When Pope Benedict XVI visited the United States in April, he told priests and religious assembled at St. Patrick's Cathedral that now is the time for "a new Pentecost for the Church in America." Such an event can occur, however, only if we open ourselves to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Before Christ ascended into Heaven, He promised His disciples that He would send the Holy Spirit. After the Ascension, they, along with the Virgin Mary, retired to the Upper Room where the Last Supper had taken place to pray and prepare themselves for the descent of the Holy Spirit. The nine days between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday became the first novena.

The Novena to the Holy Ghost recalls that original novena, and for centuries, Catholics have been praying it between Ascension and Pentecost. In it, we ask for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (and, on the final day, for the twelve fruits of the Spirit). This year, in light of Pope Benedict's call for renewal, why not join in praying the novena?

Most Catholics begin the novena the day after Ascension Thursday, which means that they pray the final prayer on the day before Pentecost Sunday. To make it easier to remember to pray the novena every day, I've created a nine-day course of e-mails. Sign up for the course, and each day you will receive an e-mail with the prayers for that day (as well as links to other articles about the Holy Spirit, Ascension, and Pentecost). After the nine days are over, the e-mails will simply quit coming. (If you'd like to pray the novena again, at any time of the year, you can sign up once more.)

Like the weekly About.com Catholicism newsletter, this Novena to the Holy Ghost e-course is absolutely free. Sign up today!