Pope Francis presided over the Chrism Mass for Holy Thursday and asked priests to avoid divisions

He Pope Francisco today he presided over the Chrism mass with which the so-called Paschal Triduum opens, with which the rites of Holy Week begin, and in his homily he asked priests to avoid divisions, which later “foster parties and cordadas” in the Church .

The Pope, who was discharged last Saturday after having been admitted to the Gemelli hospital for three days for bronchitis, he appeared in good shape and presided at mass on one side of the altar as established due to his knee problems that prevent him from standing for a long time while he held the cardinal Angelo deDonatis.

This afternoon the Pope will go to celebrate the “Coena domini” mass on Holy Thursday and wash the feet of twelve inmates at the Casal del Marmo juvenile prison, on the outskirts of Rome, where he spent his first Holy Week as pontiff a few years ago. 10 years.

Today’s mass commemorates the institution of the sacrament of priestly orders by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper and is dedicated to the renewal by the priests of the vows of poverty, chastity and obedienceTherefore, the ceremony was attended mainly by the priests of the diocese of Rome, but also from other parts of Italy.

In addition, during the ceremony, the oils of the catechumens, that of the sick and of the chrism are also blessed, which are used during the year for baptisms, confirmations and anointing of the sick.

Prelates carry a silver jug ​​(left) containing the Holy Chrism after it was blessed by Pope Francis during the celebration of the Chrism Mass, as part of Holy Week, on April 6, 2023 in the Basilica of San Peter in the Vatican (Photo: Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

In the homily in which the pontiff traditionally gives advice to priests, he urged them to “create harmony” because he warned: “When we become, even if it’s lightness, instruments of division; and we play the game of the enemy, who does not come to light and loves rumors and insinuations, who encourages parties and roped parties, feeds nostalgia for the past, mistrust, pessimism, fear.

“Let’s be careful please not to soil the anointing of the Spirit and the mantle of Mother Church with disunity, with polarizations, with any lack of charity and communion. Let us remember that the Spirit prefers the community form: availability regarding one’s own needs, obedience with respect to one’s own tastes, humility with respect to one’s own claims., added.

The pope also asked priests to be kind. “If people find even in us dissatisfied and discontented people, who criticize and point fingers, where will they discover harmony?” said.

“How many people do not come close or walk away because in the Church they do not feel welcomed and loved, but looked at with suspicion and judged! In the name of God, let us always welcome and forgive! Let us remember that being sour and complaining, in addition to not producing anything good, corrupts the announcement, because it counter-testifies to Godwhich is communion and harmony”, asserted.

And he urged them “to always forgive” all the faithful who ask for it.

Francisco will also witness tomorrow the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at the Colosseum, on Holy Saturday he will preside over the Easter Vigil and on Sunday in Saint Peter’s Square he will officiate the Resurrection Mass and impart the traditional blessing Urbi et Orbi Leaning on the central balcony of the façade of the Vatican basilica.

Source: Elcomercio