Holy Week 2016 ushers in annual Chrism Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral

Tuesday 22 March 2016

The Lord God has anointed me and has sent me to bring the good News to the poor, to give them the oil of gladness. (Isaiah 61) Every year Holy Week brings with it the Mass of the Holy Oils, or Chrism Mass, when the oils used for anointing the sick, anointing catechumens, and for Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination to the priesthood, are blessed.

Tuesday 22 March 2016
Media and Communications Office

The Lord God has anointed me and has sent me to bring the good News to the poor, to give them the oil of gladness. (Isaiah 61)

Every year Holy Week brings with it the Mass of the Holy Oils, or Chrism Mass, when the oils used for anointing the sick, anointing catechumens, and for Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination to the priesthood, are blessed.

This year’s Chrism Mass was held on Tuesday 22 March at St Patrick’s Cathedral. It was presided over by Archbishop Denis Hart and attended by more than 200 priests, as well as Bishops Joshua Mar Ignathios, Bishop of Marvelikara, in Kerala, India (of the Syro-Malankara rite). Peter Elliott, Vincent Long, Terry Curtin and Mark Edwards, Monsignor Greg Bennet, the Vicar General, and cathedral Dean Father John Salvano.

Master of Ceremonies again this year was Father Giang Tran.

The holy oils constitute an important part of the ministry of the priesthood as Archbishop Hart pointed out in his welcoming address saying, 'Today we come to remember with wonder the gift of the priesthood to the Church, to thank and encourage and pray for our priests, to consecrate the sacred chrism and bless the oil of the sick and the oil of the catechumens, which are principal elements of priestly service outside the Eucharist'.

When it came time for the blessing of the oils, seminarians carried the large jars of oil to the altar to be blessed by the Archbishop. Archbishop Hart blessed the oil for anointing the sick, the oil of the catechumens, for those preparing for Baptism, and finally the oil of the chrism, used for Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination to the priesthood and for consecrating altars.

Once the oil was blessed it was taken to a group of volunteers in the sacristy who diligently bottled and packed the oils so that the priests could take them back to their parishes at the conclusion of Mass and the priests' luncheon.

Photos: Rachel McLaren

See gallery below.