When to Call the Priest

Jesus Christ instituted seven Sacraments as channels of God offering his grace to us (see my series, Sacraments: Channels of God’s Grace for our Catholic understanding of the Sacraments). These are divided into three categories, initiation, healing, and service.

There are two Sacraments of Healing (see part 4 in my series on the Sacraments). When we speak of healing, Jesus offers us healing for our souls. This is most evident in the Sacrament of Reconciliation that is for the healing of our souls from sin. It is also an important part of the healing offered in the second Sacrament of Healing, the anointing of the sick.

Today, I would like to offer some understanding of when it is time to ask a priest to anoint someone. For centuries, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was known as “Last Rites” or “Extreme Unction.” It was known as Last Rites because it was only offered when one was at the point of death, hence the “last” thing offered to the person before dying. In “Extreme Unction,” “unction” refers to anointing and “extreme” refers to the fact that it was offered only to the dying.

However, as the early practices of the church were studied in the time leading up to the Second Vatican Council (yes, the changes of the Second Vatican Council did not come from nowhere. There was already much study of the practices of the early church occurring before the convening of the Second Vatican Council), it became known that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick had originally been not just for the dying but anyone who is seriously ill. We can find the root for this in the Bible in James 5:13-15, “ Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.”

Then, why was the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick only offered to the dying for centuries? In the early church, forgiveness of sins was received in Baptism. So, some people began waiting until late in life to be baptized to try to make sure they had overcome their sins. Since one must be baptized to receive any of the Sacraments besides Baptism, this meant anyone who had delayed their Baptism, could not receive the Anointing of the Sick. Over time, the Church developed its understanding to include the Sacrament of Reconciliation and that one could be forgiven as many times as one asked with a contrite heart for forgiveness (see Matthew 18:21-22). Unfortunately, by then, the practice had already become that the Anointing of the Sick was understood as only for the dying.

With the recovered understanding of the Anointing of the Sick being for anyone with a serious illness, the name changed from Last Rites/Extreme Unction to the Anointing of the Sick. The anointing can be offered to anyone who faces a serious illness that could be life-threatening.

In the anointing, oil that is made from olives and being blessed by the bishop at the Chrism Mass during Holy Week is used. In physical terms, the oil symbolizes healing. A secular parallel (but not the same thing) can be seen in how we might rub ointment on an injury. The ointment can help bring physical healing. The anointing with the oil in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick brings us spiritual healing. Physical illness can spiritually affect us. This Sacrament offers us spiritual healing.

So, one can ask for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick when they realize they are fighting a serious illness, meaning an illness that can lead to death. A person can receive this Sacrament as many times as they face serious illness. If they face a particular serious illness over a significant period of time, as it worsens, they can be anointed again.

While the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is no longer seen as only for those who are dying, when one is near death, whether they have already received the Anointing of the Sick or not, they can ask to be anointed and to receive the prayers for the dying. Central to these prayers is the Apostolic Pardon. The Apostolic Pardon is an indulgence for the remission of sins. Accompanying the pardon, the priest offers additional prayers, commending the person who is dying to the Lord.

One may wonder how close a person must be to death to request the prayers for the dying. Some people continue to think that the person must be expected to die within a day or two. Certainly, if one is that close to death, a priest should be requested for the Sacrament. However, one does not have to be that close to death. If you are told the person has two weeks to live, the priest should be contacted as soon as possible. This helps make sure a priest will be able to come. It also makes it more likely that the dying person will be able to actively participate in the Sacrament. If one waits to the day of death, the person may not be alert and awake. If they are awake and alert, they can participate in prayers like the Lord’s Prayer. It also means they have the opportunity to confess their sins and that they have the opportunity to receive Communion (when Communion is offered to a dying person, it is known as viaticum and a special prayer is used).

Viaticum is not required for one to be welcomed into Heaven but it is offered as “food for the journey” to eternal life. As to having the opportunity to confess one’s sins, you should remember that to receive any Sacrament, one needs to be in a “state of grace,” free from mortal sin. So, even if one is not expected to die soon, when one asks to be anointed, they should ask themselves if they need to go to confession. If the answer is yes, they should do so before being anointed.

If the person is unresponsive because of their health, then the church says we offer absolution assuming the person has a contrite heart and would confess their sins if they are able. If they get better, they would be expected to confess their sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If they again get worse, they can receive the prayers for the dying again when appropriate.

Besides the active participation of the person who is dying, calling before death is expected immediately also offers the opportunity to schedule the priest’s visit when family can be there. The anointing and the prayers for the dying offer grace to the person who is dying. However, it can be a powerful spiritual moment for anyone present to think about eternal life.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff