By Mary Stadnyk, Associate Editor, and Lois Rogers, Correspondent

For Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., it was a “beautiful sight” to look out and see the faithful fill St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, Freehold, for the annual Chrism Mass April 10.

To view photo gallery on this story, click here.
To read Bishop O'Connell's homily from the Chrism Mass, click here.
To view Bishop O'Connell preaching the homily on video, click here.

“Wow! If you could see what I see,” said a smiling Bishop O’Connell, addressing the crowd that included some 160 priests concelebrating  the Mass, religious and laity from all corners of the Diocese and even beyond who were there to witness the beauty, symbolism and tradition of the Chrism Mass.

During the Chrism Mass, which in the Diocese of Trenton is traditionally celebrated on the Monday of Holy Week, is when the Bishop blesses the holy oils to be used in the sacramental ministry of priests and deacons in parishes and other Catholic institutions such as hospitals, throughout the coming year. During the Presentation of the Gifts, designated representatives carried vessels containing the Oil of the Sick, Oil of the Catechumens and the Sacred Chrism to the sanctuary, placing them on a table where they were to be blessed by Bishop O’Connell. Parish delegates would then carry the blessed oils and back to their faith communities to be used in sacramental rites.

Focus on Ministry

In his homily, Bishop O’Connell preached on the meaning of the word “word” and how words are “not simply utterances that we speak and hear.

“Words are not simply phrases that we remember and repeat. Words are not simply thoughts or reflections of the mind and heart that find their way to our lips and our ears. Words are expressions of intentions carrying with them meaning and purpose. And so it is with the Word of God, the Word made Flesh. This ‘Word’ reveals and conveys God’s intentions for our lives,” he said.

The Bishop cited quotes from each Reading proclaimed that evening, “You yourselves shall be named priest of the Lord, ministers of God shall you be called (First Reading, Isaiah 61: 1-3ab, 6a, 8b-9); “To him who has loved us and has freed us from our sins by his Blood … who has made us priests for God and Father, to him be glory and power forever, Amen (Second Reading, Rev. 1:5-8), and “He has anointed me, he has sent me (Gospel, Lk 4:16-21). He then centered on three “operative, intentional” words cited in each Reading – named, freed and sent and reflected on how they are words that “have a special poignancy and intention for priests in this Chrism Mass.

For the word “named,” the Bishop referred to how each of the priests, “at some point in your lives – in your prayer, in your daily activities and interactions – God called you by ‘name’ to be his priest. And you heard his call and you responded.”

“My brothers, God does not make mistakes and God does not forget,” the Bishop said. “Never forget that you were named.”

For the word “freed,” Bishop O’Connell said that “although human life is often complicated by our human nature and circumstances, our human desires and urges, our human ambitions and pride, God graced us with a call to be freed from the complexities of this world once we accepted that call in Holy Orders.”

“Once you were named, the grace of Jesus Christ gave you an identity as priest that makes itself known in a simplicity of life following his own; in an obedience that places our destiny in someone else’s hands, as he did; in a celibacy that gives our heart to all not to one, in imitation of the Word made Flesh … Like Simon of Cyrene, we take his Cross in oiled hands and follow Jesus to Calvary, where death freed us for eternal life.”

“Never resist or reject the oil of freedom he gave you,” Bishop O’Connell said.

For the word “sent,” Bishop O’Connell reminded his brothers that they were not ordained to “stand still.”

“Jesus Christ named and freed and sent you on your way as his priest,” said the Bishop. “Every assignment you are given, every Eucharist you celebrate, every sermon you preach, every truth you teach, every child or adult you baptize, every sinner you absolve, every marriage you witness, every dying person you bring to heaven’s door with the Oil of the Sick, every prayer you whisper with or without words and every kindness you extend even to those who are unkind, continue the priestly journey on which you were sent the day you were first ordained and don’t turn back.

“You were not ordained for bricks and mortar and stained glass,” the Bishop said. “You were ordained for God’s people, here and at home. In faith and hope, they look for your love.”

From the Faithful

With great solemnity, Jesus Aguila, Maria Lazo and Mina Rodriguez of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank, were honored for the opportunity to convey the Oil of the Catechumens to Bishop O’Connell for his blessing. After the Mass, the three shared their joy in having a role in the Mass.

Aguila called it “the experience of a lifetime,” and described himself as very touched by the strong emotions he felt during the long walk down the aisle in the Co-Cathedral toward the Bishop.

The slow and reverent walk, he said, rekindled memories of his own First Holy Communion so many years before. There had been nothing to equal it until now, he said.

