The Chrism Mass is the Mass which most clearly demonstrates the unity shared between a bishop and his priests. At this Mass, held during Holy Week, priests renew their priestly promises of prayer, obedience and celibacy, and recommit themselves to the Lord’s service. The Archbishop receives their promises, reminds them of their responsibilities, and then blesses the sacred oils of chrism, catechumens, and the sick that will be taken by the priests back to their parishes and used for the celebration of the Holy Sacraments. The priests then concelebrate the Mass with the Archbishop as a sign of their unity with him and with one another, in anticipation of the celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the night the Lord instituted the sacraments of the priesthood and Eucharist. Archbishop Naumann invites the youth of our Archdiocese to share in the special joy and meaning of this Mass. Through a breakfast and workshop held immediately before the Mass, the youth of the Archdiocese are prepared to participate fully in the Mass and to imagine their own vocation within the mission of the Church.  |
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