holy Spirit," he said. "All of the graces they need are in the sacraments."

In order to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit, Brother Sidney Halligan, CSC, assistant superior/administrator of St. Joseph's Spiritual Life Center in Valatie, suggests people slow down.

"I advise quiet prayer," he said. "We need to notice that we're breathing and alive in order to hear the Spirit speaking to us. The Holy Spirit helps to calm us and quiet us."

He recently gave a day of recollection titled "The Spirit Will Teach You Everything,"

When people can't find the Spirit in their lives, Brother Sidney says, "we're not listening enough."

The work of the Spirit can be found in all aspects of life, he noted. "You can see the Spirit in the outcome of experiences, even if a difficult one like the death of a loved one. Once you go through it, you can see the Holy Spirit. You couldn't have gone through it with out the Holy Spirit. When we have difficulties in life, like losing a job or house, when you learn something and you're a better person because of it, that's the Holy Spirit."

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