Chrism Mass in Chicago: Cardinal Cupich calls priests to be 'sacraments of peace'

Presiding over Chrism Mass in Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral on March 31, Cardinal Blase Cupich reflected on mission, responsibility, and ministry as the world strives for peace.

“What we do today, in blessing these holy oils, we do for and with the entire Church,” he said, describing a shared vocation that “empowers all the baptized, as the pilgrim people of God to move forward with new enthusiasm.”

For priests in particular, he said, the day marked a return to their calling, echoing Christ’s own words: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me to proclaim glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives and sight to the blind.”

This mission, the Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago stressed, unfolds in a wounded world. He pointed to those “who are the victims of war, trapped in cellars or behind borders,” as well as those “blinded by nationalism or the "us vs. them" rhetoric that fuels discrimination and polarization."

In such a context, priests are called to be “sacraments of peace,” resisting the logic of vengeance and instead proclaiming Christ, the “Prince of Peace.”

Drawing on Pope Francis’ words, he reiterated that Jesus is “King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war.” The challenge, then, is not only pastoral but profoundly human: to speak and act in ways that are not shaped by “partisan politics or the agenda of the world.”

Reflecting on the three oils blessed at the Mass, Cardinal Cupich explained that the Oil of the Sick calls the Church to closeness—"to accompany, to be a field hospital”—while the Oil of Catechumens reminds believers that faith is a gradual journey, where grace cannot be rushed, but “seeps in gradually.”

Finally, the Oil of Sacred Chrism points to a deeper transformation. True peace, he said, is not imposed externally but grows within; it is not about dominance but about conversion of the heart.