11.00 a.m.
Tuesday 4 April
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo
This beautiful solemn Mass is a celebration of our entire Sandhurst Community. It gathers priests, professed religious and laity from every parish of the Diocese to be witness to Christ and, with Bishop Shane, unite as one perse people of God. All people in Sandhurst are strongly encouraged to attend.
The Chrism Mass, also known as the Mass of the Holy Oils, is essential to the sacramental life of the local Church. During the Chrism Mass representatives from all forty parishes of the Diocese will bring oils to the altar. Bishop Shane will bless the oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick; and consecrate the oil of holy chrism. Representatives from every parish will then take these three holy oils back to their parish to be used in sacraments throughout the year.
During the Mass, clergy of the Diocese will renew their priestly vows, professed religious sisters and brothers will renew their vows, and lay people will resolve to live out their baptism, taking on missionary responsibility of worship, witness and works in their families, communities, and society.
This year, Bishop Shane will also commission the Members of the Sandhurst Mission and Pastoral Council, a significant milestone in our Diocese’s synodal story.
Each year in Holy Week, the Chrism Mass is celebrated in Cathedrals in every one of the 2900 dioceses of the Global Church. At each Mass, ancient rituals are employed to bless and consecrate the Holy Oils to be used in tens of thousands of parishes over the year.
Deeply symbolic, the Chrism Mass provides a rare opportunity to gather with people from all parishes in worship. Your attendance in person is strongly encouraged.
For those who are unable to attend, the Mass will be livestreamed via the diocesan website, YouTube Channel and Facebook page.
To learn more about the Chrism Mass, please refer to the following stories:
• The Mass of the Holy Oils during Holy Week, by Paul Taylor
• Sandhurst Gathers for Chrism Mass 2021 (this features a photo gallery).
