Catholic laity, priests, deacons and religious gather at chrism Mass

Linda Manis, a member of Prince of Peace Parish in Madison, receives blessed oils from transitional Deacon Isaac Siefker on April 15 during the annual archdiocesan chrism Mass at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. (Photos by Sean Gallagher)

By Sean Gallagher

Last year at the annual archdiocesan chrism Mass, Father Anthony Armbruster carried the crucifix at the beginning of a long procession of priests and deacons walking into SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. At the time, he was a transitional deacon about two months from being ordained a priest.

This year, Father Armbruster was in a very different position in the chrism Mass, celebrated on April 15 in the cathedral.

He was further back in the opening procession, one among the 143 priests serving in the archdiocese present at the liturgy. And he sat in the back row of a large group of concelebrating priests rather than in the sanctuary as he had done a year ago. (Related: See a photo gallery from the Mass)

“I’ve been thinking about it all morning,” said Father Armbruster of the change from last year’s chrism Mass to this one. “This is kind of the moment that’s the sign of that transition from seminary life to priestly life.”

Since last July, Father Armbruster has served as parochial vicar at SS. Francis and Clare of Assisi Parish in Greenwood and St. Martin of Tours Parish in Martinsville.

“There’s been a lot of learning, and it’s been full of graces and blessings,” he said of his first year of priestly life and ministry.

Some 900 people from across the archdiocese took part in the chrism Mass. It is an annual liturgy that ordinarily takes place in the archdiocese on Tuesday of Holy Week and draws members of many parishes along with religious, deacons and priests serving in the archdiocese, all gathered with Archbishop Charles C. Thompson. (Related story: Holy Spirit helps people live ‘Gospel joy’ amid life’s challenges, archbishop says)

After the homily during the Mass, the priests present renew the promises they made at their ordination. Some, like Father Armbruster, made them just a year ago. Retired Father Francis Eckstein made those promises when he was ordained in 1958, 42 years before Father Armbruster was born.

“It’s one of the main reasons I came,” said Father Eckstein of the yearly renewal of ordination promises at the liturgy. “It gives you a little boost to do that again and commit for another year.”

Father Eckstein in retirement lives in the home in Ripley County in which he grew up that is adjacent to St. Nicholas Parish there.

Transitional Deacon Isaac Siefker said that in the hours leading up to the chrism Mass, his upcoming priestly ordination on June 7 in the cathedral was “the only thing I’ve been able to think about.

“I look out at the chairs, guessing which one I’ll be sitting in, imagining laying on the floor,” said Deacon Sieker, who has been ministering at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Beech Grove since December. “Just being here today has gotten me super excited.”

He will be ordained a priest alongside transitional deacons Thomas Day and Liam Hosty.

Deacon Siefker, a member of St. John the Apostle Parish in Bloomington, noted that this year’s chrism Mass was the ninth one he had taken part in as a seminarian. He laughed as he recalled one year when seminarians at the Mass stood up when the priests rose to renew their ordination promises and Father Eric Augenstein, archdiocesan director of seminarians, quickly told them, “ ‘Sit back down. You’re not priests yet.’

“This is the last year that I have to remember to stay seated, because next year I’ll be standing with the priests,” Deacon Siefker said.

For Father Armbruster, attending the chrism Mass to renew ordination promises alongside priests like Father Eckstein and seeing men about to make them like Deacon Siefker is a good reminder of the bond he shares with priests serving across central and southern Indiana.

“When you spend most of the time in the parish, you don’t really realize the brotherhood of the priesthood until you’re here seeing something like this,” Father Armbruster said. “Then you realize that it’s much bigger than you thought it was.”

Worshipping alongside so many priests serving in the archdiocese is one of the high points of the chrism Mass for Rose Johnson, coordinator of religious education at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bloomington, who has made the liturgy an important part of her experience of Holy Week for many years.

She said the presence of so many priests is a powerful witness of how “they have given their lives to be in Jesus’ service.”

For Johnson, the chrism Mass is also a break in all of her busy planning for the Easter Vigil at St. Charles. She oversees the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) at the parish, this year leading 15 adults and six children into the full communion of the Church.

“It’s a time for me to stop and take a breath and just soak in and appreciate everything that’s going on in our preparations for Holy Week,” Johnson said.

A central part of the chrism Mass also is the blessing by Archbishop Thompson of oils used in sacraments and the consecration of churches and altars in the archdiocese.

The oil of catechumens is used in baptism. The oil of the infirm is used in the anointing of the sick. And sacred chrism is used in baptism, confirmation, holy orders and the consecration of churches and altars.

Johnson was excited to see Archbishop Thompson bless the oils that would be used in the sacraments to lead those taking part in OCIA at St. Charles into the full communion of the Church.

“It’s a good connection between the archbishop and the sacraments that the people will be receiving,” she said. “It means a lot to me.”

Johnson’s 15-year-old daughter Elena has been attending the chrism Mass with her mother throughout her life. This year, she received the blessed oils for St. Charles alongside Catholics from across the archdiocese who received the oils for their faith communities.

“It’s a great honor,” Elena said. “We actually get to see where the chrism that blesses all the people who are baptized and are confirmed comes from. It’s special to see it blessed.”

Johnson was glad to come to the chrism Mass with her daughter and to pray alongside Catholic laity, religious, deacons and priests from across central and southern Indiana.

“We’re united as one,” she said. “There’s something visual about it. I love seeing the Church together, seeing so many people who are part of our living Church.” †
 

(Related: See a photo gallery from the Mass)