As Bishop Talley said, in our Diocese, Chrism Mass will be on Tuesday of Holy Week, March 26, 7:00pm, at our magnificent and historic Mother Church, The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1695 Central Ave.

It is a beautiful and joyful Holy Mass to attend with most of our 83 Priests in attendance, along with many of our Deacons, Seminarians, and Religious Sisters and Brothers.

• Renewing Priestly Promises

During the Holy Mass, Bishop David P. Talley, will recall the Institution of the Ministerial Priesthood at the Last Supper commemorating Holy Thursday and invite the Priests of our Diocese, whether Diocesan, Religious or External, to renew the Priestly promises they made at their Ordination. After the Priests renew their promises, Bishop Talley will turn to the Lay Faithful at the Mass and say…

“Pray for your 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.”

What better way to pray for our Priests than by joining them at this celebration to show our support and share our prayers for those who serve us each and every day. Think about gathering a group from your Parish, Mission and/or Ministry to journey with our Priest(s) to the Chrism Mass and pray for them in person.

• Blessing and Consecrating Oils

After the renewal, Bishop Talley will bless the Oil of the Sick, bless the Oil of Catechumens and consecrate the Sacred Chrism. All three will be used in celebrating the sacraments at our 47 churches across our Diocese for the year. The oils along with the gifts of bread and wine are brought in procession to the sanctuary accompanied by our singing the hymn “O Redeemer.” In this hymn, we sing “Trees by gentle sunlight ripened, gave this oil for hallowing…”

The first two oils: Oil of the Sick and Oil of the Catechumen are extra-virgin olive oil and are blessed. The Oil of the Sick is used in anointing the head and hands of those who are seriously or chronically ill to comfort them in their infirmity and to give them spiritual strength to fight in their weakened condition. It is the Oil of the Catechumens that prepares and disposes the Catechumens for Baptism. The Oil of Catechumens strengthens the candidate with the power to renounce the devil and sin as they journey towards Baptism. The third oil: Sacred Chrism, is extra-virgin olive oil mixed with balsam. As part of consecrating the Sacred Chrism, Bishop Talley breathes on the mixture, which is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. When someone is anointed with Sacred Chrism, they become one with Christ. It is used in Baptisms, Confirmations, Ordinations and the Dedication of a Church and Altar.

With the renewal of Priestly promises and the blessing and consecration of the oils, our Bishop, Priests, and Faithful will rejoice in the gift of our Diocese.

The Chrism Mass is tied to the Easter Triduum because the Oils are used in the Easter Sacraments–and it is the gathering of the Church as a whole community. The Church at its finest and an extraordinary evening.