The Chrism Mass at Shrewsbury Cathedral
Each year in Holy Week, Bishop Mark Davies celebrates the Chrism Mass at Shrewsbury Cathedral. He blesses the Oil of the Sick and the Oil of the Catechumens, and consecrates the Oil of Chrism. Priests of the diocese gather to renew their priestly commitment. Lay representatives come from across Shropshire, Cheshire, the Wirral and Greater Manchester to receive the new oils for use in their parishes through the coming year.
The Cathedral parish administers the distribution of oils on behalf of the diocese. This guide tells parish priests, parish secretaries and sacristans how to plan and collect.
You and I might go on pilgrimage to many places on earth, even the sites of Our Lord's birth and death and Resurrection, and places where Our Lady has called us to pray, yet all of these places lead us to the altar and tabernacle of the lowliest church on earth. We are to find in the Eucharist the Church's entire spiritual wealth, Christ Himself, so we will never have far to go to find him.
That passage from Bishop Davies' Chrism Mass homily is the reason this annual collection matters. The oils carry the Bishop's blessing into every parish, hospital, school and care home in the diocese, so the sacraments can be celebrated wherever they are needed.
Annual reorder
Parishes order new oils every year. The previous year's oils are not reused after the new ones are consecrated. Old oils are reverently disposed of, normally by burning the cotton wool in the sacrarium fire or absorbing the residue in clean earth.
The order is placed by the parish priest or his nominated sacristan. There is no need to order quantities precisely; the diocese plans for typical parish use and the Cathedral team will issue:
- A small stock of Oil of the Sick for the anointing of the sick and Viaticum.
- A small stock of Oil of the Catechumens for the anointing during the catechumenate and at infant baptism.
- A small stock of Oil of Chrism for confirmation, the baptism of infants and the anointing at ordination.
Parishes preparing large numbers of candidates for confirmation, or with several attached chapels, can request a larger allocation of Chrism in advance.
How to place the order
- By the start of Lent, send an email to the Cathedral parish at admin@shrewsburycathedral.org.uk with the subject line "Holy oils order: [parish name]".
- State the parish name, postcode and the name of the person who will collect.
- Note any larger-than-usual need (for example, a large confirmation cohort, an OCIA group of more than ten, or a chaplaincy attached to your parish).
- Confirm the date you will collect. The Cathedral team will offer a window after the Chrism Mass.
- For any question, telephone 01743 290000 or write to admin@shrewsburycathedral.org.uk. The Cathedral address is Cathedral, Town Walls, Shrewsbury, SY1 1UE.
How to collect
Collection is straightforward. Bring three small, clean, labelled containers, or buy a standard three-vial set from a Catholic supplier. Cathedral staff will fill the vials from the larger urns blessed at the Mass. Do not bring household oil bottles, decorative jars or anything that might be mistaken for ordinary cooking oil.
Many parishes send a deacon, parish secretary or member of the sacristy team. Some parish priests collect personally on the way home from the Chrism Mass. The Cathedral team is happy with either approach, provided someone is named in advance and the timing is agreed.
Storage in the parish
The oils are stored in the ambry, a small lockable cabinet usually located near the baptismal font. If your parish does not have an ambry, ask a local craftsperson to make one. The diocesan template hire-and-faculty process applies to any built-in ambry; small free-standing cabinets do not need a faculty.
A new ambry is blessed before first use. The blessing is in the Book of Blessings and is normally given by the parish priest. If you would like Bishop Davies, or one of the Vicars General, Canon Jonathan Brandon or Canon Michael Gannon, to come to the parish for the blessing, write to curia@dioceseofshrewsbury.org several months ahead.
Pastoral care of the oils
Sacristans should check the oils each month. Top up cotton wool in the stock vials carried for sick calls. Replace any vial that has been dropped, contaminated or left in a hot car. If you run out before the next Chrism Mass, contact the Cathedral on 01743 290000 and a small top-up can usually be arranged.
The diocese, charity 234025, asks parishes to consider a small offering towards the cost of the oils, vials and the Cathedral's annual outlay. Cheques should be made payable to Shrewsbury Cathedral.
The Chrism Mass each Holy Week is a reminder that the sacramental life of the diocese has a single source: the Bishop, gathered with his priests around the altar of the Cathedral. From there, the oils travel out to every parish, where they continue Bishop Davies' ministry of healing, initiation and consecration through the year.
