BRAINTREE -- Archbishop Richard G. Henning celebrated the annual Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on April 15.

At the Mass, traditionally held in the Archdiocese of Boston on the Tuesday of Holy Week, the sacramental oils are consecrated that will be used to administer sacraments in parishes and shrines throughout the archdiocese in the coming year: the oil of the catechumens, used during baptism; the oil of the infirm, used to anoint the sick; and the sacred chrism, used for baptisms, confirmations, ordinations, and the dedication of churches and altars.

The Mass is also seen as a day of gathering and fraternity for the archdiocese's priests. Hundreds of priests, deacons, religious, and seminarians were in the assembly for this year's Chrism Mass.

"It is a joyful thing we do here today," Archbishop Henning said in his homily, "as we bless the holy oils and consecrate the chrism. And of course, on this day, to remember the importance of the sick and wounded in our midst. And not only are we called to attend to them, but we are called to understand the witness that they give to us."

Archbishop Henning said the Chrism Mass is a time to praise God for the sacraments, gifts he has given to the church.

"These are all beautiful things, things that should fill our hearts with a sense of contentment and peace, with the desire to serve the Lord and each other," he said.

Referring to the priests as his "brothers gathered here," the archbishop added: "It is a beautiful thing to see here now in this church. And it will be a thing of deep meaning to stand with you and renew our promise."

Every year at the Chrism Mass, the archdiocese's priests renew their ordination promises.

"They're kind of our mission statement," Archbishop Henning said about the priestly promises. "They speak of our call to feed the people of God with the Word of God, with the life of God. They speak of our call to teach and proclaim and live the Word of God. They speak of our call to pray with unceasing interceding for the people we love and serve. Maybe, most important of all, they speak of our call to be united to Christ, so that we become what we have a privilege to offer on the altar."

The archbishop said he has "long been moved by the fact that," during Mass, priests speak in Christ's voice: "This is my body."

"I say this to ask us to double down on the renewal of our word," Archbishop Henning said. "God is working in our life. We can't make it happen. That's the grace of God, but he calls us to walk with his people, and we have the privilege of participating in what he is doing."

He said that in his time visiting parishes and schools throughout the archdiocese, he has seen more and more young people coming to church because they view it as an antidote to "how empty our materialistic culture has become." This includes more young men discerning vocations to the priesthood.

Archbishop Henning recalled celebrating the Chrism Mass in his former Diocese of Providence on April 14. He spoke about vocations in his homily and said two men approached him afterward. One said he planned to apply to the seminary; the other wanted to discuss it.

"Two for one Mass; (a) ten-minute homily. It doesn't take much," Archbishop Henning said.

He said that priests and vocation directors could similarly encourage the young men in their midst to consider the priesthood.

"Speak the invitation," the archbishop said, "but above all, show in your life as a priest the beauty and goodness of the Lord's grace."

After the homily, Archbishop Henning led the priests in renewing their promises and asked the assembly to pray for their priests. Vicar General Bishop Mark O'Connell read the names of all of the priests who died since last year's Chrism Mass, and the assembly was asked to pray for them as well as the priests who were ordained or incardinated in the past year.

Archbishop Henning then asked the assembly to pray for him before consecrating the sacramental oils.

After Mass, Archbishop Henning thanked Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston for attending the Chrism Mass, which he does annually as a show of ecumenical solidarity between Boston's Catholic and Orthodox communities. It is also tradition for the Archbishop of Boston to attend the metropolis' Easter vigil.

"Your pastoral leadership here in the Boston region is extraordinary, and I desire to wish you and to your people every blessing," the archbishop said to the metropolitan.

This year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which determined the date of Easter. However, because the Catholic Church later adopted the Gregorian calendar while the Orthodox Church remained using the Julian calendar, the two churches rarely celebrate Easter on the same day. This year, however, both will observe Easter on April 20.

In recent decades, ecumenical dialogue has been ongoing to restore a common date of Easter as an important step towards Christian unity.

In his own remarks at the beginning of the Mass, Metropolitan Methodios underscored this goal.

"This week, 1,700 years later, we celebrate Easter together," the metropolitan said. "Something we should do every year."

The assembly responded with applause.

"Your Excellency, the few weeks that you are here, and we had the chance to speak, I saw in you a man of faith, a man of vision, and a man of love," Metropolitan Methodios said. "Today, before you, you have about 1,000 priests that love you and respect you, and are going to work with you at your direction to serve the beloved people of this archdiocese. May God grant you many years, Excellency, and may the next time I come to the pulpit, I will address you as Eminence and cardinal."