Archbishop Costelloe Celebrates First Chrism Mass as Archbishop
Article by Fr R Cross, Photos courtesy of The Record
Nearly two hundred priests gathered at St Mary's Cathedral on Holy Tuesday evening to renew their priestly commitment before their new Archbishop, the Most Rev Timothy Costelloe SDB, at the Chrism Mass.
Also in attendance were many of the Archdiocese's Permanent Deacons and Religious, along with 800 or more people from parishes and agencies of the Archdiocese.
In his homily, Archbishop Costelloe spoke about the Church as sacrament, a visible sign in the world that effects the saving power of Christ.
Drawing on the first letter of St Peter, Chapter 2, Archbishop Costelloe said that the Church is a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to bring to the world the healing of Christ as symbolised in the Holy Oil of the Sick, the new life of Christ as symbolised in the Holy Oil of Catechumens and the priestly nature of the Church as symbolised in the Holy Oil of Chrism.
After the Chrism Mass, the Archbishop gathered for a pleasant supper with his priests and deacons in the Cathedral Parish Centre prepared and served by Cathedral parishioners.
