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Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites

By Robyn Broyles, February 24, 2010 12:53



Anointing of the Sick aka Extreme UnctionAnointing of the Sick is the least well-understood of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church, at least among laypeople. What is it? Is it the same as Extreme Unction? What are Last Rites?

Terminology

The best accepted term for this sacrament in English today is Anointing of the Sick. Sometimes it is called Sacrament of the Sick. An older term is Extreme Unction, which comes from Latin and indicates an anointing at the end of life. Today the Church encourages not only the dying, but also those with temporary and non-terminal chronic illnesses to receive the sacrament.

Last Rites refers to a series of sacraments administered to those on the verge of death. These sacraments are Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, and Eucharist (called "Viaticum" when given to the dying). Last Rites are often confused with Anointing of the Sick by itself; they can be kept straight by remembering that Last Rites is plural.

Origin, Form, and Effects

Anointing of the Sick is considered one of the two Sacraments of Healing, along with Reconcilation. Scriptural support can be found in the letter of St. James, 5:14-15. The minister of the sacrament is a priest. The priest silently lays hands on the sick person, then prays over him or her, and finally anoints the forehead with oil. The sick person receives from the Holy Spirit a sacramental grace of "strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age" (CCC 1520). Physical healing may be an effect, but is not guaranteed and is certainly not the primary purpose of the sacrament. As in Baptism and Reconciliation, the sins of the sick person are forgiven.

Who Can Receive Anointing of the Sick

Any baptized person suffering a "grave illness" may receive this sacrament. This is generally understood to include severe diseases, whether terminal or not, serious mental health disorders, frailty accompanying old age, severe injuries, and any medical condition in which death is imminent. Those who will receive general anesthesia for any upcoming procedure are generally encouraged to receive it. The sacrament should not be repeated for an ongoing, unchanging condition, but if the condition gets worse, or if the person improves and then gets worse again, the sacrament can be received again. If you are not sure whether your condition is serious enough for Anointing of the Sick, consult a priest.

The Importance of the Sacrament

On the Body book cover Jesus paid special attention to the sick and infirm. He healed many of them through miracles, and forgave their sins even more often. In this way Christ recognized that physical distress is accompanied by spiritual distress. Bodies and souls are connected, and illness impacts one's spiritual life.

In his short book On the Body: A Contemporary Theology of the Human Person, Carlo Cardinal Martini writes,

When we are sick, we are forced to reflect on our existence, to rethink the image we had formed of ourselves back when we were healthy and in good shape. Thus, we experience differently our own corporality—our bodiliness—and the frailty of the human condition, to the point of questioning everything, even asking ourselves whether life is worth living when, after all, we must all die. (p. 19)

Suffering is objectively evil, yet paradoxically a suffering person has a special opportunity to walk with Christ and to share in carrying his cross. Illness, injury, and frailty teach us that we are not made for this world. They can simultaneously serve as distractions from the spiritual life and as a means to deepen spiritual life.

The sacrament of the sick, in a way, sanctifies sickness. It provides special grace to help the faithful use their distress to grow closer to God. The Catholic faith does not fear or shy away from the reality of illness; after all, despite all the good work of those in the health care field, death is inevitable. With the Anointing of the Sick, we know that the Church, and God, is with us in the darkest times in our lives.

 

Image information

A priest administers Anointing of the Sick to an ailing nun, probably during Mass. Photo by the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of England and Wales. (CC) Some rights reserved (by-nc-sa 2.0 Generic license).

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Tags: catechism, catholic beliefs, catholic life, health, anointing of the sick, sacraments, mental health, suffering, theology of the body

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Comments on “Anointing of the Sick and Last Rites”

Comment #1 Permalink
I would assume that the Roman Practice is to place the oil upon the forehead in the sign of the cross?

Posted on February 25, 2010 17:28 by Eric Brown |

Robyn Broyles's avatar
Comment #2 Permalink
Eric, I assume so... I've received the sacrament but don't remember specifically if that was the case, but that would be similar to other Catholic rituals. The Catechism doesn't specify and I don't have a copy of the rite itself.

Posted on February 25, 2010 19:36 by Robyn Broyles | RobynBroyles.net | Robyn Broyles's profile

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