BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--Archbishop John F. Donoghue joined the priests of the archdiocese on Tuesday of Holy Week to celebrate a special Mass during which the oils used for the administration of the sacraments were blessed and the priestly promises made at ordination were renewed.

Over 120 priests from the vast geographical area of the North Georgia archdiocese attended the April 7 Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King. Archdiocesan priests as well as members of religious orders who staff parishes and missions throughout the archdiocese, such as the Claretians, Redemptorists, LaSalettes, Marists and Conventual Franciscans, were in attendance.

A procession which began in front of the cathedral included the archbishop and the deans of the archdiocese, accompanied by Dom Bernard Johnson, abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, and Msgr. Peter Dora, vicar general.

Father Conor Fitzgerald and Deacon Whitney Robichaux were the masters of ceremony. Archdiocesan seminarians also participated in the Mass.

During his homily the archbishop said that it is through the sacraments that the life and the work of the church, preparing people for Christ, goes on.

"The blessings of God in the sacraments are shown by the precious oil which we apply to the bodies of those who come forward---on the head, the heart, the limbs of those who would be made holy for the Lord," he said. "And though the oil itself may disappear, the sign of God's blessing does not---for by these sacramental anointings, and as Scripture teaches us, 'All who see them shall acknowledge them as a race the Lord has blessed.'"

The archbishop said that the redemptive sacrifice of Christ continues through the ministry of the ordained priesthood.

"It is through the vessel of every man ordained to the priesthood that Christ literally, physically and in the present tense, forgives the sins of those who seek mercy, and offers those brought back from sin, the Body and Blood of Jesus, the true presence of our Lord, by which all are healed and where all peace of mind and heart is to be found."

Given this privilege, priests are also asked to imitate Christ in a profound way, the archbishop said.

"We have chosen and we have been chosen to occupy a very special place before the people of God," he said. "And the context in which our priesthood must exist and must appear to exist, is the context of a close imitation of Christ's life---of Christ's words, of his actions and of his prayers. He calls us to a special and visible exercise of his own lifestyle through the counsels he has entrusted to the church, counsels by which our lives must be formed, and which the people of God must see carried out in our lives as well."

The archbishop said that the disciplines of poverty, chastity and obedience lead priests to Christ and enable them to share the sorrows and burdens of Christ's people.

"The rigorous exercise of the evangelical counsels, to be poor, to be chaste and to be obedient, are the means of our becoming and remaining strong priests---strong priests for the Lord and for the people He came to save."

Finally the archbishop asked those in attendance to pray for him and the priests who minister in the archdiocese. "We ask the prayers of the people of God, today and always, for from your prayers God may judge the extent of our needs, and the great extent to which we all depend upon His mercy," the archbishop said. "May Mary, the mother of priests, hear us today, and by the virtue which she inspires in our hearts, the virtue of total and joyful service, help us to achieve a worthy end and a successful completion of the labors God has given us to do."

Following the homily the priests stood and renewed their commitment to the priesthood and their bishop. The archbishop asked the priests to make a special promise to help one another. He then requested that members of the congregation join him in prayers of thanksgiving for their priests.

The procession of the oils followed as three large silver urns containing the oil of the catechumens, the oil of the sick and the chrism were brought to the altar by Deacons Alfred Mitchell, Jim Weeks and Mike Capozza.

The archbishop blessed the oil of the sick, used in the sacrament of anointing to bring comfort and healing, and the oil of the catechumens, used to prepare them for baptism. He then prepared, consecrated and blessed the chrism, which is used to anoint the newly baptized, seal candidates for confirmation and anoint the hands of priests at ordination. It is also used to anoint and dedicate new churches and altars.

During the concelebration of the Eucharist the priests filled the sanctuary to its capacity. After each priest received the Body and Blood of Christ, the archbishop distributed the Eucharist to the congregation which included many Religious and lay Catholics.

Music for the Chrism Mass included works such as "O Redeemer" composed by Ham Smith, the cathedral's music director, who led the congregation in song. Timothy Wissler was the organist and Kevin Culver conducted the choir.

After the liturgy volunteers from the cathedral poured blessed oil and consecrated chrism into the vials brought by each parish and mission. They were used for the first time at each Easter Vigil service, when new members of the church were baptized and confirmed. They will also be used for the sacraments during the coming year.

Following the Mass the archbishop hosted a luncheon for the priests of the archdiocese.