(St. Peter Parish YouTube image, Getty image)
ASHTON — In the Diocese of Madison, the Chrism Mass is typically celebrated on the Tuesday before Easter.
It is usually highly attended by priests of the diocese renewing their committments to the priesthood, representatives from parishes receiving the blessed oils, and other faithful coming to pray and take part in the Holy Week celebration.
This year, St. Peter Church in Ashton was the location of the Chrism Mass, and the state-mandated fewer than 10 people were inside the building (due to the coronavirus pandemic), while many watched the Mass via livestream.
Bishop Donald J. Hying celebrated the Mass with concelebrants, Msgr. James Bartylla, vicar general; Msgr. James Gunn, vicar for priests and pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee and St. Mary of the Lake in Westport; Fr. Eric Sternberg, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Wisconsin Dells; and Fr. Gabriel Lopez-Betanzos, judicial vicar and parochial vicar of St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee and St. Mary of the Lake in Westport.
St. Peter Parish Pastor Fr. Chris Gernetzke and Fr. Greg Ihm, vocations director, assisted at the Mass.
The priests in attendance served as readers and brought up the oils for blessing.
Gathered spiritually
During his homily, Bishop Hying said that “Despite the limitations put on us because of the pandemic, this is still a diocesan celebration and we truly are gathered spiritually as we bless the sacred oils for the sacraments [and] as our priests renew their priestly promises.”
He added, “I want to thank all of our priests who are following us online and are truly spiritually united with us in this moment.”
He thanked the priests of the Diocese of Madison for their “heroic witness to Christ in this challenging moment.”
He thanked them for hearing Confessions, keeping the churches open for prayer, ministering to the sick, celebrating Masses online, and “to do everything that we can to continue that saving work of Jesus.”
Bishop Hying also recognized “all those who are praying with us on this solemn occasion.”
He called this time an “evangelizing moment — a moment that shakes us and makes us realize, in an ever deeper way, how much we need God, how much we need the Church, and how much we rely on the sacraments.”
The bishop continued that “in this moment, our world profoundly needs what Jesus has to give us – namely healing, forgiveness, mercy, salvation. Only the love of Christ can heal the broken, divided, sick world.”
He called the day a “preview” of the victory of Easter upcoming and the resurrection of Christ.
Bishop Hying closed his homily saying that, “For all of you, and the good work that Jesus continues to do [in you], I give praise and thanks to God and look forward to next year when we can have a regular Chrism Mass with a church full of people.
“You may not be here physically today, but we feel your spiritual presence and your prayer. Nothing can divide us, or separate us from Christ, not even a pandemic . . . we are stronger and more united than ever.”
Renewal of priestly promises
Though most priests of the diocese were not in attendance, and were watching the livestream like most of their faithful, Bishop Hying asked them to renew their priestly promises.
He asked them if they were “resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to him, denying yourselves and confirming those promises about sacred duties towards Christ’s Church which, prompted by love of him, you willingly and joyfully pledged on the day of your priestly ordination.”
The bishop also asked if they were “resolved to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God in the Holy Eucharist and the other liturgical rites and to discharge faithfully the sacred office of teaching, following Christ the Head and Shepherd, not seeking any gain, but moved only by zeal for souls.”
The response to both of these was “I am”.
The bishop also asked the faithful to pray for their priests and for himself that “in your midst I may be made day by day a living and more perfect image of Christ.”
Blessing of the oils
Later in the Mass, Bishop Hying blessed the oils.
The bishop first blessed the Oil of the Sick, praying that those who need it “by your blessing, as a safeguard for body, soul, and spirit may be freed from all pain, all infirmity, and all sickness.”
For the Oil of the Catechumens, the bishop prayed to “grant courage to the catechumens who will be anointed with it, so that, receiving divine wisdom and power, they may understand more deeply the Gospel of your Christ.”
After mixing in a fragrance to the chrism oil, and mixing it, he prayed for God to “bless and sanctify this oil, so that all who are outwardly anointed with it may be inwardly transformed and come to share in eternal salvation.”
The oils will be distributed to parishes at a later date.
Online Masses
Livestreamed Masses were the norm during the remainder of the Easter Triduum throughout the Diocese of Madison.
Many parishes offered online video of their Masses and other prayers via their websites, Facebook pages, or YouTube channels.
Masses from around the world and country on Relevant Radio, EWTN, and other online media, were also available.
Bishop Hying celebrated Holy Thursday evening Mass at St. Bernard Church in Madison, Good Friday service at St John Vianney Church in Janesville, Easter Vigil Mass at St. Patrick Church in Madison — part of Cathedral Parish — and Easter Sunday Mass at St. Peter in Ashton.
Videos of these Masses were available online to watch later.