Anointing of the Sick

“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."”

James 5:14-15

Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God’s mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by their sins and which by charity, by example, and by prayer labors for their conversion. – CCC 1422

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is administered to the dying as well as to those who are gravely ill or about to undergo a serious operation. This sacrament of mercy and healing offers prayers for the recovery, but its primary intention is to give spiritual strength and calm the soul of the one suffering from illness. Traditionally, this sacrament was referred to as Extreme Unction or Last Rites.

Please call the Parish Office to schedule an anointing or if there has been a death and you would like to have a funeral at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
303-322-8042

 

If there is a Sacramental Emergency, please call the parish emergency line.
303-335-9255

(For what constitutes a Sacramental Emergency, please see below.)

Who May be Anointed?

A baptized Catholic whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age. This includes:

– Those who are physically or mentally ill
– Those preparing for surgery
– Those with a terminal illness
– Those of advanced age in a weakened condition
– Those preparing to die
– Seriously ill children (with sufficient use of reason)
– Sick people who are unconscious

For the integrity of the sacrament the priest will hear the confession of the person to be anointed.

Who may not be anointed?

A person who is already dead. In this case, the priest may pray for the deceased person and bless the body.

What is a Sacramental Emergency?

Sacramental Emergencies are if someone is in immanent danger of dying and wishes to receive the sacraments before passing. This also may include those who are under someone’s care an are unable to request the sacraments for themselves – including but not limited to emergency infant baptism or last rites of someone with dementia.

If someone either has a chronic illness or is not in immanent danger, please schedule an anointing.   It is suggested that the sick person receive the sacrament of the anointing of the sick at the beginning of any serious condition – not at the end.

A Pastoral Suggestion…

Please do not wait until the last minute to have a person anointed. It is suggested that the sick person receive the sacrament of the anointing of the sick at the beginning of any serious condition.

Please contact the parish office if a loved one is in need of Anointing.

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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. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ. As soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived. If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced. – CCC, 1499, 1514-1515

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