Annointing of the Sick - Last Rites Question

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Unfortunately, a close friend’s cousin was hit by a drunk driver this weekend while he was riding his bike home in the middle of the night and the guy drove off. The drunk river was caught later.

The victim was rushed to hospital and is in critical condition in a medically induced coma. His family has already been asked if they want to donate his organs… He is only 18 years old.

Their priest has been there and I think I heard he gave him his last rites. I was wondering more on how this works? It’s one of the rarest sacraments in my view, especially at my age.

He is unable to speak and isn’t even awake. He is unable to confess his sins. So does that mean this sacrament of annointing the sick is going to remove those sins that he cannot confess?

I am trying to look on the bright side of this tragic event and it is comforting to know the priest has been there and if he doesn’t survive by some miracle, he will be with Jesus in heaven soon.
 
Just to clarify – Last Rites consists of Confession, Anointing of the Sick, and Viaticum (the person’s presumably last Communion).

If the young man is in a coma, obviously Confession was not possible. I don’t know if it was possible to give him a tiny piece of the Eucharist. But he must have received the Anointing. The forgiveness of sins is part of the anointing, and he would be forgiven even though he is unable to confess.
 
Sina said:
Unfortunately, a close friend’s cousin was hit by a drunk driver this weekend while he was riding his bike home in the middle of the night and the guy drove off. The drunk river was caught later.

The victim was rushed to hospital and is in critical condition in a medically induced coma. His family has already been asked if they want to donate his organs… He is only 18 years old.

Their priest has been there and I think I heard he gave him his last rites. I was wondering more on how this works? It’s one of the rarest sacraments in my view, especially at my age.

He is unable to speak and isn’t even awake. He is unable to confess his sins. So does that mean this sacrament of annointing the sick is going to remove those sins that he cannot confess?

I am trying to look on the bright side of this tragic event and it is comforting to know the priest has been there and if he doesn’t survive by some miracle, he will be with Jesus in heaven soon.
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That is correct if he is unable to Confess his sins and dies without ever being able to, this Sacrament provides for the forgiveness of his sins.

Last Rite is the reception of three Sacraments. He in this case has only received one of the three. It is more proper to speak of him receiving the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, not “Last Rites”
 
Sina said:
He is unable to speak and isn’t even awake. He is unable to confess his sins. So does that mean this sacrament of annointing the sick is going to remove those sins that he cannot confess?

I.
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yes precisely. If he had been able to receive he would also have been offered Viaticum (food for the journey), the consecrated host. The sacrament of anointing of the sick, together with confession for someone who is conscious and able to do so, and reception of communion, together are called Last Rites. The sacrament of anointing does indeed forgive sins which is why only a priest can administer it, not a deacon. A person who is conscious should confess first if possible if they are aware of any grave sins. Your loved one indeed is facing eternity and judgment with a clean soul having been prepared by Christ himself through the sacrament given to us by Christ.
 
I just wanted to give an update for anyone who followed this short thread. The young man is alive and doing rather well considering what happened to him. He can barely speak, and doesn’t walk ( yet ) but he can eat on his own and is still in hospital. He has loving family and friends around him.

🙂
 
How much better shape is a person in if they are properly disposed to receive all three sacraments of the Last Rites and then right before they die the priest gives them the apostolic pardon?

It seems that would be the best way to meet our Lord after death.

Would it make any difference on length in purgatory or possibly going straight to Heaven?
 
Sina said:
I just wanted to give an update for anyone who followed this short thread. The young man is alive and doing rather well considering what happened to him. He can barely speak, and doesn’t walk ( yet ) but he can eat on his own and is still in hospital. He has loving family and friends around him.

🙂
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Thank God he’s doing better, and I hope that somehow a greater good comes out of this for the young man-- for example, he could reflect on how close to death he was and become more spiritual.
 
I just wanted to give an update for anyone who followed this short thread. The young man is alive and doing rather well considering what happened to him. He can barely speak, and doesn’t walk ( yet ) but he can eat on his own and is still in hospital. He has loving family and friends around him.
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The annointing of the sick is a powerful sacrament. Praise God for His mercy, for His healing, for His love.
 
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