Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick

By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them and indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ. (CCC 1499)

"Is any one among you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

Any baptized person who has a serious illness, or who feels the need of strength and support from the Lord, can receive this Sacrament. It is not necessarily restricted to those who are dying. The Anointing of the Sick is often combined with the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. These give the person additional spiritual strength and grace. If the person is near death, the Eucharist is called “Viaticum” which means “food for the journey”. It strengthens them for their journey home to God.

Please call the rectory office to speak with Fr. Richard and make arrangements for this sacrament. It can be administered anywhere (at home, in the hospital, or in church), and at any time. Some people prefer to receive this anointing during Mass. At such a time fellow parishioners can join with them in prayer for healing or strength during a particularly difficult experience.