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Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published April 21, 2006

Detroit – What makes the Archdiocese of Detroit's Chrism Mass special is just that – how the chrism is consecrated and two oils are blessed for use in churches for the coming year.

Hundreds of people packed into the cathedral to participate in the Chrism Mass and take bottles of the holy oils back to their parishes.

Dozens of priests and hundreds others gathered in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral last Holy Thursday to participate in the profound ritual. Diana Shoulders, director of religious education at St. Raymond Parish in Detroit, said the oils make the Mass special, and since they're used in the church's sacraments, that also makes them a visible sign of Jesus in the community.

"The sacraments are our Church," she said.

Shoulders, like representatives from other churches across the archdiocese, planned on attending to take small bottles of the oils with her back to her parish. "When you are anointed with them, it's like the Holy Spirit has come into your life, along with the word of God in your heart," she said. "And you are not the same anymore."

She considers it a privilege and a blessing to go and pick up the oils and a good way for her to mark Holy Week. In a way, picking up the oils is being an ambassador for Jesus.

"That's what you are for those who may never come into the Church," she said.

Oil of the Sick and the Oil of the Catechumens were blessed at the Mass, while the chrism was consecrated.

The annual service began with the procession of dozens of priests and deacons, so many it took nearly 10 minutes for them all to come into the church and take their seats. Before the oils were blessed, priests participated in a renewal of commitment to priestly service, a kind of reaffirmation of vows.

Fr. Brian Hurley, associate pastor at St. Andrew in Rochester, said the renewal of commitment was very important to him. He also draws the connection to receiving the oil at the chrism Mass and how he was anointed with oil at his own ordination.

It's also significant to Fr. Valentine Gattari, senior priest at St. Matthias in Sterling Heights. "It's really a sign of unity for me," he said. "It's a very meaningful thing to make the commitment every year."

Cardinal Adam Maida processes into Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, where he concelebrated the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday.

After the renewal of commitment, the procession of the holy oils and chrism was brought up to the altar. The chrism was carried by Fr. Antonio Ong, associate pastor at St. Dennis in Royal Oak.

"This is a privilege and an honor to present the oil to the cardinal," he said the day before the Mass.

He said he would have gone to the Mass even if he wasn't participating. Like the other priests, he is moved by the communal renewal of commitment, also considering that other priests all over the world were making their vows on or around that day, evidence of a "reality of a universal Church," he said.

Fr. Ong also said he appreciates the support from the community who come to the Mass.

Denise Ficorelli, director of religious education at Guardian Angels Church in Clawson, is one layperson who's attended the chrism Mass for the last couple years. She said the Mass is special because nearly all priests in the archdiocese get together for that time, and that it's an honor to bring the oils back to her church.

"It's very moving if you've never been," she said. "You just want to go back."

Fr. Antonio Ong, of St. Dennis Parish in Royal Oak, brought the chrism oil to the altar in the procession.

The Mass was concelebrated by various priests and Cardinal Adam Maida, who also said the homily. He spoke of how love plays a role during Holy Week, as well as year-round.

"In his recent encyclical, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that love is the first and the last word of our lives," he said. "During these sacred days, we remember that ultimately, human love makes sense only when united to Christ's selfless love for the Father and for all of us, the love that we celebrate in this Chrism Mass and at every Holy Eucharist. Despite the differences between us, we are one in, with, and through the power of Christ's love. Love binds us together – the love of Christ."

Cardinal Maida also spoke of the Together in Faith plan, a look at the needs of the archdiocese, and the Pastoral Plan for Priests, referencing the parable of the grain of wheat that falls to the earth and dies, thus bearing fruit. "Following the rhythm of nature and the pattern of the Paschal Mystery itself, we understand that an unavoidable part of love is a willingness to die to self for the sake of others," he said.

"This spring, and in the months and years ahead, as many of our parishes and schools go through death and loss, transition and transformation, we need to remember why we created parishes and schools in the first place – as settings for experiencing, celebrating, and living our love for God and neighbor and God's love for us and for the world."

Cardinal Adam Maida pours the Chrism into oil as a part of the Chrism Mass ritual.

Cardinal Maida also referred how to this year in the Archdiocese of Detroit, prayers have been requested for promotion of vocations. The idea is that if everyone is thinking about vocations, soon the church can develop a "culture of vocation," "emphasizing how our baptismal relationship of love for the Lord needs to take concrete form in and through committed vocations of service to others," Cardinal Maida said. As church members renew their baptismal vows on Easter, it would be appropriate to reflect on how well we are living the life to which God has called us, he said.

Married couples "mirror God's love by their fidelity to each other and self-sacrifice for one another," single people can use their gifts and talents for others, and men and women religious "make their very lives a living sacrifice of praise for the salvation of the world."

Cardinal Maida then referred to St. Paul's letter in which he says the three things that last are faith, hope and love, with the greatest being love. "May love be the first word and the last word of all that we say and all that we do," he said. "May it be the very reason and energy that sustains us in all that we do. And may we always remember the love that empowers us is not our own but truly the Lord's love – for us, with us, and through us, the love of Jesus Christ that we celebrate here and now and in every Holy Eucharist."