Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., celebrated the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on April 11 with auxiliary bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Newark.
Those gathered and watching on livestream witnessed the blessing of the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Oil of Chrism for use in parishes throughout the archdiocese all year.
The interior of the Cathedral had a distinct look: one half of the pews were filled with priests in their white vestments, and the other half with religious and lay parishioners in darker clothing. They combined in prayer for two hours, multiple languages murmured amid candlelight and incense. And for the great solemnity of the night, it was also an occasion for smiling as the Mass brought together many who hadn’t seen each other in, perhaps, some time.
The oils were accepted by representatives of each parish and used for adult catechumens and infants, the anointing of the sick, baptism, confirmation, the ordination of priests, and the consecration of altars.
Additionally, during the Chrism Mass, archdiocesan priests celebrating their ordination’s 25th or 50th anniversary were honored. And every priest in the Cathedral reaffirmed their commitment to Christ, his Church, and his people by renewing the vows they made at their ordination.
“Every Holy Week, it’s a particular joy to celebrate the Chrism Mass,” Cardinal Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, said during his homily. “The whole Archdiocese, in a certain way, in a real way, is present here: the bishops and priests, the order of deacons, the consecrated religious, the lay faithful. And at the heart of our assembly, we find Jesus, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the Messiah, the Christ- the ‘anointed one of God.’ And it’s a reminder that we are his anointed disciples, the priestly people of God.”
Cardinal Tobin said each of the oils symbolizes a crucial dimension of the mission of the church.
“The blessing reminds us that we’ve all been anointed to carry out the work of Christ in the world today,” he said. “May all of us persevere in fidelity to Christ the Lord and give grateful praise and thanks to God through Him.”
Photos: Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., celebrated the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on April 11 with auxiliary bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Newark. (By Julio Eduardo Herrera and Joe Jordan for the Archdiocese of Newark).
