By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh
At the 2026 Chrism Mass held at Corpus Christi Cathedral in Port Harcourt, the Apostolic Administrator, Most Rev. Patrick S. Eluke, delivered a heartwarming and mission-challenging homily. Speaking to a cathedral filled with priests, religious, and lay faithful, he reminded the Church that anointing is not a badge of prestige but a public commissioning to service. His words cut through the temptation of clericalism and status-driven faith, urging the clergy and laity alike back to the humility and intimacy of the Upper Room.
Bishop Eluke explained that the sacred oils (the Oil of Catechumens, the Oil of the Sick, and the Sacred Chrism) are not ornamental symbols but instruments of mission. “God’s anointing is not for prestige, not for power, but for service and salvation,” he declared. “It is not decoration, it is dedication. It is not privilege, it is responsibility.” He drew a parallel with Christ’s own anointing by the Holy Spirit, which was a public commissioning to heal and liberate, and urged priests to embrace their identity as “Wounded Healers,” men who use their own scars to bring healing to a broken world.
To make this call tangible, he outlined four dimensions of priestly service. First, he spoke of words, urging priests to speak with gentleness, especially in the confessional, where the faithful seek the voice of God rather than human judgment. Second, he reflected on hands, whether young and steady or feeble and trembling, as sacred instruments of absolution and blessing.
Third, he emphasised the heart, which must be free from bitterness and pride in order to embody Christ’s mercy. Finally, he spoke of forgiveness, not as an easy choice but as a sacrificial gift that mirrors the wounded Saviour.
The Bishop’s message extended beyond the clergy to the wider Church. He celebrated the Diocese of Port Harcourt’s rich communion of cultures, describing it as a living mystery of unity in diversity. He honored the legacy of Bishop Emeritus Camillus Archibong Etokudoh, situating the present moment as a continuation of faithful shepherding. He also reminded the laity and seminarians that through Baptism and Confirmation they share in the royal priesthood and are called to be the hands and heart of Christ in the secular world.
Bishop Eluke urged the faithful to see the Triduum not merely as ceremonies but as a journey of love and sacrifice. The blessed oils, sent forth from the Cathedral to every parish, carry his charge: to be anointed for service means walking the path of the Cross toward Resurrection, setting aside prestige to embrace the mantle of the servant.
