Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick may be administered to the faithful who fall into danger because of illness or old age. Among those who may be anointed are those undergoing surgery whenever a serious illness is the reason for the surgery; elderly people if they have become notably weakened although no serious illness is present; and sick children if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament. “By every effort and diligence, this Sacred Anointing is to be conferred on the faithful who because of sickness, mental illness, or age are seriously ill” (8).

This sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after having received the anointing, but relapses into the illness, or if, as the same sickness continues, the danger becomes more acute.

The faithful should be educated to ask for the sacrament as soon as the right time comes, to receive it with full faith and devotion. They should not follow the wrongful practice of delaying the reception of the sacrament. It is wrong to wait too long, perhaps until the advanced stages of a disease, to anoint a sick person. The fitting time for the anointing is when the sick person begins to be in danger.

When the condition of a sick person permits it, and especially when they are to receive Holy Communion, the Sacred Anointing may be conferred within Mass.

Celebrations of the Anointing in a large assembly of the faithful may also occur. At St. Noel, this has been offered at all liturgies on a particular weekend, especially as the prescribed Scripture readings of the day lend themselves to such a celebration.

In passing from this life, the faithful, strengthened with Viaticum of the Body and Blood of Christ, are fortified by the promise of resurrection, according to the words of the Lord: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (Jn 6:54).

Viaticum is the final reception of the Eucharist by a dying person, representing “provisions for the journey” (Latin for “food for the journey”) to eternal life. It acts as a spiritual strength and comfort, sealing the person’s union with Christ.

A priest called to a sick person who has already died should beseech God for them, so that God may absolve them from their sins and mercifully admit them into his Kingdom, but the priest should not administer the Anointing. Sacraments are administered to the living; therefore, only if there is doubt whether the sick person is truly dead, should the sacrament be administered.