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.
- The Sacrament Anointing unites of the sick person to the passion of Christ.
- The sacrament strengthens, offers peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age.
- The sacrament offers forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the Sacrament of Penance;
- The sacrament prepares us for passing over to eternal life.
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick may be given in various circumstances and in a variety of combinations with other Sacraments. In a home or home visit, it may be combined with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and reception of the Eucharist. By itself, it may be given to a person no longer conscious. The Sacrament may also be offered communally as part of a Mass in which healing is central to the prayers of the community. Watch the bulletin for upcoming Anointing of the Sick Masses, they are scheduled on a quarterly basis.
If you wish for the Sacrament of Anointing call the parish office or the priest.
If a person is dying or near death, do NOT wait until the last moment. If a person enters into hospice care, alert the caretakers and set up an appointment with the priest sooner than later.
