"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1499).
This sacrament gives the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who are sick: by this grace the whole person is helped and saved, sustained by trust in God, and strengthened against the temptations of the Evil One and against anxiety over death. Thus the sick person is able not only to bear suffering bravely, but also to fight against it. A return to physical health may follow the reception of this sacrament if it will be beneficial to the sick person’s salvation. If necessary, the sacrament also provides the sick person with the forgiveness of sins and the completion of Christian penance. Rites of Anointing and Viaticum is used by the Church to comfort and strengthen a dying Christian in the passage from this life. The ministry to the dying places emphasis on trust in the Lord’s promise of eternal life rather than on the struggle against illness, which is characteristic of the pastoral care of the sick.
Please contact the church office when a loved one is in the hospital or seriously ill so a priest may visit as soon as possible. We invite all seriously ill parishioners to ask a priest to anoint them and pray for healing. You may want to include the Anointing of the Sick as part of your pre-surgery preparations.
A family member or the sick person must contact the office in order to be added to the prayer list.