Renewal of faith and blessing of oils: Chrism Mass 2019
Archbishop Timothy Costello SDB, blessing the three Holy Oils in 2018. Photo: Josh Low.
The pews at St Mary’s Cathedral are set to be filled with people from across the Archdiocese who will participate in the blessing of the three Holy Oils at Chrism Mass on Tuesday 16 April.
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB and celebrants, Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, and Vicar General Fr Peter Whitely will be present at the Mass, which will mark the blessing of the three Holy Oils – the oil of Catechumens, oil of the Sick and oil of the Chrism, to be used by clergy in their Parishes for the Sacraments of Confirmation, Ordination, Anointing of the Sick and Baptism throughout the year.
Director for the Center of Liturgy, Sister Kerry Willison RSM, commented that Chrism Mass is a significant event as we prepare for the Easter season.
“The Mass is very rich symbolically,” she said.
The event will be held at St Mary’s Cathedral, a significant event as the Archdiocese of Perth prepares for the Easter season. Photo: Josh Low.
An example of this is during the consecration of the Oil of Chrism the Archbishop breathes over the vessel of prepared oil.
“Bishops, Priests and the people of the Archdiocese come together to profess their faith in Jesus Christ through the support of each other.
“It is a particularly significant evening for Priests who make a ‘Renewal of Commitment to Priestly Service during this ritual”
The Holy Oils will be used by Priests in the Sacraments of Confirmation, Ordination, Anointing of the Stick and Baptism in the coming year.
In his homily for the 2017 Chrism Mass, Archbishop Costelloe referenced an ancient Latin saying, expressing its significance in the Catholic tradition.
“Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi may be translated into English in this way, ‘as we pray, so we believe, and as we believe, so we are called to live’,” he said.
“As I have said often, we are called to celebrate the Eucharist so that we can become, in our communion with the Lord, the presence of the Eucharist in the lives of others.
“In memory of Jesus and in union with him, we too are called to hand over our lives for the life of the world,” Archbishop Costelloe said.