The sculpted pediment (white marble) – representing the Holy Trinity - surmounting the main altar in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. This house of worship is the largest Gothic building in the Netherlands.

The sculpted pediment (white marble) – representing the Holy Trinity – surmounting the main altar in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. The church is the largest Gothic building in the Netherlands. iStock/manx_in_the_world

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Most Holy Trinity and the gift of the sacrament of confirmation. The characteristics of the Holy Spirit describe the nature of the gifts that are bestowed upon the person who is confirmed.

The Holy Spirit is the abiding and continuing presence of God, a co-equal partner with the Father and the Son, the giver of life, the sanctifier, the one who makes holy, helper and supporter, the inspiration for sacred Scripture and the voice of the prophets.

The Holy Spirit keeps Jesus alive in our consciousness, reminds us of all that he said and did, strengthens our faith and belief, and enables us to give testimony about him and witness for him.

The Holy Spirit is love, both the bond of love between God and us, between one person and another, and between the members of a group such as a family, a church community or an organization. The Holy Spirit fosters and enables unity and togetherness, patience and kindness, compassion, humility, gentleness, generosity, faithfulness and self-control.

The Holy Spirit informs the conscience. The Holy Spirit discerns right from wrong, raises awareness of sin, calls for conversion, leads to remorse, and brings pardon and forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit is the Advocate, the Paraclete, the one who stands with us when we face trials and tribulations, our true friend and a faithful companion when we are alone, our protector when opposed, the provider of the words of defense when accused, our reassurance when we are worried, our hope when the situation seems bleak, and our guardian when others malign us, lie about us or betray us.

The Holy Spirit dwells within every person, and thus the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit invites and urges each person to glorify God in his or her body, to be pure and blameless, to please God in every thought, word and deed.

The Holy Spirit teaches everything. The Holy Spirit is truth, the source of truth, the revealer of truth, counselor and guide, and the moral compass for decisions and choices.

The Holy Spirit is knowledge. The Holy Spirit is enlightenment and insight for the mind, inspiration and creativity for the thinker, understanding and wisdom for the learner, and clarity for the problem solver.

The Holy Spirit is power and strength, drive and determination, energy and stamina for the believer, the laborer, the weary and the weak.

The Holy Spirit is courage for the fearful, consolation for the grieving, comfort for the hurting, healing for the wounded, relief for the burdened, calm for the worried, peace for the troubled, encouragement for the dejected, hope for the disheartened, joy for the sorrowful and direction for the wandering.

The Holy Spirit is the source of grace, helps a person pray and give adoration to God, and be closely connected to God. The Holy Spirit gives a new birth as well as meaning and purpose to life.

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is the last of 16 in a series on confirmation.