Holding his 6-week-old daughter in her car seat, Michael Carrara hoped that the holy oils he would witness being blessed at the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s chrism Mass will be the ones used when she is eventually baptized.
Carrara has been to the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland before, but never for the special Mass in which all the sacramental oils to be used in parishes for the coming year are blessed by Archbishop William E. Lori.
He made the pilgrimage to the cathedral from St. Patrick in Havre de Grace, the easternmost parish in the diocese, especially because the Mass included a special papal blessing for the Jubilee Year of Hope. “Going on a pilgrimage with a newborn is difficult,” he said, perhaps explaining why he isn’t heading to Rome for the jubilee.
The chrism Mass is traditionally held in the archdiocese on the Monday of Holy Week. The scheduling allows priests to be with their people in their own parishes for the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper and other liturgies of the Triduum.
At the Mass, the oil of the sick and the oil of the catechumens are blessed, and the sacred chrism is consecrated. Each parish receives a portion of the oils to return to the parish for use in the sacraments. The oil of the sick is used to bring comfort and support to those who are ill or infirm. The oil of catechumens is used in preparing them for baptism.
Chrism is used to anoint in baptism and confirmation, as well as for ordination to the diaconate or priesthood. Since the diocesan bishop is the only minister in the diocese who may consecrate chrism, the Mass highlights the unity of the priests with him and with all the faithful of the archdiocese. The archbishop cannot baptize, confirm or anoint everyone in the archdiocese, but he will be symbolically present in the chrism and holy oils, which the priests and deacons will use throughout the year.
The final blessing at the end of the Mass took on added significance as Archbishop Lori dispensed the apostolic blessing for the jubilee. The papal blessing included “the plenary indulgence in the name of the Roman pontiff to all present who are truly penitent and have confessed their sins and received holy Communion,” said Deacon Fritz Bauerschmidt as he invited those present to bow for the blessing by Archbishop Lori.
Before the Mass, Gemma Mochi, a youth minister at Holy Family in Middletown, said she hoped to experience “a slice of heaven and a glimpse behind the curtain, especially with the blessing of the holy oils.” Just being in a church filled with so many people energized and comforted her.
After Mass, Mochi said, “It was so good. I cried multiple times.”
Her colleague, Megan Vera, director of Christian formation at the parish, said that since she was not from the region originally, the Mass was a chance to “get to know the family of the archdiocese better.”
Cristina Montes came for the first time to the cathedral with her mother, husband and two children, ages 14 and 4. Her parish of St. Joseph in Hagerstown invited her to attend with a group. Montes, who volunteers as a server in the parish kitchen, said, “I want to learn how we receive the oils” for the sacraments.
Montes and her family were among more than 1,000 religious and lay people who attended the Mass, along with more than 40 seminarians and those discerning a priestly vocation, almost 100 deacons and more than 150 priests.
The Jubilee of Hope was a primary theme of Archbishop Lori’s homily. He mentioned mentors he had through his seminary training and priestly life, and noted that they believed, trusted and hoped in him to become the person God created him to be. “This Jubilee Year of Hope reminds us that God hopes in us. Because God hopes in us, he sent his only Son among us. And in the Nazareth synagogue, Jesus proclaimed what it is that God hopes for you and for me,” that is, to share glad tidings with the poor, set free sinners and help those oppressed by injustice, the archbishop said.
“The Lord knows us. He knows we sometimes need to grow – and grow up. Gazing upon us without illusion, God is patient, very patient in his hopes for us.”
He added, “In Christ Jesus, God’s hope for us and for all humanity is fulfilled.”
Archbishop Lori reminded the priests in attendance, who would soon renew their priestly promises, that the message of Jesus cannot be explained only theoretically, but in the way they break open the Scriptures, preach and act. “We are witnesses to the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus. Indeed, the people we serve hope in us; they hope to see Christ in us.”
He encouraged the priests to be messengers of hope.
Turning to the congregation, the archbishop noted that the deliverance Jesus promised shows the liberating power of God’s love. “Tonight, we rejoice, because that same liberating power has passed over into the sacraments of the church. That’s why we bless the holy oils used in the church’s sacramental life. …
“In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we reaffirm our trust in the saving power of the sacraments,” he said.
After the homily, deacons brought forward large vessels with the oils to be blessed and consecrated. The archbishop prayed separately over the oil of the sick and of the catechumens. Then, mixing balsam into the chrism, he breathed the Holy Spirit over the vessel of chrism before proclaiming the prayer of consecration.
Before the apostolic blessing at the end of Mass, Archbishop Lori extended congratulations and special thanks to Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., who had been named a week earlier to become bishop of the Diocese of Providence, R.I. The congregation responded with sustained applause, as Bishop Lewandowski was embraced one at a time by Archbishop Lori, Bishop Adam J. Parker and Bishop Denis J. Madden.
“I cannot tell you how much we will miss you. I can’t thank you enough for all the things you have done, and the many ways you have served this local church,” the archbishop said.
To view video of the service, click play below:
Email Christopher Gunty at editor@CatholicReview.org
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