Anointing of the Sick
Understanding the Sacrament
Oil – Graces – Sacrament of Reconciliation – Holy Communion
However, it is a comfort to know that Anointing of the Sick does forgive mortal sin also if the critically ill person is unable to receive the sacrament of Penance. This could happen, for example, if Anointing of the Sick were administered to an unconscious person who had made an act of imperfect contrition for his mortal sins before losing consciousness.
Jesus came to heal the whole person, body, and soul. In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. His cures were signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The core message of his healing tells us of his plan to conquer sin and death by his dying and rising.
The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient. When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God's will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit's gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.
Circumstances to contact the Parish Office at (817) 473-6709 and request as follow:
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick (Extreme Unction) – All those who are baptized Catholics are facing serious and on-going illness are encouraged to receive the sacrament for healing of mind and body. The Canon Law states (§1004-1007), “the anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age. It can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or in the condition becomes more grave during the same illness. The anointing of the sick is not to be
conferred upon those who persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin.”
Viaticum – All as in #1 along with confession and Holy Communion.
updated 5/2020