In just over a week, Michael Pierce would be standing at the front of the church, taking a vow, before the priest anointed him with the oil from that heavy, silver urn.

It would be the end of his journey to becoming a Catholic, and the beginning of what the Bishop described as a responsibility to comfort those who mourn, to bring good news to the lowly, to bear gladness instead of mourning.

Pierce stood next to his wife, in a pew at St. Anthony's Catholic Church just behind those where priests from around Wyoming were gathered, and breathed in air thick with incense at the annual Chrism Mass held Thursday.

The Mass is held every year near Holy Week, so the three newly blessed oils of the catechumens, of the sick and of chrism can be carried by the priests home to their parishes.

Next week Pierce will be confirmed in the church, the last step in a year of study. He'll receive the oil of chrism, used in baptism, confirmation and ordination.

Pierce said his wife, Janet, and their children are Catholic, while he was Lutheran. He decided this year to learn more about what they believed, and to become Catholic himself.

Recently he and Janet had their marriage blessed by Rev. Michael Carr. Since he had affirmed his vows, he was interested to see the priests at the Chrism Mass renew theirs. Some have been priests for years. Some were anointed with the oil of chrism just this year at their ordinations.

"I like to see that," he said. "They have occasion to say, I'm still committed."

Bishop David Ricken welcomed the parishioners and the priests, the crowd diminished somewhat by the rain and snow.

"What a beautiful and unique privilege it is to come together every year," he said. "God is showering his blessings upon us."

Ricken blessed the oils, adding balsam perfume to the chrism oil.

"I like to think of this as the oil of missioning," he said. He urged Pierce and the others who would soon become Catholic to have patience to listen to God's calling. Reflecting on a verse from Isaiah, he said, "And now what will you do, to advance the kingdom of God?"