Anointing the Sick

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two…They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:7, 13)

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick -

gives strength and support and can be administered to anyone struggling with an illness.

Who may Receive?

The Sacrament of the Anointing the Sick is available for anyone who is in danger of death. It is also intended for those dangerously ill because of sickness or old age, for patients undergoing surgery, for elderly persons, even if they are not dangerously ill, and for children who are seriously ill. Please contact one of our parish priests for receiving the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick -

The healing that occurs in this sacrament of anointing is not necessarily physical healing. While we believe that physical healing can occur through the great power of God, the grace that is infused through this special sacrament is the reminder of the eternal presence of God in our human suffering.

When the priest blessing the oil of anointing, he asks God to "send the power of your Holy Spirit, the Consoler, into this precious oil. Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction" (Pastoral Care of the Sick, #123).

"The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament" (CCC 1531).