Tag: Priests

This week, the world watched and mourned as Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was damaged in a fire.
The following morning, I attended a Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.

I had planned to attend the Mass already. The Chrism Mass, for those of you who don’t know, is a Mass celebrated during Holy Week in which the local priests come together with their local Bishop to renew their ordination vows and then bless the three Holy Oils used for sacraments throughout the year. The oils are the Chrism oil – a pine scented oil used for Confirmation, Baptism, and Holy Orders; the Oil of Catechumens, also used in Baptism; and the Oil of the Sick, used to anoint the sick and aged. This Mass is celebrated in dioceses all over the world, and at each of those Masses, local priests gather to collect those oils to bring home to their parish.
It is a beautiful Mass.

At the Chrism Mass in Boston, almost 300 priests, deacons, and seminarians joined with our local bishops to celebrate. It is an amazing sight to see so many ordained men come together, wearing their white chasubles, sitting together and with the seminarians who will hopefully be priests themselves soon. The men process in and recess out together in an impressive flow of white fabric and eager smiles.

Adding to the beauty of the Mass was the Cathedral in which it was celebrated. The Cathedral of the Holy Cross has only just been renovated – and it’s restoration has made her once again a magnificent homage to the Sacraments she contains.
It is no small thing to stand in a building designed so beautifully and restored so lovingly. Every corner of the building is meant to glorify God in all three persons, as well as the religion that He founded.

Standing in that Cathedral with hundreds of ordained and religious – people who have dedicated their whole lives to Christ – was humbling. Especially knowing that at the very same moment, people all over the world were mourning for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

I have never been to Notre Dame. I do hope to go one day – God grant that it be restored soon enough that I will be able to see it. But even the most magnificent buildings – like these two Cathedrals – are only “things”. Even those treasured relics they contain are only “things”. Yes – even the Crown of Thorns and the pieces from the True Cross are mere things. If they were destroyed – the Catholic Faith could continue.

So what is more important than these things? The Sacraments! The Eucharist. The Sacrament of the Altar. The priesthood. Yes- the priesthood! The uninterrupted apostolic succession which allows these men – once ordained – to change mere bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of Christ.
Jesus himself established the Eucharist, and ordained his successors, and through them established the Catholic Church.
The buildings in which we celebrate this Faith can glorify it, but not contain it!

Notre Dame has burned. What was once magnificent has broken and become ugly.
Holy Cross has been restored. What was once worn is now renewed.

And what of the Catholic Faith? What of the Priesthood?

The Catholic Church has had a disreputable history, and in recent years many have left the Church, citing the heinous acts of some terrible men.
The priesthood is tarnished. But I believe it can be restored!
Let the restoration of Notre Dame and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross mirror the restoration of the priesthood.

These men who gathered together this week for the Chrism Mass have already weathered scandal. Boston was rocked by it many years ago, even before many of these men entered the seminary. The former glory of the Church was stripped back to expose the ugliness of sin and corruption that was rotting it from the inside, and we are actively working to strip that away too. Because underneath that rot is a strong and true foundation! There is still faith and love and honor – in the pews and in the priesthood, and in the Catholic Church herself. The Church and her sacraments are still pure, despite the sinful nature of many of the men and women meant to serve Her.
These men, who at times may have felt ashamed of their own collars because of the sins of their brothers, still came together this week to unite in the renewal of their priestly vows, and to bless the very oils that they will use in their own churches throughout the year!

So all of you who mourn Notre Dame – remember her beauty and pray for her renewal!
But for all of its beauty – Notre Dame was a mere structure.
Honor what she contained and give yourself a chance to know the Catholic Faith.

Go to your own local churches – your parish churches and chapels and local Cathedrals. Meet your priests and introduce yourself. Know the men who contain and serve the Church. Know them. Learn from them. Help them. Attend Mass. Celebrate the Sacraments. Confess your sins. And encourage the young men in your life to open themselves up to the possibility of the seminary!!!
Be the best example of the Catholic faith that you can be, and if we all do that we can restore the Catholic Church to what she was meant to be!

The Catholic Church has gone through some ugly times, but together, we can restore her.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•