27: Oils used in the sacraments

There are three oils used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and Sacrament of the sick.  All three oils are blessed at the Chrism Mass by the Bishop and then each priest collects some to use during the following year.

The image below shows letters on each bottle, these represent Latin words.

OC = oleum catechumenorum is used for adult catechumens and infants.
OI = oleum infirmorum is used for anointing the sick of the parish, this may be before or after an operation or when someone is seriously ill.   
SC = sacrum chrisma is used by the clergy for baptism, confirmation, the ordination of priests and bishops or in the consecration of altars.

These same letters are engraved on the top of the oils in the Cathedral.

27 Oil of Catechumens

Oils blessed at the Chrism Mass

Oil is a sign of strength and it also helps things to move smoothly. The oil of catechumens is used to prepare and strengthen a person for their baptism and so to help them in their life as a follower of Jesus.  It is one of three oils used in the sacraments.  The deacons carry the three oils.  The deacon wearing the white vestment carries the oil of catechumens.  

Deacons who carry the oils during Chrism Mass

CCC 1237 Since Baptism signifies liberation from sin and from its instigator the devil, one or more exorcisms are pronounced over the candidate. The celebrant then anoints him with the oil of catechumens, or lays his hands on him, and he explicitly renounces Satan. Thus prepared, he is able to confess the faith of the Church, to which he will be "entrusted" by Baptism.


The deacon wearing the green vestment carries the oil of chrism and the oil of the sick is carried by the deacon wearing purple.

25 Holy Water: sprinkling

Holy water is water that has been blessed by a priest or bishop. It is kept in the baptismal font and is used in baptism as a sign of cleansing and new life –  new life as a follower of Jesus and a member of the Church family. An earlier post included information about the holy water stoup, today we talk about a vessel used to sprinkle water during a service, see the Bishop at the Easter vigil and Pope Francis 1 below.

Aspersory and Aspergillium

This holy water is also used by the priest to sprinkle the people before the beginning of Mass. He will have a pail-like vessel called an "aspersory" to hold the holy water, and into this he will dip a stick called an "aspergillum" (or an "aspergill"). The aspergillum has holes in it to catch droplets of the water, and the priest's swinging it toward the congregation causes the drops of water to fly out. This blessing of the congregation before Mass is called "Aspérges" and the accompanying, chanted words come from Psalm 50:

Aspérges me, Domine, hyssopo, et mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbador. Miserére mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam

Thou shalt sprinke me, O Lord, with hyssop and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy

Pope Francis 1 sprinkling with an aspergillium

26 Baptismal rite

There are several parts to the rite of Baptism:

The sign of the cross is traced on the forehead of the person being baptised. This reminds us that Jesus' death and resurrection is at the heart of our faith.

 Water is poured over the head of the person being baptised. Water is a sign of the new life we are beginning with Jesus as members of the Church. It also reminds us of how Moses led the Israelites on their escape from Egypt and how he parted the waters of the Red Sea as he led God's people away from slavery and into the Promised Land. 

The words of Baptism, “I baptise you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” are spoken while the water is poured over the person's head. These words remind us of our belief in the Trinity and its importance in our journey of faith.

 Anointing with the oil of chrism reminds us that we are chosen and set-apart to carry out a special ask for God – to be carriers of his love and light to others. Oil is also a sign of strength and we ask for God's help while we strive to become more like Jesus.

A white garment is wrapped around the person being baptised and this symbolises that the person has 'put on Christ' and is trying to be more like Christ.

Finally a candle (Baptism candle) is lit from the Paschal Candle and this represents the one true light of Christ, a light to guide the new believer throughout his or her life. 

A short clip of a longer DVD about Baptism.  All parishes will have their own Baptism programme and parents seeking baptism for their child, or adults seeking baptism for themselves should speak to the priest or catechists at their church.

26 Rite of Baptism

At Baptism, a person becomes a member of the Church family and is committed to following the teachings of Jesus. A person may be baptised at any age and the sacrament is only celebrated once. 

Baptistry at Lancaster Cathedral

CCC 1234 The meaning and grace of the sacrament of Baptism are clearly seen in the rites of its celebration. By following the gestures and words of this celebration with attentive participation, the faithful are initiated into the riches this sacrament signifies and actually brings about in each newly baptised person.

25 Holy Water stoups

Holy Water stoup at entrance
'My house is a house of prayer' 

Holy Water stoup

Holy water is water that has been blessed by a priest or bishop. It is kept in the baptismal font and is used in baptism as a sign of cleansing and new life –  new life as a follower of Jesus and a member of the Church family. 

A small quantity of holy water is also kept near the entrance to Church. On entering the Church, people dip their fingers into the holy water and make the sign of the cross. 

This is a reminder of our baptism and our commitment to following Jesus. Water is usually blessed at the Easter Vigil and this is then used to refresh the water in the font and the holy water stoups. 

25 Holy Water - Blessing of water

Bishop Michael Campbell
blessing the water at the Easter Vigil 20113

Water is usually blessed at the Easter Vigil and this is then used to refresh the water in the font and the holy water stoup. 

Images from the Easter Vigil at the Cathedral show the Bishop blessing the water in the Baptistery and then afterwards sprinkling the people with the water he has just blessed.


Blessing of Water

Lord our God, in your mercy be present to your people who keep vigil on this most sacred night, and for us who recall the wondrous work of our creation and the still greater work of our redemption, graciously bless this water.For you created water to make the fields fruitful and to refresh and cleanse our bodies. You also made water the instrument of your mercy, for through water you freed your people from slavery and quenched their thirst in the desert; through water the Prophets proclaimed the new covenant you were to enter upon with the human race; and last of all, through water, which Christ made holy in the Jordan, you have renewed our corrupted nature in the  bath of regeneration.  Therefore, may this water be for us a memorial of the Baptism which we have received, and grant that we may share i the gladness of our brothers and sisters, who at Easter have received their Baptism.  Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Campbell sprinkles with holy water

24 Paschal Candle: 2012

Paschal Candle 2012

showing Christ the King

Although the catechism doesn't have a specific reference to the Paschal candle there are a number of paragraphs that mention the paschal sacrifice.  They help us to understand something of the paschal mystery.  

CCC 2748
In this Paschal and sacrificial prayer, everything is recapitulated in Christ: God and the world; the Word and the flesh; eternal life and time; the love that hands itself over and the sin that betrays it; the disciples present and those who will believe in him by their word; humiliation and glory. It is the prayer of unity.

The word "paschal" is the equivalent of Greek "pascha" which comes from the Aramaic "pasḥā" and Hebrew "pesaḥ", meaning "the passing over" which reminds us of the passover (cf. Ex 12:13.23.27)

Another example of a paschal candle from the Cathedral.  If any readers would like to get in touch and send us a copy of their Paschal candle and perhaps a memory of their Easter Vigil please get in touch.