Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters 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. And if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
James 5:14-15
Illness and suffering have always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, humans experience powerlessness and limitations. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick unites the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the Church; strengthens the sick with peace and courage to endure in a Christian manner serious illness; forgives sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the Sacrament of Penance; restores health, if it is conducive to the salvation of one’s soul; and prepares the believer to pass over to eternal life.
Catechism of the Catholic Church Numbers 1499, 1500, 1532
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration whether it takes place in a family home, a hospital or church, for a single person or a whole group of sick persons. The Anointing of the Sick is given to a Catholic who has reached the age of reason who is seriously ill. Only a priest (presbyter or bishop) can give this Sacrament by anointing the sick person on the forehead and hands with the Oil of the Sick saying, “Through this holy anointing 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.” The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may be received whenever serious illness is present in the life of a believer.
Catechism of the Catholic Church Numbers 1513, 1517, 1530
How to Proceed to Receive The Sacrament of the Anointing at Cathedral Parish
Candidate for Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick:
- Baptized Catholic who regularly celebrates the sacraments, especially Eucharist and
- Penance, who is seriously impaired by sickness or old age
- Person facing surgery when the surgery aims to correct an illness
- Elderly when notably frail or weakened when no serious illness is evident
- Children who have reached the use of reason (usually around six or seven years old) and are seriously ill
- Unconscious or seriously ill person who has lost use of reason when other(s) identify that this individual would have asked or wanted to be anointed
- Possibly those suffering from addictions such as alcoholism or drug abuse; talk to a priest
- Those suffering from psychological illness such as acute depression, anxiety, psychoses, or bipolar disorders; talk to a priest
- Sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after being anointed and, then, falls ill again, or if during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious
Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick can take place at the family home, in hospital, in church, or in a communal setting. If you are a candidate for the Sacrament of Anointing call the Parish Office for a priest who will administer this sacrament of healing and forgiveness.
Viaticum (Eucharist for the passage from death to eternal life) is the proper sacrament for the dying Christian. When sudden illness or emergency situations occur and the Christian is in proximate danger of death, the three sacraments of Penance, Anointing, and Eucharist may be given in a single celebration. When death is imminent, the believer is offered the opportunity for Confession, the Anointing of the Sick, and Holy Communion (Viaticum: to take with you on the way). Sometimes circumstances will allow the reception of all three sacraments, sometimes two of the three, and other times, only one. If Viaticum is desired, call the Parish Office for a priest who will celebrate the three sacraments.