Renewed commitment to serve
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
METUCHEN — Priests and laity from all corners of the diocese gathered April 2 for a celebration of one of the oldest and richest ceremonies in the Catholic tradition.
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski was joined by more than 100 priests in celebrating the annual Chrism Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral. Deacon Bede H.C. Kim, who will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Bootkoski June 2, assisted at the Mass. Jack O’Kane, who is preparing to be ordained to the transitional diaconate, served with his fellow seminarians as an acolyte.
During the Chrism Mass, the three holy oils are blessed by the bishop for use in the parishes of the diocese throughout the year. In his homily, Bishop Bootkoski discussed the significance of the Mass and its important connection to the sacraments of the church.
“For me, this is one of the most beautiful ceremonies of the entire liturgical year, where we really enter into our signs and symbols and what our faith is all about,” the bishop said. “The richness of our tradition is displayed this evening in pageantry, in prayer, in sign and symbol.”
During the ceremony, each of the three oils is presented to the bishop to be blessed. Dr. Patricia Nee presented the Oil of the Sick, which is used to bless the forehead and hands during the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. The Sacred Chrism, used in baptism, confirmation, ordinations of priests and bishops, and to bless the altar and walls of new churches, was presented by Deacon Kim. The Oil of Catechumens, used on the chest of infants or the hands of adults before baptism, was presented by Shantasia Cooper, who will be baptized into the church during the Easter Vigil at St. Francis Cathedral.
“I’ve never been to anything like this, and I was overwhelmed,” said Cooper, a resident of Piscataway. “I felt the Holy Spirit. It felt really great to be part of this.”
Lay representatives from each of the parishes in the diocese also attended the Mass to retrieve the blessed oils for their parish. The parish representatives will return the oils to their churches and will present them during the Reception of the Holy Oils on Holy Thursday at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Maureen Johnson of Cranbury was chosen to represent Queenship of Mary Parish, Plainsboro. “I thought it was a great honor to represent Queenship of Mary at this Mass, and also to be representative to the parish on Holy Thursday by bringing these oils forward, knowing they will be used all throughout the year at our parish,” she said.
In addition to the blessing of the oils, the Chrism Mass includes a Renewal of Commitment to Priestly Service on the part of the priests in attendance. During the homily, Bishop Bootkoski addressed his fellow priests on the importance of their work and service the people of the diocese.
“My brothers, we are called to sanctify the people of God,” Bishop Bootkoski said. “Sometimes it is easy, sometimes difficult, yet the call is there. This evening, in front of the Catholic community representing the whole Diocese of Metuchen, you will renew that promise and that commitment.”
The bishop also reminded the priests in attendance of the central role of the Eucharist in their ministry and cautioned them to not let the frequency with which they celebrate the Eucharist to obscure its meaning.
“To say those words, ‘This is my body, this is my blood,’ to bring back to the altar the living God and his son Jesus Christ is awesome,” Bishop Bootkoski said. “That is the ultimate way of sanctifying your people.”
“May we never take it lightly or take it for granted,” he continued. “May we always thank the Lord Jesus for the gift that he has given us.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law