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By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer
ATLANTA—As Christ arose over 2,000 years ago to bring new
life, his priests in the archdiocese gathered at the Chrism Mass April 10 in
gratitude for that gift, renewing their promises of ordination and receiving
holy oils with which to administer the sacraments in the coming year.
The annual Chrism Mass on Tuesday of Holy Week was held at the
Cathedral of Christ the King. About 150 priests from all parts of the
archdiocese came to the Mass celebrated by Archbishop John F. Donoghue. Master
of ceremonies was Deacon Whitney Robichaux, assisted by Deacon Ray Egan.
The priests, ranging from those newly ordained to the retired,
from Mexico to Nigeria, lined up two-by-two and processed into the church
toward the altar.
The first Scripture reading was from Isaiah and the second reading
in Spanish was from Revelation. Rev. Mr. Joe Shaute chanted the Gospel of Luke.
In his homily, the archbishop called oil “a primal divine
gift” which is pressed, refined and combined with spices. He recalled that
honoring of the substance in liturgy dates back to ancient times of the Old
Covenant and was continued by Christ, who was anointed with oils in preparation
for his death and at his burial. To perpetuate Christ’s sacrifice and
extend the efficacy of it for all time, the archbishop said the sacrament of
Holy Orders, or priesthood, uses oils to anoint men to the ministries of
forgiveness and Eucharist, which they in turn use to draw the faithful into
their own place in God’s royal priesthood.
“For the love offered by Christ is meant to grant all persons
their own role and their own dignity in the everlasting sacrifice—the
sacrifice that is, every day and in every place, offered to God, to seek His
forgiveness, and to obtain his mercy, and to be the very life of our Holy
Church,” he said.
The archbishop spoke of the “structural and spiritual
perfection” and “the sound hierarchy of roles” in the church,
reflected in the Chrism Mass where priests and laity gather in unity and
receive God’s graces. He said the Mass, the largest gathering of priests
all year, was a time for the ordained to thank God for their vocations and
express their debt of gratitude to him. Referring to the Scripture passage in
John’s Gospel about Christ revealing God to those whom the Lord gave him,
the archbishop said priests are those men who belong to God.
“But men and women will only believe if we are seen as honest
and true, and free from any taint of ill-will or hypocrisy,” he said.
He spoke of the many problems that people bring to their
priests—problems of faith, morals and education, trials of marriage and
the impetuosity of youth, the despair and fear of the spiritually ill, the pain
and sorrow of those who fail and the pride of those who succeed. Walking this
rocky road brings inevitable cuts and bruises.
“ . . . It is inevitable that on these journeys our ways will
not always coincide, and our solutions not always mesh—inevitable that my
judgement might differ from yours, or that what might seem clearly good and
right to us, might actually overlook some basic and vital need of those to whom
we attend,” he said.
“In all this complexity of wrestling with the problems of the
Church, and of attempting solutions, one thing is essential—that we not
hate one another—that we not hold grudges—that we not harbor malice
or resentment. Disagreement is as inevitable as our natures are human, but
anger held secret in the heart, or passed by the poison of gossip, is our worst
enemy, and the best friend of those who hate Christ and His priesthood and His
Church,” he continued.
“. . . Upon remembering that we have been given to the Lord
by God, to be His priests,” he said, “let us also remember and
resolve to forgive one another, to wash one another’s feet. For the
children of God know what they see, and of all lives in the Church, ours are
the most visible-and rightly so, for ours must, as closely as possible,
resemble the life of the One for whom we stand in, at the altar, and in all the
Sacraments, the life of our Lord and High Priest, Jesus Christ.”
Following the homily, priests, answering their shepherd, renewed
their commitment to the priesthood and their archbishop. The procession of the
oils followed as large silver urns containing the oil of the catechumens, the
oil of the sick and the chrism were brought to the archbishop by the deacons.
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 that 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.
After filling the sanctuary to concelebrate the Eucharist, the
priests and the congregation received the body and blood of Christ.
Hamilton Smith led the congregation in song. The Cathedral choir
was directed by Kevin Culver and Timothy Wissler was the organist. The
archbishop closed the service thanking priests for coming and the congregation
for their prayers for the clergy and then asked the faithful to pray for
vocations.
Father Michael Heninger, parochial vicar at St. Pius X Church,
Conyers, who was ordained last year and attending his first Chrism Mass, was
grateful to join other priests, many of whom he hadn’t seen for a long
time, and be renewed and find strength within that community through Christ. He
gives thanks to God daily for his vocation.
“It’s a blessing to be here for the first time with
brother priests,” he said. “Every day (God) gives me the grace to
serve him and reach out to the people and show his love. To come here today is
just one more opportunity to give thanks for his grace to continue each day and
to be in his service.”
Twenty-four years after ordination, Father John Walsh, pastor of
Holy Trinity Church, Peachtree City, was also grateful to congregate with
fellow priests, but for him it was also a day of recollection.
“It’s a day of remembrance of the day long ago when I
was ordained in Ireland,” he said. “It brings back good memories, to
forget about parish (struggles) and just to think about the priesthood and
being a priest, the things that inspired me to be a priest. To gather around
the altar and celebrate Mass is the high point of things. It’s a
celebration day together.”
Msgr. James Fennessy, pastor of St. John Neumann Church, Lilburn,
noted the importance of blessing the oils for the sacraments for the priests
and laity, both being sacramental people.
“The Chrism Mass is always very, very special. It’s
always one of the very beautiful celebrations of the year,” he said,
adding, “It gives me new vigor to serve God’s people. Also I feel
great support when we see all the priests gathered together. It gives me a
sense of courage and support that we’re all together in sharing in one
mission to bring Christ’s love to the world.”
Father Jaime Barona, pastor of St. Bernadette Church, Cedartown,
was glad to see more young Hispanic priests there this year which reflects
healthy growth within the church and gives Latinos a chance to interact with
their Anglo brothers.
“The young Hispanics here are the backbone of the growth of
the Hispanic Catholic Church in Atlanta. We are certainly very appreciative of
their efforts and sacrifices and challenges they endure.”
Father Barona also reflected on his vocation.
“This is one of the greatest moments for me every year that I
look forward to,” he said. “It is incredible that we have been
chosen, even though we are so unworthy. That the Lord has chosen us is just an
awesome (thing) that is very humbling.”
The newly blessed oils and chrism were used for the first time at
each Easter Vigil service throughout the archdiocese. Following the Chrism
Mass, a luncheon was held for the priests of the archdiocese. |
