CHARLOTTE — It was a joyful and welcome sight after a year of anxiety and isolation.
Priests traveled from across western North Carolina to St. Patrick Cathedral March 30 for the Diocese of Charlotte's annual Chrism Mass, a Holy Week tradition in which they gather around their bishop, renew their priestly promises to the Church and assist in the blessing of sacramental oils.
Last year the COVID-19 pandemic closed parishes during Holy Week and the Chrism Mass – which brought together more than 100 priests the prior year – had to be livestreamed from a near-empty cathedral. Since then, approximately 6,600 people in the 46 counties of the diocese have died from the novel coronavirus.
A year later, with hopeful signs that the pandemic may be abating, a group of clergy were again able to gather in person for the celebration – while also remaining safely distanced in the pews and modifying a few elements of the liturgy for health precautions. And the Mass was still livestreamed so that people of the diocese could participate virtually, since the cathedral’s capacity is limited to 150 people as a safeguard during the pandemic.
Addressing his brother priests sitting spaced apart in the pews, Bishop Peter Jugis acknowledged that God is inviting us to go beyond the hardship, fear and isolation of the past year and connect with the faithful.
"It's always a joy to come together with brother priests for this Chrism Mass, and this year fortunately we are able to have greater in-person participation. But whether we are personally present or participating remotely via livestreaming, the presbyterate unites as one body for the renewal of our priestly promises and the blessing of oils and consecration of the sacred chrism," he said.
"As COVID restrictions continue to loosen ever so gradually their grip on society, what our parishioners most need to experience is the joy of returning to church and Mass. They want the joy of being able to say (as) in the words of the psalm (Ps 122), ‘I rejoiced when I heard them say: let us go to the house of the Lord and now our feet are standing within your gates...’ The time of fear, anxiety, stress and isolation brought on by the pandemic this past year is beginning to come to an end. And the faithful are ready to move forward."
"God is now impelling us to set out anew in our ministry – God who is eternal newness," Bishop Jugis said. And that means connecting "personally with so many parishioners who have been forced to the fringes of Church life, and welcome them back to church and Mass."
"It’s a new moment, and we are about to experience an explosion of joy as restrictions continue to loosen. A new moment is dawning for all of us."
"We are here to bring the joy of our priestly anointing to those whom we serve," he said.
He continued, "Jesus says, ‘I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you.' The vocation of the parish priest is to be the spiritual father of the faithful entrusted in his care, to be close to the people. You make available to them the graces of the sacraments to help them grow in holiness as children of God. You help form in their minds and hearts the teachings of Christ. And you accompany them on the way to eternal life and the glory of heaven. We share as priests in the anointing of Christ, our High Priest, and (we are) inspired by the words of today's gospel 'to bring His glad tidings and the oil of gladness to His people once again.'"
Among those on the altar concelebrating the Chrism Mass were Monsignor Patrick Winslow, vicar general and chancellor, and Father John Putnam, judicial vicar. Father Julio Dominguez, vicar of Hispanic Ministry, and Father Christopher Gober, diocesan vocations director, were among the celebrants remaining spaced apart in the pews.
In an expression of unity, all the priests stood during the consecration of the sacred chrism with their right hands extended toward the chrism, joining with Bishop Jugis in the prayer of consecration.
The holy oils blessed at the Chrism Mass are used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and anointing of the sick, as well as for ordination of priests and consecration of churches and altars.
After Mass, deacons divided the blessed oils into smaller oil stocks that will be distributed to all 92 parishes and missions across the diocese for use in sacramental celebrations throughout the upcoming year.
— Catholic News Herald. Photos by SueAnn Howell, senior reporter, and James Sarkis
Reflection from Father Gámez before his first Chrism Mass as a priest
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‘Pray for the priests and deacons of the diocese’
HUNTERSVILLE — Father Alfonso Gámez told parishioners at St. Mark Church that he was looking forward to attending his first Chrism Mass as a priest later that morning. The young priest offered daily Mass Tuesday at the church before traveling to Charlotte to attend his first annual Chrism Mass with Bishop Peter Jugis and fellow clergy.
Last year’s Chrism Mass was celebrated with virtually no one present because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with priests remaining at their separate parishes and instead watching a YouTube livestream from St. Patrick Cathedral.
Father Gámez and his fellow 2019 ordinands, Father Michael Carlson and Father Britt Taylor, as well as last year’s newly ordained Father Jacob Mlakar and Father Jonathan Torres, have not attended a Chrism Mass in person until today.
Since their ordinations, they and the other clergy of the Diocese of Charlotte have worked with creativity and determination to implement health protocols to prevent virus spread at their churches while the pandemic has raged in their communities. The novel coronavirus has killed nearly 6,600 people in the 46 counties of the diocese since the pandemic began, according to March 29 data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“At the Chrism Mass, you renew your vows in front of the bishop and with all your brother priests. I’m excited and looking forward to this today,” Father Gámez said March 30.
The Chrism Mass is a beautiful sign of the unity and apostolic nature of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ, he reflected.
Not only do the priests renew their priestly promises to the Church in front of the bishop at this Mass, they help bless the oils used in the sacramental life of the Church.
“Those oils will baptize individuals and babies, and they will be used for the last rites of all the individuals who will die,” he said.
The Chrism Mass “shows that all the priests throughout western North Carolina all start at the cathedral – they are all an extension of the bishop. Everything that a priest or deacon does is an extension from him, and by succession, it is an extension from one of the 12 Apostles and by extension of that, it’s ultimately Christ who is doing all these things.”
“It is a beautiful sort of manifestation – a real, tangible and visible manifestation of the communion of the Church – that begins with Christ Himself, handed down to the Apostles, handed down to their successors, handed down ultimately to Bishop Jugis, and then handed down to his … priests, who then go out and extend God's grace to His people.”
“This is a very beautiful thing to realize that wherever the sacraments are being manifested, we are in communion … (with) the Church. It is not just St. Mark or our community here, but we are part of a greater reality that even transcends time,” he said.
“I ask you today, especially at this Mass, to pray for the priests and deacons of the diocese and to pray for the bishop himself, that we can minister faithfully and stay faithful to our vows that we've made to God, and ultimately to you as well.”
— Catholic News Herald. Amy Burger contributed.