Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

Chrism Mass

THE ANNUAL CHRISM MASS-A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE DIOCESAN FAITH COMMUNITY & OUR LOCAL PARISH FAITH COMMUNITIES-

A highlight during Holy Week in which most persons do not have the opportunity to participate is the annual Chrism Mass. The Bishop serves as the main concelebrant of this Mass during Holy Week (normally on Tuesday) at our Cathedral in Toledo.

During this Mass, the bishop and priests renew our commitment to serve our Lord’s People faithfully as priests even as on wedding anniversary celebrations, married persons renew their vows to be faithful to the commitment that they made to each other on their wedding day. On the one hand, the men who serve as priests come from parishes like our own. On the other hand, the Diocese equips and supports men to serve in this distinctive vocation.

The other unique feature of the Chrism Mass is that the Bishop blesses the three oils that are used in the celebration of four of the seven Sacraments of the Church. The Oil of the Catechumens is used in the preparation/celebration of Baptism. The Oil of the Infirm is imposed on the forehead and the hands of  recipients in the celebration of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Persons are anointed with Holy Chrism in those Sacraments that can be received only once, namely Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination into the order of the Priesthood. The oils that were blessed last year are burned as the newly-blessed ones are brought from the cathedral to each parish in our Diocese. The distribution of the blessed oils to the parishes of our Diocese from the source of the Bishop’s blessing reminds us that in the Lord, each parish is part of the larger, diocesan faith community.

As we observe Holy Week, let’s be grateful both for our parish faith communities, as well as for our Diocesan faith community of which we are all members and from which our individual parishes receive much support in doing our Lord’s work.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver-Pastor

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