The Sacrament of The Anointing of the Sick
Sunday, October 5 & 6 at all Masses
Who should be anointed?
Anyone who has a serious illness or the debilitation of old age.
When should they be anointed?
As soon as the illness is diagnosed and anytime it significantly worsens. Anointing is the sacrament which helps us cope with illness and helps us to heal.
How long do the effects of the sacrament last?
There is no “expiration date” for the sacrament.
Isn’t this sacrament supposed to be given when somebody is dying?
The ritual book for the Sacrament of Anointing says, “The reception of the Eucharist as viaticum, food for the passage through death to eternal life, is the sacrament proper to the dying Christian…The sacrament of anointing should be celebrated at the beginning of a serious illness.” {#175} The sacrament for the dying is Holy Communion. This doesn’t mean that a dying person can’t be anointed, but the anointing should happen long before that moment. It should never be the case that receiving the Anointing of the Sick is put off until the person is dying.
Also, remember that a priest may not be available when someone is dying.