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The Florida Catholic

In Union with Brother Priests

PALM BEACH GARDENS - Each day around the world, the Eucharist is celebrated “for the praise and glory of (God’s) name, for our good and the good of all his holy church” (Roman Missal, The Order of Mass, no. 29). Every Eucharistic celebration is of great importance to the life of the Church, as it is a sacramental representation of the Paschal sacrifice of Christ, which we commemorate in a special way during the Holy Triduum. 

However, there are particular liturgies in the year that are of unique importance and heightened solemnity. Some of these, at a universal Church level, while others at a national, diocesan, and/or parochial one. An annual liturgy which is of particular importance at the diocesan level is the Chrism Mass. This Mass traditionally takes place on the morning of Holy Thursday (there is technically no morning “daily Mass” on this day; rather, the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, celebrated in the evening, is the Mass of the day). For pastoral reasons, most dioceses transfer the celebration of the Chrism Mass to a different day during Holy Week; in our diocese, it usually celebrated on Tuesday. 

This Mass contains two aspects which have “great pedagogical value for the Christian community,” which José Aldazábal stated in his La celebración de la Semana Santa, are the consecration of the holy chrism and the blessing of the oils, and the sense of ecclesial communion. The former reminds us the importance of the chrism and the oils in our sacramental lives, and the special graces which they bring about. 

To read the full Florida Catholic Media article, click here

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