By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Golden jubilarians Msgr. John Vaughan, left, and Father Anthony Mulderry join with other honorees to process into St. Mary Cathedral.
Sixty-year jubilarian Father Hernando Villegas, left, and 50-year jubilarian Msgr. Franklyn Casale, join the long line of priests processing into St. Mary Cathedral for the chrism Mass.
Silver jubilarian Father Curtis Kiddy, far left, laughs as he greets Archbishop Thomas Wenski at the entrance to St. Mary Cathedral. Between them is golden jubilarians Father James A. Quinn.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski greets the jubilarians as they enter the cathedral, from left: golden jubilarians Father Patrick O'Neill, Jesuit Father Pedro Cartaya, and behind them Father Thomas Foudy.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski greets the jubilarians as they enter the cathedral, from left: golden jubilarians Father Patrick O'Neill, Jesuit Father Pedro Cartaya, and Father Thomas Foudy, shaking hands with the archbishop.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski greets Father Hernando Villegas, marking 60 years in the priesthood, as he enters the cathedral.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski jokes with Father Miguel Gomez, left, pastor of San Isidro Mission in Pompano Beach, and Msgr. Pablo Navarro, pastor of St. John Neumann Church in Miami, as they enter the cathedral for the chrism Mass.
Deacon Alex Rivera carries the Book of the Gospels before proclaiming the Gospel reading.
Deacon Luis Flores, who will be ordained next month, brings up the oil of the sick, which is used in the sacrament of anointing of the sick.
Deacon Luis Pavon, who will be ordained next month, brings up the oil of catechumens. This oil is used in baptisms, the consecration of churches and the blessing of altars.
Deacon Alex Rivera, who will be ordained next month, brings up the oil of chrism. This oil is used in baptisms, confirmations and the consecration of priests, bishops and churches.
Nearly 300 priests, plus lay people and students from local Catholic schools, filled St. Mary Cathedral April 11 for the annual chrism Mass, when priests renew their ordination promises and the holy oils - of catechumens, chrism and anointing of the sick - are blessed for use in the parishes throughout the coming year.
The holy oils - from left, the oil of catechumens, the oil of chrism, and the oil of the sick - are placed in the sanctuary awaiting Archbishop Thomas Wenski's blessing.
Archdiocesan priests concelebrate the chrism Mass from the pews of St. Mary Cathedral.
Deacon Luis Flores elevates the oil of the sick as Archbishop Thomas Wenski blesses it during the Eucharistic Prayer.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski pours balsam into the oil of chrism before blessing it.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski blows into the oil of chrism to consecrate it.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski greets students from Blessed Trinity School in Virginia Gardens at the conclusion of the chrism Mass.
The jubilarians pose in front of St. Mary Cathedral with Archbishop Thomas Wenski and other bishops who took part in the chrism Mass. Fifteen of the 21 being honored this year were able to attend the ceremony.
Photography: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preached this homily at the annual Chrism Mass, celebrated April 11, Tuesday of Holy Week, at St. Mary Cathedral. In attendance at the Mass were more than 300 priests, plus lay people and students from local Catholic schools. Click here for brief biographies and a photo album of the 21 priests who were recognized at this year's ceremony for marking 65, 60, 50 and 25 years of ordination.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me”
Jesus chooses this text of Isaiah we have just heard for his first sermon. This is no coincidence — with Jesus, nothing is improvised. Isaiah is the great prophet of the Messiah. In today's passage, Isaiah speaks of the servant who is anointed the Messiah — the Christ — by the Spirit. He goes on to describe Christ's mission to announce glad tidings — the Joy of the Gospel — to the poor, restore sight to the blind, to free the captive and the oppressed, to declare a Jubilee.
It is as though Isaiah has written a job description for Jesus. That Luke puts this Isaian passage at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry is the interpretive key to understanding all that would follow in the Gospel. He unveils for us the identity of Jesus and as "Christened people," the more we understand Jesus' identity, the more we will understand our own.
At this Mass, we bless the Holy Oils and consecrate the Sacred Chrism. Today’s Mass is a celebration for all God’s people because the itinerary of our lives as Catholics is marked by various anointings.
