Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Hospital Chaplaincy Services

“The Role of Catholic Priests in Healthcare: When and How to Call for a Priest Chaplain.” Presented

at the Fall Conference of the Department for Hospital Chaplaincy Services on November 23,

2013, by Rev. Fr. Stephen Ozovehe Abaukaka

Introduction Negative influence of sickness on the emotion

and psyche of the sick and their loved ones.Some Biblical Bases for Healing MinistryHealing ministry as an integral component of

the mission of the churchThe church’s directive on health situations

when the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick ought to be adminsiter.

Negative Experiences of the sick “experience of isolation and emotional pains”. Confronts with “powerlessness, limitation and

finitude” Sick persons ask multiple of questions like; ‘I

have tried to be a good Christian all my life; why is this happening to me? Should I die now what happens to my family? etc.

Crises of faith in GodThe sick at conflicting intersection: “desperation

and rebellion against God “or “Searching for God, return to Him, a way of conversion”

Sickness as a Mystery There was a religious orthodoxy that interpreted

sickness as punishment from God for sins: Job complains (Job 3: 1-26) Declares his

innocence and confusion at the ways of God.Eliphaz; “Reflects now, what innocent person

perishes? Where are the upright destroyed? (Job.4:7)

Bildad; Does God pervert judgment? Does the Almighty pervert justice? (Job. 8: 3)

Zophar; But oh, that God would speak, and open his lips against you. (Job 11: 5).

God’s ResponseGod berates Job who is ignorant of the mysteries of

life. (Job 40 &41)God was angry with the three friends of Job ; “ You

have not spoken rightly concerning me, as my servant Job.”(Job 42: 8).

God promise health to people: “Oracle of the Lord – Plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope (Jer. 29: 11)

“Peace! Peace to those who far and near, says the Lord; and I will heal them” (Isaiah 57: 19)

, “who pardons all yours sins and heals all your ills (Ps 103:3).

Jesus and Healing ministry Content: In his mission statement Jesus came to

change the lot of the miserable and the helpless (Luke 4: 18 & 19)

The view sickness as punishment from God for sins continue in the time of Jesus (John 9); anointed (9;11)

Healing and forgiveness of sins – the Paralytic (Mark 2: 1-12; Matt 9: 1-8)

Healing the sick was so important to the Jesus that he did so even on the Sabbath; the man with the withered hand in the synagogue (Matt 12: 9-14; Luke 6; 6 – 11).

Peoples response to healing work The people who saw the healing performed

by Jesus made their confession of faith, “God has visited his people”(Luke 7: 24).

They were all astounded and glorified God (Mark 2: 12)

“the healing stories point to God’s presence as healer, redeemer, consoler and the restorer of life”

“the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick”

The Mission and Healing “preferential love for the sick” mobility of Jesus to the

sick.

“and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to healing the sick” (Luke 9: 2; 10:9)

“the Church proclaims its belief in Christ’s power over pain and isolation of grave illness and isolation”.

The church brings the comfort of Christ to the sick.

Individual Catholic priest provides ministry in the name of the entire church. He does not represent himself but the church.

The Eucharist for the Sick“the blessing cup that we bless, is not a participation in the

blood of Christ? The bread that we break is not a participation in the body of Christ? (1Cor 10: 16)

The solidarity of Christ with the sick is most profound in the Eucharist.

The importance of making the Eucharist available for the sick cannot be overemphasized.

It is a cure for those who feel isolated and lonely by the fact of their sickness

Fountain and bond of unity between the sick and the church.

The priest celebrate the Holy Eucharist for the spiritual benefits of the sick in the hospital.

Reconciliation “Receive the Holy Spirit. whose sins you forgive are

forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20; 22,23).

God is reconciling the world to himself in Christ (2Cor 5: 11-21)

This is a vital component of the healing ministry.It is the way of conversionIt is intimately connected with anointing of the sickBoth healthy and the sick do need the sacrament of

reconciliation The priest is available to provide reconciliation be God

and the sick members of the faithful

The Sacrament of Anointing through ages Apostles: “Is anyone among sick, he should

summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick person and the lord will raise him up. If has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”(James 5: 14-16)

Apostolic times to 8th Century: Bishop blessed Oil, Individual families take home for use; Bishops and priest still visits the sick and anoint them.

8th century to Vatican II: Last RitesVatican II till date: Anointing of the Sick

8th century to Vatican IIRigorous public penance or reconciliation “Because the Sacrament of Anointing was

reserved for those in full communion with the church, necessarily needed to be delayed until deathbed reconciliation”

It was called last rites - reconciliation, anointing and Holy Communion as meal for the journey.

Vatican II: Anointing of the Sick"Extreme unction," which may also and more

fittingly be called "anointing of the sick," is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as any one of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.

Vatican II Sick bedside

“By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of her priests the whole Church commends the sick to the suffering and glorified Lord, asking that He may lighten their suffering and save them;(106) she exhorts them, moreover, to contribute to the welfare of the whole people of God by associating themselves freely with the passion and death of Christ.”

1. …those who are dangerously ill through sickness or old age should receive this sacrament; 2. A sick person should be anointed before surgery whenever the surgery is necessitated by a dangerous illness;3. Elderly people may be anointed if they are weak, though not dangerously sick; 4. Sick children may be anointed if they are sufficiently mature to be comforted by the sacrament;.

5. Sick people who have lost consciousness or have lost the use of reason may be anointed if, as befit Christians, they would have requested it if they had been in the possession of their faculties; 6. The sacrament cannot be conferred on the dead. So it amount to the abuse of the sacrament to anoint the body of the person who is already dead. The sacraments are for the living and not for the dead.

The above provides us with guidelines and directives on when to call the priests to administer the sacrament.

Many people are still holding to Last Rites and thus postponing its reception; this is regard as misuse

Education (Catechesis) in this direction remains a necessity especially at the parish levels.

Patients who have been admitted for weeks do not constitute emergencies because the families have postpone the sacrament to the point of death.

1. The uniting of the sick person to the Passion of Christ, for his [her] own good and that of the church;2. The strengthening, peace and courage to endure in a Christian manner the suffering of illness or old age;3. The forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;4. The restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;5. The preparation for passing over to eternal life.

Selected Bibliography

Andrew D. Ciferni “Anointing of the Sick.” In Richard P. MCBRIEN, Gen, ED; Encyclopedia of Catholicism, (New York, NY 10022) 57

Austin Flannery, O.P. Gen. Editor, Vatican II Volume 1: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, Revised Edition Lumen Gentium #11, (Northport, New York, Costello Publishing Co., 2004),3662

Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The anointing of the sick” # 1500, www.vatican.va Accessed on October 10, 2013.

James Francis Stafford, “Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and Anointing” September 21, 2006. www.vatican.va. Accessed on October 27, 2013.

Kathleen A. Cahalan, Introducing the Practice of Ministry, (Liturgical Press Collegeville, Minnesota, 2010), 79.

Pope Paul VI: On the Sacrament of the Sick, November 30, 1972; www.vatican.va. Accessed on October 27, 2013;