Anointing of the Sick

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What type of Sacrament? Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of

healing because it helps to heal and ill person physically or give that person grace to accept God’s will and die a good death.

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What does it mean? Anointing of the Sick gives health to

our soul and sometimes our body by prayer and anointment of oil. It’s purpose is to give Christians special grace who are suffering from illness or old age.

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How do we celebrate the Sacrament?

We celebrate with a liturgy, not just as a private ceremony but with the Church as a whole. A priest or bishop comes to the ill person and practices the principal elements: laying-on of the hands, prayer said over the ill person, and the anointing of the forehead and hands with olive oil (called the oil of the sick) which has been blessed by a bishop.

Effects of this Sacrament

Union of the sick person to the Passion of the Christ for his own good and the good of the Church;

Strength, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the suffering of illness or old age;

Forgiveness of sins and of penalty for sin if the person is sorry for his/her sins and unable to receive the Sacrament of Penance;

Restoration of sanctifying grace if sorrow for mortal sin is present;

Restoration of health if it is good for the salvation of the person’s soul;

Preparation for passage to eternal life; Reduction or removal of all temporal

punishment due to sin when the ill person is properly disposed.

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Recipients of the Sacrament

Just because a person is not deathly sick does not mean they cannot receive this sacrament. Ask yourself these questions to know when you or someone you know can be anointed:

1) Is this a life threatening or grave disease? 2) Is the person about to undergo surgery for a serious illness?3) Is the person of advanced age?4) Has a fatal illness become more serious?

The sacrament may be received with each new serious illness or when particular illness worsens. The recipient must be at least the age of reason.

Thismay also be given to people who are unconscious or in a coma, as long as

theyare baptized and aware of the penalty for dying without sorrow. Dead peoplemay also be anointed conditionally for a limited time after they have beenpronounced clinically dead.

Why do we accept suffering?

We should accept the fact that all of us, as individuals, have a fallen nature due to original sin and we must suffer as a result. We can unite our pain with Jesus’ suffering however. He suffered for us. By accepting suffering, we imitate the love of Jesus’, who accepted suffering for us.

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Why do we visit the sick?

We visit the sick as support. Our presence to the ill person is a sign of support. Sometimes, it is very important to let that person lead the way. If that person wishes to talk, then you can lead the way. However, if it is harder for them to discuss their illness, let them lead the way. However, we have to accept that even if that person wishes not to speak , our presence is all the support that is wanted.