The annual celebration of Chrism Mass is to take place on Tuesday of Holy Week in the Diocese of Madison.
It will be at St. Maria Goretti Church, 5313 Flad Ave., Madison, on Tuesday, April 12, at 7 p.m.
The Chrism Mass is traditionally celebrated on the morning of Holy Thursday because of the strong connection it has to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper when Jesus instituted the Eucharist and the priesthood.
It is moved to another day near Easter if it is very difficult for the clergy and the people to gather with the bishop.
At the Chrism Mass, the priests of the diocese renew before the bishop their priestly promises: To be more closely conformed to the Lord Jesus, to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching.
Alongside the renewal of priestly promises is the consecration of the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of Sacred Chrism which then are distributed to all the parishes to be used by the priests in the sacraments for the rest of the year.
Heart of the liturgy
The Preface prayed at the Chrism Mass communicates the heart of this liturgy:
For by the anointing of the Holy Spirit
You made your Only Begotten Son
High Priest of the new and eternal covenant,
And by your wondrous design were pleased to decree
That his one Priesthood should continue in the Church.
For Christ not only adorns with a royal priesthood
The people he has made his own,
But with a brother’s kindness he also chooses men
To become sharers in his sacred ministry
Through the laying on of hands.
They are to renew in his name
The sacrifice of human redemption,
To set before your children the paschal banquet,
To lead your holy people in charity,
To nourish them with the word
And strengthen them with the Sacraments.
As they give up their lives for you
And for the salvation of their brothers and sisters,
They strive to be conformed to the image of Christ himself
And offer you a constant witness of faith and love.
Celebrating graces
The Chrism Mass celebrates Jesus Christ’s graces poured out through the ministerial priesthood and highlighted by the blessing of oils used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and ordination of priests and bishops.
The ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood, strengthening it through the grace of the sacraments to be bold witnesses of Jesus Christ in the world.
In return to the Father, during the celebration of the Mass, the priest receives and offers the prayers and works of the faithful to the Father in an exultant prayer of praise.
For a deeper reflection and meditation on the priesthood and especially the oils blessed during Chrism Mass, I encourage you to prayerfully read Pope Benedict XVI’s Chrism Mass homily from April 21, 2011, which can be found here: www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en.html