An Invitation to All Clergy and Spouses

in the Diocese of Southeast Florida

The Holy Week Quiet Morning

and Chrism Mass

Tuesday in Holy Week

11 April 2017

It is my pleasure to invite you warmly to the annual Holy Week Quiet Morning and the Chrism Mass on the Tuesday of Holy Week, 11 April 2017. The pattern of the morning remains the same as in previous years:

9:30 am Gather

10:00 am Welcome and First Address

11:00 am Second Address

12:00 noon Chrism Mass (open to all)

1:00 pm Clergy and Spouse Lunch and Depart

After the Mass, oils will be available to you to take back to your congregations, schools, and other ministries. As is the custom, I ask that you renew your oils with these newly consecrated oils and destroy in a reverent manner your previous stock.

I am delighted that the director of our Quiet Morning and our Chrism Mass preacher is the Reverend Professor Tony Lewis. Professor Lewis is the Molly Laird Downs Professor of New Testament Languages and Literature Emeritus at Virginia Theological Seminary, and a former teacher of a number of the clergy of our diocese. Professor Lewis is one of our Church’s most significant scholars and teachers, and is a noted writer, preacher, and pastor. He has been particularly committed to the place of preaching in parish life and in the importance of worship as the grounding for the church’s mission in the city and in the world. Professor Lewis will, I am certain, be a fine guide to us all as we focus on the renewal of our ordination promises and look to the celebration of the Triduum.

While the Quiet Morning and luncheon is for clergy and spouses only, the Chrism Mass is open to all. It is my hope that you will invite and encourage your lay people to join us for the Chrism Mass at noon, and I am extending a special invitation to our schools in the hope that they may be able to bring at least some of the young people in our schools to this celebration.

The two actions of the renewal of our ordination promises and the blessing and consecration of the oils that we use in our sacraments are part of a liturgy that is properly celebrated by the Church in its fullness, and while it may take some time to develop a broader congregation for this liturgy, I hope that you will help me to do this.

As always when we shall be together on occasions like this, I invite the bishops and priests to concelebrate the Mass with me. If you would like to be a concelebrant, please bring an alb, white chasuble and stole. If you do not have access to a white chasuble, please simply wear an alb and white stole. Bishops are asked to wear a white mitre along with Mass vestments. If you would prefer not to concelebrate, that is just fine, and you are welcome to wear whatever vestments you prefer. Deacons are welcome to wear alb, white stole, and a white dalmatic if you have access to one.

This invitation is to all bishops, priests, and deacons who are residing in the Diocese at the time of the Liturgy, whether active or retired, whether in parochial or non-parochial ministry.

This is an occasion for the entire body of the clergy to gather in mutual support and encouragement, and in prayer for the continued grace to live a faithful ordained life in community with each other and with our fellow Christians in the congregations, schools, and other ministries in which we serve.

There will be lunch for clergy and spouses after the Mass, and an opportunity to spend time with our guest preacher.

I ask all clergy to please rsvp online via our registration portal. Simply click here to let us know whether you will be present, and help us plan for the luncheon following the Chrism Mass.

Kate and I want to assure you of our love and continued daily prayers for you, your families, and communities during this season of Lent. May we continue to deepen our intimacy with Christ on the journey to Holy Week.

With every blessing.

+Peter