Anointing of the Sick
For sacramental emergencies, call and follow the prompts:
“Is there 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.”
James 5:14-15
Christ, understanding human illness, gave his Church the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick so all the baptized can access and experience his healing Spirit. This sacrament of mercy and healing is administered to the dying as well as to those who are gravely ill or about to undergo a serious operation. The Sacrament of Anointing offers prayers for recovery, but primarily gives spiritual healing and the Holy Spirit’s peace and courage for the difficulties of illness or the frailty of old age.
Anointing is not to be delayed for any serious illness or operation. A person who has been anointed does not need to be anointed again within the same illness. It is also important to be prepared to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation when receiving the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (if they are able).
St. Michael's offers the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick quarterly, generally after the 9:00 am First Friday Mass, in March, June, September, and December (subject to change, so please confirm with the parish office).
When to call a priest:
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Diagnosis of serious disease: call parish to come in and meet with priest.
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Terminal Diagnosis: call parish to come in and meet with priest.
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Parishioners who are in immediate danger of death due to sickness or old age should be anointed and receive viaticum. Please call the parish office and follow the prompts for "sacramental emergency" for the ministry of a priest.
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Homebound: call parish to schedule a visit within a given week.
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For the integrity of the sacrament, the priest will hear the confession of the person to be anointed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How often may the sacrament of anointing be administered?
The sacrament can be repeated if the sick person has recovered after his previous reception of anointing. It can also be conferred again, if during the same illness, the dangerous condition becomes more serious.
What about receiving the sacrament before undergoing surgery?
Before surgery, holy anointing can be given to the sick person as often as the dangerous illness is the cause of this surgery.