Chrism Mass tomorrow

The priests of the Baker Diocese at the 2014 Chrism Mass

The annual Chrism Mass will be held at the Cathedral in Baker City on Thursday, March 26. All the priests will be gathering with their Bishop Liam Cary for the consecration of the Sacred Oils to be used for Baptisms, Confirmations, Ordinations and Anointing of the Sick The priests will also renew their vows to their Bishop. Traditionally this ceremony takes place on Holy Thursday itself, but since all the priests here in Eastern Oregon have to travel hundreds of miles to get to Baker City, it is always done a week earlier. 

The priests gather with their Bishop on the steps of the Cathedral

This is one of three occasions when the priests gather together and enjoy camaraderie, a nice meal hosted by the Baker City Parish and especially for me, a day to visit my former parish and meet some of my old parishioners. The other two occasions are the annual Retreat, held two weeks after Easter, and the Clergy Assembly held in October