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. (Lumen Gentium 11)
This sacrament is no longer called Extrem Unction, or the Last Anointing, and one should not wait until a person seems near death to call for a priest. The Catechism teaches us, "The Anointing of the Sick" is not a sacrament for those only wh are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger from sickness of old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.
If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person's condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced. (Catechism 1514 and 1515).
With fewer priest serving in the paish in recent years, it is good to anticipate the need for this sacrament and call ahead to make arrangements for a priest to celebrate this sacrament with a baptized person in need.
This sacrament is no longer called Extrem Unction, or the Last Anointing, and one should not wait until a person seems near death to call for a priest. The Catechism teaches us, "The Anointing of the Sick" is not a sacrament for those only wh are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger from sickness of old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.
If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person's condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced. (Catechism 1514 and 1515).
With fewer priest serving in the paish in recent years, it is good to anticipate the need for this sacrament and call ahead to make arrangements for a priest to celebrate this sacrament with a baptized person in need.
