Bishop Barry C. Knestout celebrated the Chrism Mass on Monday, March 25, at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond. The Chrism Mass is celebrated each year, on or near Holy Thursday, in every diocese. This year, the cathedral was packed with hundreds of faithful, more than 100 priests, dozens of deacons, and about 20 seminarians.
During the Chrism Mass, the bishop blessed the Oil of the Catechumens and Oil of the Sick, and consecrated the Sacred Chrism.
The Chrism Mass also celebrates the priesthood. At the beginning of his homily, Bishop Knestout told the congregation that he wrote the homily primarily for his priests.
“Our priestly life is about turning away from the ordinary, from the weaknesses and failures, from the attachments and comforts of the past, toward the extraordinary hope of the future, given to us by Christ’s sacrifice,” the bishop told his priests.
“The anointing we receive from the Holy Spirit enables us – as ordinary, unworthy, and incapable as we are – to be instruments of extraordinary transformation in our people, bringing them from sin to forgiveness, from death to life,” said the bishop.
After the homily, Bishop Knestout called on all of the priests in attendance to renew their commitment to priestly service. He also asked all parishioners to pray that he and their priests remain faithful.
After Mass, the oils were given to all the parishes in the diocese; these are the oils that will be used for the next year when administering sacraments.
See more photos from the Chrism Mass.