What is the Chrism Mass?

The Chrism Mass is a celebration of the entire archdiocese as priests, deacons, religious, and laity, gather with the archbishop and all our bishops as a family of faith. In a special way, this Mass highlights the unity of the ministerial priesthood, the role of the bishop as our father in faith, and the importance of the Sacraments in the lives of God’s people. This year, we are invited to gather virtually, through television and live-streaming and join in prayer with the archbishop, our priests, and Catholics around the archdiocese.
 
The Archdiocese of New Orleans is divided into ten regions called deaneries.  Each region has a priest, called a dean, who assists the archbishop in the care of the clergy and laity in each region. These deans will represent the people of each deanery at the Chrism Mass.  
 
The Chrism Mass is considered one of the two liturgies of Holy Thursday, the day on which we commemorate the institution of the Eucharist, and thereby the ministerial priesthood, but it is permitted to be celebrated on another date. This Mass which is usually celebrated on Tuesday of Holy Week, this year is delayed until the Wednesday after Easter.
 
After the homily, the archbishop will invite the deans to renew for themselves and on behalf of the priests they represent, the promises they made at their ordination: to dedicate their lives in service to the Church, to preach the Gospel and teach the Catholic faith, to faithfully celebrate the sacraments, to pray for God’s people, and to foster their own spiritual growth. In response, the people pray that their priests may be faithful ministers who lead their people to Christ. The archbishop also asks for prayers for himself, in order that he may be a faithful, humble, Christ-like servant leader.
 
Having publicly stated their ongoing commitment to priestly ministry, the priests will join in the blessing of the oils and the consecration of the Chrism.

The Oil of the Sick
Since ancient times, olive oil has been used as an ointment to help heal and protect wounds. Through the Gospels, we know that much of Jesus’ ministry was filled with care for those who were ill. The apostles also anointed and healed the sick. Likewise, in the name of Christ and the Church, our priests use the Oil of the Sick to anoint the elderly and those suffering from serious illness, so they might find healing and strength through the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
 
The Oil of Catechumens
Ancient athletes were anointed with oil to protect their bodies from injury. Soldiers were anointed in preparation for the battle that was before them. Children and adults preparing for baptism are anointed with the Oil of Catechumens prior to their baptism as a sign of preparation for the race of life that awaits them and the spiritual battle into which they enter as members of the Church militant here on earth.
 
The Sacred Chrism
Sacred Chrism is consecrated so that what is anointed with this glistening oil will be consecrated to God, dedicated for sacred use and reflect the splendor of holiness.
The archbishop pours sweet perfume made of balsam and other scents into the olive oil and mixes it. The scent of the perfume reminds us of the sweetness and holiness of God. The archbishop then breathes into the vessel of oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, who was sent to the apostles when Jesus breathed on them after the Resurrection saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
 
The consecration of the Chrism is an action of unity between the archbishop, bishops, and priests as together they extend their hands over the scented oil and the archbishop says the prayer of consecration.
 
In ancient times, priests, prophets, and kings were anointed with scented oil as a sign that they were set apart for special purpose. In a similar way, all Catholics are anointed on the crown of the head with Sacred Chrism at baptism, so that filled with the Holy Spirit, they may be transformed and share in Christ’s royal, priestly, and prophetic work.
 
Those who receive the Sacrament of Confirmation are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and, through this anointing on the forehead, are dedicated to the faithful service of the Gospel.
 
Priests and bishops are anointed as a sign of their participation in the ministerial priesthood of Christ. The hands of newly ordained priests are anointed with Chrism as a sign that they are consecrated to the service of God and his people. Chrism is poured on the head of each new bishop as a sign of his new participation in the high priesthood of Christ.
 
Churches and altars are anointed with Sacred Chrism so that they might be visibly and permanently set apart solely for the worship of God.
 
The Distribution of the Oils
At the end of Mass, the deans will be presented with a set of oils. These oils represent the oils which will go to each parish in the archdiocese. Each pastor will receive a set of oil to use throughout the year for the celebration of the Sacraments in his parish. Blessed by the archbishop, together with the priests of the archdiocese, these oils are symbols of the unity of the local Church and the responsibility of the archbishop to care for and be present to the people of our archdiocese. Through the blessing of the oils and the consecration of the Chrism, the archbishop participates in every sacramental anointing celebrated in the archdiocese.
 
The Reception of the Oils
Before the beginning of the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, many parishes celebrate the Rite of Reception of the Oils. In this rite, the oils from the Chrism Mass are carried in procession and presented to the people for all to see. They are then placed in the ambry, a secure repository for the holy oils. The ambry is often located near the baptismal font.
 
A Unique Celebration
All people are invited to attend the Chrism Mass to pray for and give support to our priests as before their Archbishop and before the people they serve, they renew their commitment to authentic, generous and faithful ministry in the name and spirit of Christ himself; to witness the blessing the holy oils and consecration the Sacred Chrism which will be used in our parish churches; and to participate in the unity of the archdiocese manifested in a visible way. Gathered with our archbishop, the father of our archdiocesan family; and around the altar, our family table, the bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and laity of our archdiocese celebrate together the great gift of the Sacraments and the great gift of faith which comes to us through the sacrifice of Christ himself.