chrism mass

Blessed Oils, Renewed Commitment of Priests Unite Diocese, Usher in New Easter Season

By Gretchen R. Crowe
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the Issue of 4/12/07) chrism mass

The oils used to baptize and confirm new Catholics at Easter Vigils around the Arlington Diocese Saturday night began their Holy Week journey at the chrism Mass on Holy Thursday at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington.
The blessing of the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens and the oil of chrism distinguished the two-hour-plus Mass — celebrated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde and concelebrated by some 150 priests — from any other during the year.
An annual liturgy, the chrism Mass is key to the Church’s liturgical year. The oil of catechumens and the oil of chrism take center stage at the Easter Vigil two days later when they are used to baptize and confirm, respectively, new members of the Church. The chrism is also used to ordain priests and bishops during the sacrament of holy orders in June and the oil of the sick is used to anoint those in poor health.
Downstairs in the cathedral basement following the Mass, seminarians filled a long line of empty vessels, called “oil stacks,” with the freshly blessed oils, which were brought back to all parishes in the diocese, whether up the road in Arlington, down I-95 in Fredericksburg or out I-66 in Winchester.
Proper protocol calls for the burning of last year’s blessed oils in order to make way for the new oils, said Father Paul deLadurantaye, director of the Office of Sacred Liturgy and Catechetics.
Although attendance at the chrism Mass is not mandatory for priests, one entire cross-section of the cathedral was filled with members of the clergy who recited in chorus a renewal of their commitment to the sacrament of holy orders.
Renewing the commitment to the priestly service is much like renewing marriage vows, said Father Donald Greenhalgh, pastor of St. Ann Parish in Arlington, who was present at the Mass.
“It’s a reminder to me of the commitment that I made and the commitment the other priests have made because we do it as a group,” he said.
Father Greenhalgh added that it was “thought-provoking” and “very impressive” to see so many priests gathered together at one time.
“I saw priests there that I’ve never seen before and I probably never will see again,” he said.
Father Patrick Posey, pastor of St. James Parish in Falls Church, said that the renewal of commitment to priestly service is a reminder to him not to take his ministry as a priest for granted — and to avoid slipping into a routine as he goes about his daily ministry.
“For me, it reminds us that we’re in service to the people” and “of the responsibility we have to be good priests,” he said.
In his first year as administrator of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Purcellville, Father Michael Kelly said his new role gave a different meaning to his recommitment to the priestly service — as well as a call to humility as Christ Himself was humbled on the cross.
Because of his new responsibilities, Father Kelly added that he felt a “greater consciousness” of Christ’s “tremendous help” as he has planned the Holy Week liturgies.
During the first of these liturgies, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday evening, the holy oils were presented at each diocesan parish. There they will be used to administer the sacraments over the coming months, creating a common bond among the 68 churches — at least until next year’s Holy Week, when they will be burned to make way for new oils, a new celebration of the resurrection and a new Easter season.

Gretchen R. Crowe can be reached at gcrowe@catholicherald.com.