The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

Christ’s Words of Institution of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (IMPLIED):

“And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits….  So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:7, 13).

Anointing of the Sick is not just a prayerful blessing, it is one of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ Himself; it is an encounter with Christ’s healing ministry through the instrumentality of the priest.  Through this sacrament, the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of one's life are touched by the gentle and healing hands of Christ. Whether it is physical or emotional problems, whether needed by the young, at middle age or for the frailty of the elderly, Christ in His compassion foresaw the need for us to seek His healing touch. 

It is usual for Catholics to call the priest for the Last Rites. Please, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is not the Last Rites, but could be celebrated as a prelude to administering the last rite.  And it can be received severally by the sick throughout one’s lifetime. The Last Rites is actually called "viaticum"; it is the Eucharist a dying person, still fully conscious and able to swallow, receives as food for their journey into eternity. So if a loved one is actually dying, and YOU WANT LAST RITES administered, it is important to call the priest early enough before the person becomes unconscious or unable to swallow.  The spiritual principle underlying the Last Rite could be discerned from the following passage: Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, the Mountain of God:

And the angel of the LORD came again a second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you." And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God (1Kings 19:7-8).

Elijah’s case was about food for physical strength; but in our case, we need Eucharistic food and drink for spiritual empowerment.  Accordingly, in our journey to the Heavenly Mountain of God, we need the strength of the Food of the Soul:

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day (John 6:53-54).

Again, for the Anointing of the Sick, the priest should be called as soon as one is sick and he can be called as many times as necessary during an extended illness. It is the Sacrament of healing, physically, spiritually, emotional or psychological or all of the above.  

Parishioners are encouraged to request the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick from the priest, as soon as possible, before a hospital stay or during a serious illness.  

Only an ordained Catholic Priest or an Orthodox Priest – with proper Apostolic Succession – can administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.  The Scripture is very specific here.  St. James, while giving a pastoral and spiritual direction to the Early Christians on what they should do when one is sick, says:

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders [Greek word used in the New Testament: presbyteroi (priests)] of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up (James 5:14-15).

FOR THE SICK OR FOR THE DYING CALL (407-932-5004) during Office Hours for staff assistance.  Outside Office Hours, please, call the same number and listen to the menu options.  Thank you.

Biblical References:

And he called to him the twelve, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.... And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them (James 6:7, 13). 

Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:14-15).

Teaching of the Church:

Only priests (bishops and presbyters) are ministers of the Anointing of the Sick. It is the duty of pastors to instruct the faithful on the benefits of this sacrament. The faithful should encourage the sick to call for a priest to receive this sacrament. The sick should prepare themselves to receive it with good dispositions, assisted by their pastor and the whole ecclesial community, which is invited to surround the sick in a special way through their prayers and fraternal attention. Like all the sacraments, the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, whether it takes place in the family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or a whole group of sick persons. It is very fitting to celebrate it within the Eucharist, the memorial of the Lord's Passover. If circumstances suggest it, the celebration of the sacrament can be preceded by the sacrament of Penance and followed by the sacrament of the Eucharist. As the sacrament of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist should always be the last sacrament of the earthly journey, the "viaticum" for "passing over" to eternal life (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1516-1517).