Church Background Series: Our Altar

We dedicated our church in 1991 when Cardinal Joseph Bernardin said Mass in the new building. It was a great event. The Cardinal went to the 4 walls of the church and used Sacred Chrism to anoint four crosses hanging on the walls. Then he went to the altar. It had never been used before and was completely bare, no cloths or candles. He took the cruet of Sacred Chrism, pushed up the sleeves of his chasuble, then poured a pool of Chrism on the altar the size of a dinner plate. He placed his hands in the oil and rubbed the entire top of our altar with the Chrism. Thus, our new altar was blessed and made ready to hold the Body and Blood of Christ at our Masses.