‘Our archdiocese is alive and has been given a mission’ Cardinal Tobin says at Chrism Mass (Photos/ Video)

Manifesting his unity with the priests of the Archdiocese, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, along with the auxiliary bishops and deacons, celebrated the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on April 3. 

The Chrism Mass is one of the most solemn and important liturgies of the Church year. Each year, during Holy Week, priests of the archdiocese publicly renew their commitment to their priestly service. The sacred Chrism is consecrated and the oils used by priests throughout the year are blessed. The Mass is truly an expression of the unity of the priesthood and the sacrifice of Christ. 

The Mass was concelebrated by Abbot Augustine J. Curley, O.S.B. and Auxiliary Bishops Manuel Cruz; Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B.; Michael Saporito; and Gregory  Studerus. Deacon Matt DeVoti served at the Mass. Priests filled one side of the church, while the faithful lined the other for the two-hour Mass. 

The reading was from Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” The Gospel reading was from Luke 4, when Jesus begins his ministry and reads from the prophet Isaiah at the Temple. Jesus declares the passage has now been fulfilled.  

In his homily, Cardinal Tobin said that the Mass was a celebration of the entire archdiocese.  

“The unity comes from our union with the crucified and risen Jesus, the Anointed One, the Messiah. We are united through our baptism and our own anointing,” Cardinal Tobin said. “Our archdiocese is alive and has been given a mission. Understanding this simple statement is crucial to our faithfulness as well as our source of joy. Catholicism is the life of what we have come to call the Church. We are alive because we are a community of believers.”  

He then quoted Saint Teresa of Ávila: “Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which He looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.” 

During the renewal, Cardinal Tobin asked the priests three questions: “Beloved sons, on the anniversary of that day when Christ our Lord conferred his priesthood on his apostles and on us, are you resolved to renew, in the presence of your bishop and God’s holy people, the promises you once made?  

“Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to him, denying yourselves and confirming those promises about sacred duties towards Christ’s Church which, prompted by love of Him, you willingly and joyfully pledged on the day of your priestly ordination?   

“Are you resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, following Christ the head and shepherd, not seeking any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls?”   

The priests responded, “I am.”    

The faithful were then asked to pray for their priests, the Cardinal, and the bishops.  

Finally, the holy oils — the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens, and the oil of the chrism — were blessed by Cardinal Tobin and distributed to representatives of each parish. These oils will be used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Orders throughout the year. 

Photos and video by Julio Eduardo Herrera