Blessing of the Chrism Oil
Date: March 23, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question: 1) If oils to be blessed by the bishop during the Chrism Mass were pre-packaged and pre-mixed prior to the blessing of the oils, would they actually be blessed when the bishop prayed the prayers over them at the Mass? 2) During the Chrism Mass, the bishop makes the sign of the cross and breathes into an urn containing the sacred oil. His breath represents the invocation of the Spirit upon the oil. If a bishop fails to breathe on the oil, would that invalidate the oil? And if so, would that invalidate the ordinations and confirmations at which the oil was used?
The Jerusalem Catechesis for Friday of the octave of Easter in the Liturgy of Hours states: "The oil of gladness which Christ was anointed was a spiritual oil; it was in fact the Holy Spirit Himself, who is called the oil of gladness because He is the source of spiritual joy. But we too have been anointed with oil, and by this anointing we have entered into fellowship with Christ and received a share in His life. Beware of thinking that this holy oil is simply ordinary oil and nothing else. After the invocation of the Spirit, it is no longer ordinary oil but the gift of Christ, and by the presence of His divinity it becomes the instrument through which we receive the Holy Spirit. While symbolically, on our foreheads and senses, our bodies are anointed with this oil that we see, our souls are sanctified by the holy and life-giving Spirit."
So, would it be true that if there is no invocation of the Holy Spirit when the oil is blessed, then the oil remains ordinary and not spiritual oil that is intended to be used through the sacraments as an outward sign depart grace? — E.K., Little River, Kansas
Answer: Although the blessing of the holy oils is not a sacrament, it should be carried out correctly insofar as the blessed oils are the necessary matter for the sacraments of confirmation and the anointing of the sick and, in the case of the chrism, only that blessed by a bishop is valid matter for the sacrament.
The question involves which parts of the rites of blessing are necessary for the blessing to take effect.
Our reader first asks whether prepared chrism may be blessed. The answer to this question is affirmative.
In No. 278 of the Ceremonial of Bishops we read:
“For the blessing of oils the following preparations are made in addition to what is needed for the celebration of a stational Mass: a. In the vesting room or some other convenient place:
-- vessels of oil;
-- balsam or perfume for the preparation of the chrism, if the bishop wishes to mix the chrism during the liturgical service ….”
Later we find this expression in No. 282:
“Then the bishop sits in the chair, wearing the miter. The deacons and ministers appointed to carry the oils or, in their absence, some priests and ministers, together with the faithful who will carry the bread and the wine and water, go in procession to the vesting room (sacristy) or other place where the oils and other offerings have been prepared. Returning to the altar, they follow this order: first, the minister carrying the vessel of balsam, if the bishop wishes to mix the chrism; then the minister with the vessel for the oil of catechumens, if it is to be blessed; the minister with the vessel for the oil of the sick; lastly a deacon or presbyter carrying the oil for the chrism. The ministers or faithful who carry the bread and the wine and water for the celebration of the eucharist follow them.”
The rite of blessing for the oil of the sick is usually done before the conclusion of the Eucharistic Prayer. The blessings of the oil of catechumens and chrism is described thus:
“286. After the prayer after communion, the deacons place the oil of catechumens to be blessed and the chrism to be consecrated on a table that has been placed in the center of the sanctuary (chancel).
“287. The bishop and the concelebrants go to the table with the deacons and ministers. The bishop stands facing the people, and the concelebrating presbyters stand around him on either side, in a semicircle, and the deacons and other ministers stand behind him.
“288. When everything.is. ready, the bishop proceeds to the blessing of the oil of catechumens, if it is to be blessed. Without the miter, he stands facing the people and, with hands outstretched, says the prayer ‘Lord God, protector of all who believe in you ….’
“289. Then the bishop sits, wearing the miter, and pours the balsam or perfume into the oil and in silence mixes the chrism, unless this has been done beforehand.
“290. Without the miter, he stands and sings or says the invitation ‘Let us pray that God….’ As circumstances suggest, he may then breathe over the vessel of chrism. Then, with hands outstretched, he says one of the consecratory prayers. At the words ‘And so, Father, we ask you,’ until the end of the consecratory prayer, all the concelebrants hold the right hand outstretched toward the chrism without saying anything.”
Therefore, since the bishop may choose not to mix the chrism during the liturgical service, and that the rituals foresee the possibility of the chrism being mixed beforehand, then blessing preprepared chrism has no effect on the validity of the blessing itself.
Likewise, as per No. 290, breathing on the oils is also a facultative rite that would not affect the valid use of the chrism.
It is true that the rite of breathing on the oils is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, who blew over the face of the waters before creation (Genesis 1:2b), and of the risen Jesus, who appeared to his disciples and breathed on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit …”(John 20, 22-23). But while this symbol enriches the rite, it is not essential to obtain its effect.
The Holy Spirit consecrates this oil through the bishop’s invocation. The bishop may choose either of two consecratory prayers, both of which make abundant reference to the sending of the Holy Spirit. It is the prayer, and not the gesture of breathing, that consecrates the chrism and which makes it the spiritual oil found in the Jerusalem Catechesis cited by our reader.
In an emergency any bishop could consecrate new chrism even outside the usual times. However, it must be a bishop. Canon law does not foresee a delegation to priests for consecrating chrism.
Finally, we address the hypothetical case of the use of invalid and unconsecrated chrism for the sacraments.
In the case of a priestly ordination there would be a ritual defect, but it would not affect the validity of ordination as the essential rites are the imposition of hands and the consecratory prayer. The anointing of hands forms part of the complementary rites.
Things would be different in the case of confirmation since anointing by properly blessed chrism forms part of the essential matter of the sacrament. In such a case the confirmation would be invalid and the rite would have to be repeated.
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