The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick does not promise healing. The Catholic Catechism says:. Catholics also look to the example of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament who, when writing to the Church in Galatia, says that he has been suffering from an illness which God has not taken away. The Catholic Church does not believe that the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick replaces the need for medical care.
Depending on the circumstances, the priest will pray the prayers of Commendation of the Dying. If death has taken place, the Prayers for the Dead are prayed and the body is sprinkled with Holy Water recalling the promise of New Life which the deceased received in Baptism. How do I organise for the Sacrament to be administered?
Ring and ask for Pastoral Care:. How long will I stay in hospital? How do I prepare for a procedure? What do I need to bring to hospital? How do I get to the hospital? When should I arrive? Where do I go when I arrive? What kind of anaesthetic will be given?
What happens after the procedure? What happens when I leave the hospital? Specialist Clinics How do I get ready for my appointment? How long will my appointment take? Until recently, the five senses were anointed, he prays that the sins of the sick person will be forgiven and that, if such be the will of God, bodily health will be restored. This sacrament, like the other six, gives an extra injection of Christ's life to enable the patient to face the danger of serious illness and make a special effort to pray and love God at a time when ill-health renders the person weak.
As in the other sacraments, the sign used indicates the effects. Oil gives strength. The athlete anoints the limbs with it to strengthen them for the 'agony,' or contest. In this sacrament, the soul is anointed by the Spirit to enable it to face up bravely to illness and, perhaps, the last agony. Oil also has a healing effect.
The sacrament is intended primarily to soothe and heal the spirit, but frequently the spiritual effects flow into the body. The strength given enables the person to throw off depression, worry and lethargy and, as a result, the body becomes relaxed and better able to respond to medical attention. Priests of long experience will testify that some physical improvement is to be expected after the anointing of the sick, and full recovery is not infrequent.
Nevertheless, the sacrament is not faith-healing. Its primary purpose is not to restore physical health but to give a new share of supernatural life. On the Thursday before Easter at a special mass in the diocesan cathedral, called the Mass of the Holy Oils, the bishop consecrates the oil to be used in the anointing of the sick, and the prayer he uses on that occasion indicates the purpose of the sacrament:.
Through thy blessing, may all who are anointed with this heavenly medicine be protected in mind and body. May all pain of mind and body, all weakness and sickness, be removed. When a member of the family is seriously ill, Catholics are as anxious to send for the priest as for the doctor. They know that they should not leave it to the last moment to ask for the anointing to be administered. It is best done when the patient is conscious, able to co-operate with the priest as he prays and administers the sacrament, and with Christ who gives strength through it.
When St Matthew, the tax collector, received the call to follow his Master, he invited many of his friends to a farewell party, and Jesus was the chief guest. The Pharisees were shocked and said to his disciples: 'Why does he eat with tax-collectors and sinners?
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