June 6, 2023 // Bishop

Holy Vessels Consecrated for Service Pre-Ordination

Joshua Schipper

Video/Digital Content/Graphic Design Producer

In preparation for their ministry as priests, the seven men ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, June 3, had their chalices and patens consecrated by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades in the week leading up to their ordinations.

Meeting in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd at the diocesan chancery office in Fort Wayne, the candidates placed their chalices and patens on the altar. In addition to his primary chalice, Deacon David Langford also placed a small travel chalice on the altar.

The seven men expressed excitement at seeing each other’s chalices for the first time, each with a design different from the rest, and Bishop Rhoades joyfully welcomed Deacons Zane Langenbrunner and Samuel Anderson back from their studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Having returned to the U.S., both deacons made their profession of faith and oath of fidelity before Bishop Rhoades began the consecration of the holy vessels.

All seven deacons gathered in front of the altar as Bishop Rhoades consecrated their patens and chalices, rubbing chrism oil on the precious metals that will hold the Body and Blood of Jesus.

Praying over the patens, Bishop Rhoades said, “Let us pray, dear brethren, that by the help of God’s grace, these patens may be consecrated and hallowed, for the purpose of breaking over them the body of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who suffered death on the cross for the salvation of us all.”

He continued, “Almighty, everlasting God, who instituted the laws of sacrifice, and ordered, among other things, that the sprinkled wheaten flour should be carried to the altar on plates of gold and silver, be pleased to bless, hallow, and consecrate these patens destined for the administration of the Eucharist of Jesus Christ, your Son, who for our salvation, and that of all mankind, chose to immolate Himself on the gibbet of the cross to you, God the Father, with whom He lives and reigns forever and ever.”

At this, he prayed over and rubbed chrism oil on each individual paten.

Over the eight chalices, he said, “Let us pray, my dear brethren, that our Lord and God, by His heavenly grace and inspiration, may hallow these chalices, about to be consecrated for use in His ministry, and that He may add the fullness of His divine favor to the consecration performed by us, through Christ our Lord, Amen.”

Then, he said, “Oh Lord our God, be pleased to bless these chalices made by your devout people for your holy service. Bestow that same blessing which you bestowed on the hallowed chalice of your servant, Melchisedech. And what we cannot make worthy of your altars by our craft and metals, do you nonetheless make worthy by your blessing, through Christ our Lord, Amen.

He prayed over each chalice, rubbing each with chrism oil.

After the consecration, the deacons used lemon juice to help remove the chrism oil before absorbing the mixture with slices of bread. Cleaning his chalice, one deacon commented that having chrism oil on his hands was a foretaste of the anointing that would soon come at his ordination that weekend. The bread, having absorbed the chrism oil, will either be burned, buried, or washed into a sacrarium.