The Church exists physiologically in the Holy Spirit and expands in the world as long as it remains “outgoing” (Pope Francis), just as on the day of Pentecost, thanks to the protagonism of the Holy Spirit, through His inspirations and motions, His gifts and charisms.

Since the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, the ecclesial Magisterium has restored the prominence of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit—His “ministry,” which actualizes the “mystery” of the Church, faith in Jesus, and the Christian life.

From John XXIII to Francis, the last decades of the Second Millennium and the early years of the Third unequivocally attest to the “return of the Holy Spirit” and a profound work of spiritual renewal, which has been and continues to be at work in every “cultic and cultural” sphere where theological studies, pastoral life, and the missionary challenge take shape.

However, “the great Unknown” (Leo XIII) risks remaining “forgotten” and unfruitful in the personal and communal life of many, unless due attention is given to the rich and profound “pneumatological deposit” entrusted to us by the last five Pontiffs.

This course will present “portraits of the Holy Spirit,” as depicted from the Council to the present day in the Discourses and Writings of the Pontiffs, in harmony with Sacred Scripture and the Tradition of the Fathers. A tribute to the “Pentecostal mission” of the Church in the Third Millennium.