As we were prepared for baptism, we were anointed with the Oil of Catechumens; then, in baptism and confirmation, with the Sacred Chrism. Please God, at the end of our lives, we will receive a final anointing with the Oil of the Sick so that, at that hour, the Spirit will strengthen and console us.
These oils then are closely linked to the Paschal Mystery — for through them the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, through them the Holy Spirit conforms us more perfectly to Christ, so that we might spread the fragrance of his presence throughout the world as we grow in the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.
Your priests will take these oils home to their parishes after this Mass; but they also take with them the joy of the Holy Spirit. For in the parochial ministry, they will anoint God’s people with the “oil of gladness.” For as Pope Francis reminds us, “A Christian is never bored or sad. Rather the one who loves Christ is full of joy and radiates joy.”
Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preaches the homily at the chrism Mass. More than 300 priests, plus lay people and students from local Catholic schools, filled St. Mary Cathedral April 11 for the annual chrism Mass, when priests renew their ordination promises and the holy oils - of catechumens, chrism and anointing of the sick - are blessed for use in the parishes throughout the coming year.
Today’s Mass is also of special significance to all of us priests. This Mass is a special sign of the unity of our priesthood and witnesses that we — bishop and priests — share a common ministry to teach, to govern and to sanctify the people of God.
And so, the Chrism Mass itself offers the priests of a local Church — as they gather around their bishop — the opportunity to renew our priestly commitments. In saying once again “I do,” we commit ourselves, with the help of the Holy Spirit, “to understand what we do, to imitate what we celebrate, to conform our lives to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross.”
Today, we do so in the presence of three transitional deacons ordained just two weeks ago. Please God, next year they will be called to the priesthood. But we do have nine other transitional deacons that will be ordained next month here at St. Mary’s Cathedral. But hold your applause until next month.
Today I would like to recognize those of our presbyterate who are celebrating significant anniversaries. These men have long labored in the Lord's vineyard; they have endured the heat of the day. Not all could be here today — I asked prayers for them at the beginning of Mass.
But celebrating 65 years of priestly service are Msgr. Emilio Martin and Father Jose Paz; celebrating 60 years are Msgr. Martin Cassidy and Father Hernando Villegas.
Our golden jubilarians, celebrating 50 years, are Msgr. John Vaughn, Msgr. Franklin Casale, Fathers Joe Angelini, Patrick O’Neill, Pedro Cartaya, Thomas Foudy, Nelson Garcia, John O’Leary, Jim Quinn, Tony Mulderry and Matthew Didoné.
And we also honor our silver jubilarians celebrating 25 years of priestly service, Fathers Curtis Kiddy, Kidney St. Jean, Paul Soutuyo, Jesus Arias, Arnulfo Gomez-Beltran and Jose Roberto Gomez.
As we priests prepare to renew our promises, these jubilarians with their accumulated years of service — in times of great change and turmoil in the world and in the Church — give a beautiful witness that it is worth saying “Yes” to God, for in him we find joy.
Pope Saint John Paul II used to say: People today look to priests for the “lived word” before they look to him for the “proclaimed” word. And for four years, Pope Francis has constantly reminded us priests of the need to get out of our sacristies and go to the peripheries where “so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life.” (Evangeliae Gaudium). He has challenged us to serve God’s people as missionaries and not as functionaries, or worse, as mercenaries.
Well, today is also the fifth anniversary of Bishop Agustin Roman’s entry into eternal life. In Bishop Roman we had such an example of priestly integrity and transparency. He truly lived the word he proclaimed. In his humility, in his simple style of life, he showed us what it means to evangelize with joy — and to do so with the smell of the sheep — long before we heard those words from the mouth of Pope Francis.
My dear people, as I and my brother bishops and priests renew the promises made on the day of our ordinations, we know that we carry this treasure in earthen vessels and so we ask you to pray for us. Pray that we will faithfully carry out the ministry entrusted to us by God for you.
Correction: Captions in the slide show initially said the deacons holding the holy oils would be ordained next year. They have been corrected to show they will be ordained in May, next month.
