15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I would like to share some information regarding the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as “Last Rites” or “ Extreme Unction” (“Last Anointing”). In the celebration of this Sacrament of the Church, the Priest lays hands upon the ill person (typically on the top of their head) and then anoints them by applying the Oil of the Sick to the forehead and palms of the hands while offering prayers including: “May the Lord, in His love and mercy, help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin, save you, and raise you up.” Through this Sacrament the Priest prepares a gravely ill person to receive medical care, and ultimately prepares such a person for the passage to eternal life. Anyone who is in danger of death from accident, illness, or old age (including those who will undergo surgery, regardless of their age) may receive the Sacrament. If the person recovers and then has another serious illness, he or she can receive the Sacrament again. In providing pastoral care for the sick, the Priest may also administer Holy Communion if the sick person is able to receive it. In danger of death, the Priest may also offer the Apostolic Blessing which provides a plenary indulgence for the recipient.

The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has its origins in the actions of Jesus Himself who healed the spiritual and physical infirmities of people He encountered. The practice of the Sacrament can be found in the Bible in James 5:14-15, in which St. James writes: “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters [priests] of the Church, and they should pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that “The special grace of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the Passion of Christ, for his own good and for that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the person was not able to obtain it through the Sacrament of Penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life” (CCC #1532).

By its very nature, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick involves absolution from sin, and consequently must be administered by a Priest. A Deacon may pray with and bless a sick person and distribute Holy Communion to them, but he may not administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Like all of the Sacraments, the Anointing of the Sick must be administered while the person is still living. It is neither necessary nor advisable to wait until a sick person is “on death’s door” before calling the Priest. Particularly in the case of hospice patients, the Priest should be called to anoint the person as soon as they enter hospice care.