With faces alight with joy, Lazo and Rodriguez spoke of the beauty of the evening in which the 1,100-seat sanctuary was filled to capacity. The presence of the Bishop and so many clergy – some 160 priests and upwards of 50 deacons, according to diocesan officials, was particularly moving, they said.

“It made us very emotional,” said Lazo, who shared that they would like to “do more of this. We so enjoyed celebrating with the Bishop and all of the priests. We don’t get to see him that often.”

Echoing their enthusiasm was Marge McGinley, pastoral administrator in Sacred Heart Parish, Mount Holly and a part-time chaplain in Virtua Memorial Hospital in the same community.

McGinley, former diocesan president of the St. Vincent De Paul Society, will retire this spring after 26 years with parish and devote more time to hospital ministry.

After the Mass, McGinley shared that this was the second time she was called to be an oil bearer. The first time, which was a few years ago, she participated in carrying the Oil of the Catechumens to the Bishop.

“I was so touched to be chosen to bring up the Oil of the Infirm this time,” she said. “I have stood at the bedside as the priest comes up to minister in the hospital,” to the sick and dying. It’s an amazing honor for me to be asked to do this.”

McGinley said it was especially moving as her own ministry transitions away from the parish and focuses more on chaplaincy.

As longtime, active members of St. Robert Bellarmine Co-Cathedral, the Machado family – parents Paula and Fernando and children Trini, Lorenzo and Clara, were tasked with bearing the gifts of bread and wine.

Afterward, the family described their participation as a significant milestone in all of their lives. They found the elevation of their church to Co-Cathedral status to be profoundly moving, Paula and Fernando said, and then to have the privilege of bearing the gifts during the Chrism Mass, was “truly memorable” he shared. Having his parents present added even more luster, if such a thing is possible, to the event said Machado who added: “Tonight means everything. To me, it is a true blessing,” Fernando said.

During the reception that followed in the parish hall, there were a number of faithful who spoke about having experienced a previous Chrism Mass and how they have come to regard the liturgy as being one of the high points of the Church year.

.At one of the tables in the vast room, a group of parishioners hailing from St. Robert Bellarmine as well as Divine Mercy Parish, Trenton, and St. Gregory the Great Parish, Hamilton Square, enjoyed talking about what for them has become a Chrism Mass tradition. As a matter of fact, they find the Mass so special that they go out of their way every year to invite newcomers to join them in attending.

On this night, Joe Skrajewski, a member of St. Gregory Parish, was the “newcomer” at the table. Seated alongside his sister, Bonnie Carcione, Divine Mercy parishioner, who started the tradition, and St. Robert Bellarmine parishioner Marty Weisman, Skrajewski shared his newfound enthusiasm for the Chrism Mass.

Skrajewski noted that his sister had invited him, when she noticed that he had “liked” her post about the Mass on her Facebook page.

Carcione, herself had been inspired to attend her first Chrism Mass years ago, after “I made Cursillo. I was looking for new experiences of the Church. Once you come, you always want to come back,” she said.

Weisman, who chairs the adult faith formation program in St. Robert Bellarmine, among many other leadership roles there, echoed Carcione’s excitement over the liturgy.

On Carcione’s invitation some years back, Weisman attended his first Chrism Mass in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. Weisman said he became so enthusiastic over the import of the Chrism Mass that he began coordinating bus trips from St. Robert Bellarmine to Trenton on the Monday of Holy Week when the Chrism Mass is regularly scheduled.

“Once you come, you are hooked,” he said. “It’s just an amazing Mass!”

Debbie Osborn of St. Jerome Parish, West Long Branch, couldn’t help but smile as she reflected on the 2017 Chrism Mass. That smile probably had something to do with seeing her son, Father Richard Osborn, parochial vicar in St. Mary Parish, Middletown, participate in his first Chrism Mass as a priest. Father Osborn was ordained by Bishop O’Connell last year.

“Rick always came as a seminarian” to the Chrism Mass, but it was “special,” she said, to see him among the other priests, renewing his vows and concelebrating Mass with the Bishop.

“He loves being a priest,” Osborn said.

Like Father Osborn, Father Christopher Colavito had attended the Chrism Mass as a seminarian. But when asked about attending his first as a newly ordained priest, he said participating in this year’s Mass felt “much different.”

As a seminarian, Father Colavito, who is now parochial vicar in St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel, St. Isaac Jogues Parish, Marlton, and chaplain in Holy Cross Academy, Delran, said he had to focus on helping with the various elements of the Mass to ensure that all went smoothly. But this year, for him to sit among his brother priests and renew his vows was an experience he found to be “amazing.”

“This year I was definitely on the other side of the Mass. I was able to take in and appreciate all that the Chrism Mass means,” he said. “It was awesome.”