Over 500 people from all around the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois were at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on the evening of March 22 as Bishop Thomas John Paprocki concelebrated the chrism Mass.
The chrism Mass is held annually in cathedrals all over the world during Holy Week. It is during this Mass that priests, who gather with their bishop in the sanctuary to concelebrate, publicly renew the promises they made at their ordinations.
It is also at the chrism Mass that the bishop consecrates the chrism and blesses the oils that are to be used during the upcoming year to anoint the newly baptized, to seal candidates for confirmation and to anoint the hands of priests and heads of bishops at their ordinations. Additionally, it is used in the dedication rites of churches and altars.
The oil of the sick is used to bring comfort and support to those who are ill. The oil of the catechumens is used during the period of the catechumenate for those being formed and trained in the Christian life.
In his homily Bishop Paprocki explained why the chrism Mass is so important. He noted the people in attendance saying, “Clergy, religious, and laity from throughout the diocese are all gathered here, offering a rich expression of the unity and diversity which characterizes this local church.
“Our liturgy this evening has several elements which distinguish it from other Masses,” he said. “We have the blessing of the oils of the sick and catechumens, the consecration of the sacred chrism, and the renewal of the promises of our priests. With all these elements, one might wonder how it is that this liturgy has come to be called the chrism Mass. I would like to suggest that it is the sacred chrism that serves to unite all of these various elements together into one rich expression of faith.”
When speaking of the priests renewing their promises he said, “… we need not see it as something exclusive, by which we set ourselves apart from the rest of the faithful, but rather as a pledge of to serve the faithful. While it is true that our role as ministerial priests is indeed essentially different and unique from the laity’s roles as members of the common priesthood of the faithful, this difference is always at the service of unity, never division.”
Following the chrism Mass representatives of the parishes received the oils and the chrism, carrying them reverently back to their respective parishes for use during the upcoming year.