Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s of the Lake:



One special event during the Holy Week in every Catholic diocese worldwide is the Chrism Mass.


In our Diocese of Green Bay, we celebrate on Tuesday of Holy Week. Bishops, joined by the priests & deacons, gather at the Cathedral for the celebration. 1 or 2 representatives from each parish and institution (such as hospitals, retreat houses, etc.) are also invited. This gathering manifests the unity of the clergy & people with the Bishop. During the Mass the Bishop blesses 3 Oils, which are then distributed to the parishes & institutions to be used for the year. Whenever the Holy Oils are used in a diocese, the ministry of the Bishop who consecrated them is symbolically present. 
1.-   The Oil of Catechumens, abbreviated as OC or OS  (‘Oleum Catechumenorum’ or ‘Oleum Sanctorum’) is used in connection with Baptism. When anointing the person to be baptized on the chest, the priest/deacon says, ‘We anoint you with the oil of salvation in the name of Christ our Savior; may He strengthen you with His power, who lives and reigns forever and ever.’  
2.-   The Oil of the Infirm, abbrev. as OI (‘Oleum Infirmorum’), is used in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. First, the priest anoints the sick person on the forehead, saying, ‘Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.’ And then the priest anoints the person’s palms, saying, ‘May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you and raise you up.’ 
3.-   Finally, Sacred Chrism, abbrev. as SC  (‘Sacrum Chrisma’), a mixture of olive oil & balsam --an aromatic resin, is used in Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, and in the Dedication Ceremony of a church:
❖ In Baptism, after the pouring of the Water, the priest anoints the person on the crown of the head with Sacred Chrism, saying, ‘God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin and given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit. He now anoints with the Chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of His Body, sharing everlasting life. Amen.’
❖ In Confirmation, the Bishop anoints the forehead of the candidate with Sacred Chrism, saying, ‘Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.’
❖ In the Ordination Rite of a priest, the Bishop anoints with Sacred Chrism the palms of each new priest. In the Ordination Rite of a bishop, the consecrating bishop anoints the head of the new bishop.
❖ In a Church Dedication, the bishop anoints the Altar & the walls of the Church in 12 or 4 places marked by crosses.
Fr. Philip