58 Following Christ the King

On Sunday, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, this is the last day of the Year of Faith.  We are reminded in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that: 

Dove a symbol of the Holy Spirit
flying above a Baptismal font
On entrance to Baptistry Lancaster Cathedral

CCC 783 Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.

CCC 1546 Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, priests for his God and Father." The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ's mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are "consecrated to be . . . a holy priesthood."

When we are baptised we are anointed with Chrism, which is used again at Confirmation when the gifts of the Holy Spirit are confirmed.  As this year of faith comes to an end we are still called to consider how we will respond to God's call to us to be priest, prophet and king.  

 What will you do?

46 Book of the Gospels

The Book of the Gospels contains the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and is used during Mass when the priest or deacon proclaims the Gospel. There may be a procession with the Book ofGospels from the altar to the ambo (the place of reading) and incense may be used to honour the Gospel. This reminds us of the importance of listening to God's Word, spoken to us through the Gospel. As we listen with open hearts, we learn more about Jesus, his teachings and example. Jesus shows us the way to God our Father and this is why it is so important to listen to the Gospel and reflect on what God may be saying to us.

CCC 125 The Gospels are the heart of all the Scriptures "because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Saviour".

The Book of Gospels held over Bishop Michael's head during his ordination
This symbolises the centrality of the Gospel in the life of a bishop. A bishop's calling
as a successor of the Apostles is rooted in the Gospel; his duty is to preach the Gospel
faithfully and fearlessly; his own life of faith must always be founded on what God
 has revealed to us in Christ.  To read more of ordination

40 Bishop's Chair

Cathedra 

:Lancaster University Cathedra

CCC 1184 The chair of the bishop (cathedra) or that of the priest "should express his office of presiding over the assembly and of directing prayer."

The lectern (ambo): "The dignity of the Word of God requires the church to have a suitable place for announcing his message so that the attention of the people may be easily directed to that place during the liturgy of the Word."

Since it became a Cathedral, Lancaster has had two Cathedra, news of the original wooden Cathedra which was first used 12th February 1928 were reported on in Billington's Blog

Original Cathedra

The current Cathedra (above) was installed when the Cathedral was reordered.  To read more about what a diocese is called when there is no Bishop see a post on the original Cathedral Blog

For the  past two years when the Bishop has confirmed people it is whilst sitting in the Cathedra that he anoints them.

Bishop Michael Campbell
sitting in Cathedra

36 First Holy Communion Certificate

CCC 1244 First Holy Communion. Having become a child of God clothed with the wedding garment, the neophyte is admitted "to the marriage supper of the Lamb" and receives the food of the new life, the body and blood of Christ. 

The Eastern Churches maintain a lively awareness of the unity of Christian initiation by giving Holy Communion to all the newly baptized and confirmed, even little children, recalling the Lord's words: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them." 

The Latin Church, which reserves admission to Holy Communion to those who have attained the age of reason, expresses the orientation of Baptism to the Eucharist by having the newly baptized child brought to the altar for the praying of the Our Father.

This short video has the account of two people's First Holy Communion, St Josemaria Escriva, whose feast day is on 26th June and from 1 minute 30 seconds Pope Benedict XVI who talked to young children about his First Holy Communion.   

34 History and Litanies to Sacred heart of Jesus

History and further details of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
A litany is a list of petitions, we often pray the litany of saints, where we name the saints and ask them to pray for us.  In the following litanies to the Sacred Heart the petitions tell us something about the love Jesus has for each one of us and something about the what He has done for us.

A modern litany to the Sacred heart of words and images
The litany is spoken with a modern hymn of praise in the background

A litany in words and pictures to read
with 18th century plainchant in background

A parish praying the litany last 4 mins
followed by talk by
Redemptorist Missionary on power of prayer

Please pray for the young people in the Cathedral parish who will receive their First Holy Communion on Sunday 16th June.

31 Chrism and Ordination

Chrism is used in three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation and ordination. 

In 2008, our current Bishop, Michael Campbell, OSA was ordained as Bishop.  As part of the ordination rite, his head was anointed with the oil of Chrism. At priestly ordination, the hands are anointed; for a bishop, the anointing is on the head. Anointing has long been a sign of being chosen by God for a particular task - in the Old Testament, kings and priests are anointed in God's name. For Christians, it also shows how we are to be like Christ (the word 'Christ' literally means 'anointed one'.) After the anointing, Bishop Michael was presented with the Book of the Gospels, with the words:

"Receive the Gospel and preach the Word of God with unfailing patience and sound teaching".

Gospel held above Bishop Michael Campbell's head 

For further images and details of the rite of ordination which was reported at the time.

31 Blessing Oil of Chrism

The oil of Chrism is blessed in the Chrism Mass.  It is blessed by the Bishop who will use it for confirmations as he travels round the diocese.  It will also be used in Baptism.  Below are photographs from the Chrism Mass 2013.  

 

The Deacon wearing a green Dalmatic (vestment which is a sign of service) brought forward the ampullae which is the name of the large jug that holds the oil. The Bishop then adds balsam which is a sweet smelling liquid.

CCC 1241 The anointing with sacred chrism, perfumed oil consecrated by the bishop, signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptized, who has become a Christian, that is, one "anointed" by the Holy Spirit, incorporated into Christ who is anointed priest, prophet, and king.


After this the Bishop blows over the oil and then raises his hands as he says a prayer to call down the Holy Spirit

. 

31 Oil of Chrism

The Oil of Chrism is used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination. It is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit and it reminds us that the one who is being anointed has been chosen by God for a particular job. 

In Baptism, anointing with the oil of chrism reminds us of the call to follow Jesus as a Christian. In Confirmation the oil of chrism reminds us of the call to share the good news of Jesus' life with others by being a witness to Christ. A witness is a person who knows something about a person or event and shares that knowledge. We are called to share what we know about Jesus with others, through what we say and how we behave. 

When the oil of chrism is used at ordination, it reminds us that the priest is called to represent Jesus in the world and particularly at the altar when he celebrates Mass.

Priests collecting oils of
Chrism, Catechumens and Sick

When are the oils blessed?

The oils are all blessed at the Chrism Mass which in the Lancaster Diocese happens in the morning of Maundy Thursday.  At this Mass the priests of the diocese renew their vows and the Bishop blesses the three oils that they will use in the sacraments in the year ahead.

Here the priests are collecting their oil after the Chrism Mass in 2010.  Later this week we'll look at the blessing of Chrism, which is the 'sweet smelling oil' used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and for the consecration of altars.

For earlier postings about the other oils 

Oil of Catechumens

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.