Baltimore Chrism Mass draws 1,400 to witness to ‘liberating power of God’

The five men who will be ordained to the priesthood in June each had a special role in the chrism Mass March 30 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. Three carried the oils that would be blessed in the Mass, one preached the Gospel and another assisted Archbishop William E. Lori at the altar.

Before the Mass, Deacon Alexander Kulik said it is significant to be able to present the oil of the sick to the archbishop for blessing, since within a few months, he will use that same oil to anoint those who are ill.

Archbishop William E. Lori breathes into the vessel of chrism as he calls down the Holy Spirit holy oils during the March 30 chrism Mass at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Deacons Connor Schmidt and Stephen Kirby brought up the chrism and the balsam to be added to it, respectively. Deacon Schmidt said presenting the oil with which he and his fellow deacons would be ordained a priest “is an honor; it’s humbling. … it’s surreal.”

Deacon Kirby said, “The sacraments are beautiful channels of grace and we use oil in a lot of them. To me, this is a day we’re going to reflect on how we constantly use these oils to bring grace into people’s lives, and that’s something that as priests we will get to witness a lot of.”

Deacon Andrew Lacovara, a permanent deacon and the archbishop’s delegate for the Urban Vicariate, presented the oil of the catechumens at the Mass. Deacon Christopher Yeung, the delegate for the Western Vicariate and also a permanent deacon, and Deacon Russ Sullivan, who will be ordained in June, assisted the archbishop at the altar. Deacon Robert “Tre” Bart III proclaimed the Gospel.

The incorporation of the deacons into the Mass, attended by about 1,400, emphasized the role of service closely connected to the archbishop as part of the solemn liturgy, which has three primary focuses: the renewal of priestly promises; the blessing of oils and the consecration of the chrism; and gathering the laity, especially those who will enter the Church at the Easter Vigil, to enter into Holy Week.

Conventual Franciscan Brother Edward Handy, a Catonsville native living at St. Casimir in Canton who has been a religious friar for 64 years, attends the chrism Mass every year. “Well, it’s always good to go to Mass, but this is such a special one, you know?” he said. As he enters Holy Week, he is praying for peace in the world and for leaders of countries; for the needs of all people, especially the poor; and for priestly vocations.

Augusto Frisancho and Maria Browne were saving places for eight of their fellow members of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the Mass. Frisancho said the Mass is important because all the oils to be used throughout the year in parishes would be made sacred. “And so many priests attend, the blessings of so many priests” made the Mass a priority for members of the parish.

Oil is prepared for blessing at chrism Mass, March 30, 2026, at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on Homeland. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Browne said this was the first chrism Mass for her. She has been learning about the oils and then plans to attend the Easter Vigil at the Baltimore Basilica to see them put to use. “I wanted to get the full experience,” she said.

In his homily, Archbishop Lori especially addressed the priests as he acknowledged that ministry may sometimes feel like an ever-expanding universe, with no limit to the needs and expectations placed on them.

“Our day is spoken for almost as soon as we get out of bed in the morning. The demands of ministry can absorb the time we try to set aside for prayer, reading and study, for exercise and for rest,” he said. “While the universe of ministry keeps on expanding, our private world sometimes seems to be shrinking. Unless we are vigilant, anger and frustration may overtake us, or we may even find ourselves simply going through the motions.”

Being run ragged by the expanding demands for their ministry may cause someone to miss out on the liberating message from Jesus captured in the reading from Luke’s Gospel which is always the selection for the chrism Mass.

In the passage, Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord” (Lk 4:18-19). Jesus then tells the congregation in Nazareth that the Scripture “is fulfilled by your hearing.”

The archbishop noted that he has preached on the same Gospel passage at chrism Masses for 25 years.

“After all these years, I still say to myself, ‘What a message!’ It’s brimming with the liberating power of God over human infirmity, sinfulness and self-imposed captivity,” Archbishop Lori said. “It’s brimming with hope and joy and the promise of true freedom.”

Seminarians are recognized with applause by parishioners as Archbishop William E. Lori thanks them for their commitment to the church at the conclusion of chrism Mass March 30 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

He told the priests that he and they have been anointed by the Spirit and sent to continue the healing and liberating mission of Jesus. “The headwinds can be strong and the obstacles many, but when we allow the Lord to liberate us from sin, from fear, from egotism, from attachments – then we are credible witnesses, for we have internalized the Gospel of freedom we preach.

“Then do we radiate to our good co-workers in ministry and to all we serve a joy, a peace, a loving presence unconquered by external circumstances. Then it is that the ever-expanding demands of ministry no longer daunt us, for the Spirit of God is at work in us, enlarging our hearts to embrace God’s people and to attract new companions in ministry.”

After the homily, the approximately 160 priests present stood and renewed their vows of priestly promises.

Then Archbishop Lori addressed the people, asking them to stand and commit to praying for the priests “that the Lord may pour out his gifts abundantly upon them, and keep them faithful as ministers of Christ, the High Priest, so that they may lead you to him who is the source of salvation.”

The congregation responded, “Christ hear us. Christ graciously hear us” before responding the same to a similar invocation that they would pray for the archbishop so that “I may be made day by day a living and more perfect image of Christ, the Priest, the Good Shepherd, the Teacher and the Servant of all.”

As the choir and musicians led the congregation in singing “O, Redeemer, hear your people as they join in song to you,” the deacons brought forth the vessels containing the oils and balsam for blessing and consecration.

The archbishop first blessed the oil of the sick, which is used to bring comfort and support to those who are ill or infirm, and then the oil of catechumens, used in preparing people for baptism.

Father David Ray, associate pastor for the pastorate of the Catholic Parishes of South Washington County, picks up his community’s allotment of holy oils and chrism following the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s annual chrism Mass March 30 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Then Archbishop Lori added balsam to the chrism and consecrated it by blowing over it three times in the sign of the cross to consecrate the chrism, which is used to anoint in baptism and confirmation, as well as for ordination to the diaconate or priesthood. Although priests can bless the oils of the sick and catechumens, if necessary, only the diocesan bishop can consecrate the chrism.

Each parish receives a portion of the oils to return to the parish for use in the sacraments, so this rite unites each parish with the local bishop.

Before the concluding rite, Archbishop Lori asked the congregation to acknowledge as separate groups Bishops Adam J. Parker and Denis J. Madden; priests; deacons; seminarians; religious; and those discerning vocations, to which those in the cathedral responded with sustained applause. He also expressed gratitude to those in the archdiocese entering the Church this Easter, estimated to be around 2,000 people who will receive one or more of the sacraments of initiation – baptism, first holy Communion and confirmation – and the congregation again applauded.

After the Mass, Angelina Contrina, a junior at Towson University attending her first chrism Mass, said she plans to return next year and that she was impressed to see so many priests, monsignors and bishops at the Mass.

“It was incredible. The music was so amazing,” Contrina said. “I think it’s definitely hard on a college campus to kind of feel like you fit in with your faith, so this was such a great time to feel like you belong and to know that Jesus is just above us everywhere.”

Email Christopher Gunty at editor@CatholicReview.org

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