By Ana Rodriguez Soto - The Archdiocese of Miami
People enter through the Door of Mercy, the Holy Door for the Year of Mercy at St. Mary Cathedral.
Seminarians serving as acolytes lead the procession of more than 200 priests into St. Mary Cathedral.
Archdiocesan priests process into St. Mary Cathedral for the annual chrism Mass.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski stands at the door of St. Mary Cathedral greeting archdiocesan priests as they process in for the chrism Mass.
Knights of St. Gregory process into the sanctuary, from left: Patrick Fitzgerald and Thomas Equels.
More than 200 archdiocesan priests gathered at St. Mary Cathedral this year to celebrate the chrism Mass and renew their vows.
Concelebrating bishops listen to the readings during the chrism Mass. From left: Chorbishop Michael Thomas of Heart of Jesus Maronite Catholic Church in Fort Lauderdale; Bishop Luis del Castillo, emeritus of Melo, Uruguay; Bishop Fernando Isern, emeritus of Pueblo, Colorado; and Bishop Peter Baldacchino, auxiliary of Miami.
Deacon John Clarke processes with the Book of the Gospels.
Knights of Columbus fill the back row of St. Mary Cathedral during the chrism Mass.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski delivers the chrism Mass homily. He exhorted his fellow priests to "be patient, gentle confessors" and missionaries of mercy, "joyful and authentic witnesses to Christ."
Father Kenneth Whittaker, serving as master of ceremonies, reviews the program for the chrism Mass.
Deacon Raul Flores, left, accompanied by master of ceremonies Lazaro Enriquez, brings up the balsam, an aromatic resin that is used to perfume the oil of chrism. Chrism is used at baptisms, confirmations and the consecration of priests, bishops and churches.
Deacon Jim Dugard and Suzie Pierre, of St. Mary Cathedral School, presents the oil of the sick to the archbishop. This oil is used in the anointing of the sick. Raul Panellas of the Office of Worship holds the microphone.
Deacon Adrian Zapatero, accompanied by Ofelia Vazquez of St. Mary Cathedral's staff, presents the oil of catechumens to the archbishop. This oil is used in baptisms, the consecration of churches and the blessing of altars. Raul Panellas of the Office of Worship holds the microphone.
Deacon John Clarke, accompanied by deacon candidate Mesmin Augustin, presents the oil of chrism to the archbishop. Chrism is used in baptisms, confirmations and the consecration of priests, bishops and churches. Raul Panellas of the Office of Worship holds the microphone.
Carmelite Sister Immaculata Hanisch, chair of the Theology Department at Archbishop Coleman Carroll High School in Miami, and Jeffrey Caballero, theology teacher at St. Brendan High School in Miami, take up the offertory gifts of bread and wine.
The holy oils - of catechumens, chrism, and anointing of the sick - rest atop a table on the cathedral sanctuary.
As seen from the choir loft: Archbishop Thomas Wenski and archdiocesan priests celebrate the chrism Mass. (COURTESY | Sister Elizabeth Worley)
Deacon John Clarke holds the oil of the sick as Archbishop Thomas Wenski blesses it at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski pours balsam into the oil of chrism before consecrating it.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski pours balsam into the oil of chrism before consecrating it.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski blows into the oil of chrism to consecrate it.
Priests marking anniversaries of ordination this year pose with the bishops who concelebrated the chrism Mass; from left: Chorbishop Michael Thomas of the Maronite Heart of Jesus Parish in Fort Lauderdale; Bishop Emeritus Fernando Isern of Pueblo, Colorado; Father Jose D. Lopez; Knight of St. Gregory Patrick Fitzgerald; Father John McLaughlin; Msgr. Seamus Doyle; Jesuit Bishop Luis del Castillo, emeritus of Melo, Uruguay; Msgr. Vincent Kelly; Archbishop Thomas Wenski; Dominican Father Jorge Presmanes; Father Arturo Kannee; Father Dominick O'Dwyer; Father Patrick Naughton; Miami Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino; Msgr. Michael Carruthers; and Father Damian Flanagan.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski greets local Catholics and Catholic school students outside St. Mary Cathedral at the conclusion of the chrism Mass.
Photography: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
MIAMI | El Arzobispo de Miami, Thomas Wenski celebró la Misa Crismal anual al inicio de la Semana Santa, durante la cual bendijo los santos óleos del crisma, de los catecúmenos y de los enfermos.
Durante la Misa, más de 200 sacerdotes arquidiocesanos también renovaron sus promesas, y 14 de ellos que celebraban sus aniversarios de ordenación, fueron honrados.
Los seminaristas de los seminarios St. John Vianney, en Miami; St. Vincent de Paul, en Boynton Beach; y del Seminario Misionero Arquidiocesano Redemptoris Mater, en Hialeah también estuvieron presentes, al igual que los estudiantes de 12 escuelas arquidiocesanas: la preparatoria Archbishop Curley Notre Dame, en Miami; la escuela secundaria Archbishop Coleman Carroll, en Miami; la secundaria Archbishop Edward McCarthy, en Southwest Ranches; la escuela Blessed Trinity, en Miami Springs; la escuela secundaria Cardinal Gibbons, en Fort Lauderdale; la escuela secundaria Christopher Columbus, en Miami; la escuela secundaria Immaculata-La Salle, en Miami; la escuela secundaria Msgr. Edward Pace, en Miami Gardens; St. Agnes Academy, en Key Biscayne; la escuela secundaria St. Brendan, en Miami; y la escuela secundaria St. Thomas Aquinas, en Fort Lauderdale.
La Misa crismal es celebrada durante la Semana Santa, por cada obispo diocesano, acompañado por todos sus sacerdotes. La Misa lleva ese nombre por el óleo del crisma, uno de los tres óleos que son bendecidos y consagrados por el obispo diocesano para su uso en las parroquias locales, durante todo el año.
El óleo del crisma se perfuma con bálsamo – una resina aromática – que se utiliza en los bautizos, en las confirmaciones y en la consagración de sacerdotes, obispos e iglesias.
El óleo de los catecúmenos se utiliza en los bautizos, en la consagración de iglesias y en la bendición de altares; y el óleo de los enfermos se utiliza en la unción de los enfermos.
Después de que el obispo bendice los óleos, son vertidos en recipientes más pequeños y distribuidos a cada párroco, que lo lleva a su iglesia para su uso durante todo el año que viene.
