Lancaster: Bishop Campbell's Chrism Mass Homily

Bishop Michael Campbell

Bishop Michael Campbell gave the following homily during the Chrism Mass at St Peter's Cathedral on 2 April 2015

My dear brother priests, we gather today for this Chrism Mass to give thanks to God for the gift of the ministerial priesthood to his Church in which we share, and also to bless the oil of the sick, the oil of catechumens, and the oil of chrism with which in Christ's name you will anoint his faithful people, especially in baptism and in the sacrament of the sick. As the Father anointed his Son with the Holy Spirit and sent him into the world, you also have been anointed with the same Spirit and have been sent forth to proclaim the gospel in all its fullness.

The mandate from Christ you received on the day of your priestly ordination remains as valid today as it was then. Those now familiar readings from Sacred Scripture set for us the context of our priestly ministry. The passage from the prophet Isaiah was clearly close to Christ's heart and he chose it as the agenda for his life's work on earth. He was sent to bring words of comfort and healing to the world, to mend broken hearts, and to ease the burdens on the shoulders of those weighed down by the cares of life. He came to reassure people that things were ultimately going to be alright, because they have a Father in heaven who cares deeply for every single one of them. He came to tell us that God's kingdom is very near; and his proclamation of the presence and the reality of a loving Father constitute the very heart of the Gospel.

As your bishop I give thanks to God today for your priestly ministry on behalf of his people in the diocese of Lancaster. Each one of you has sought to personally incarnate the priesthood of Jesus Christ in the different parishes in which you have found yourself. I see this for myself as I go around the parishes, particularly in schools and my visits to the sick of the parish. Your familiar presence and pastoral ministry is greatly treasured and much appreciated. You are a living icon of the presence of Christ among his people.

The book of the Apocalypse describes Christ as 'the faithful witness'; like him, you too are his faithful priestly witnesses, living signs of his care and mercy for his people. "The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, 'Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing'." (Luke 4:21)

We often feel today that we are in the public eye, that we are the focus of attention especially in a liturgical setting. But we do have something worthwhile to say for the scriptures continue to be fulfilled through our priestly ministry. In Isaiah's words, "You will be named 'priests of the Lord', they will call you 'ministers of our God.' " We have the riches of the gospel to offer, treasures which are ever old and ever new. So each time, brother priests, we exercise any of our priestly activities the gospel of Christ is again being fulfilled.

We pray in this Mass that Christ the high priest and faithful witness will sustain us to the end as his ministers. Amen. +Michael G Campbell OSA Bishop of Lancaster