Anointing "a form of Confession"?

[Petergee]

At a Sunday Mass I attended, the celebrant (a very senior priest in that diocese) announced at the start of Mass that instead of the normal Penitential Rite, he would celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing. He explained that he does this regularly at another church in the parish, but had decided to do it there " so that you too can choose this form of confession which forgives all your sins". He then said some prayers, then every single person in the church filed up to him and he crossed the hands of each one with oil saying something like “God heals you and forgives all your sins”. He explained that although it was the Sacrament of the Sick, he gave an explanation which would mean that absolutely everybody is “sick” in some way and should receive the sacrament. Those receiving it included two whom he obviously knew were not Catholics, as he later invited them to come up to the ambo at the homily time where they talked about an ecumenical activity they were involved in, and mentioned that they belonged to protestant churches.

Is this true? I understood that the only time that the Sacrament of the Sick forgives all your sins without Confession is when it is given to a dying person who is physically unable to confess.

The priest also said some other odd things during the Mass, such as " unlike the people in the first century in the Holy Land, we haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh AND WE NEVER WILL" (my emphasis) seeming to deny the bodily resurrection (or alternatively denying that any of us have any hope of reaching Heaven).

 

[Gorgias]

 

[Cruciferi]

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[Vico]

At a Sunday Mass I attended, the celebrant (a very senior priest in that diocese) announced at the start of Mass that instead of the normal Penitential Rite, he would celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing. He explained that he does this regularly at another church in the parish, but had decided to do it there " so that you too can choose this form of confession which forgives all your sins". He then said some prayers, then every single person in the church filed up to him and he crossed the hands of each one with oil saying something like “God heals you and forgives all your sins”. He explained that although it was the Sacrament of the Sick, he gave an explanation which would mean that absolutely everybody is “sick” in some way and should receive the sacrament. Those receiving it included two whom he obviously knew were not Catholics, as he later invited them to come up to the ambo at the homily time where they talked about an ecumenical activity they were involved in, and mentioned that they belonged to protestant churches.

Is this true? I understood that the only time that the Sacrament of the Sick forgives all your sins without Confession is when it is given to a dying person who is physically unable to confess.

The priest also said some other odd things during the Mass, such as " unlike the people in the first century in the Holy Land, we haven’t seen Jesus in the flesh AND WE NEVER WILL" (my emphasis) seeming to deny the bodily resurrection (or alternatively denying that any of us have any hope of reaching Heaven).

That is not correct way to administer the Anointing of the Sick. There are only two sacraments that are called sacraments of the dead (for those without sanctifying grace) which restore sanctifying grace, and all the rest, the sacraments of the living, increase already existing sanctifying grace. The sacraments of the dead are baptism and penance. For the anointing of the sick, confession must precede it if there are mortal sins – unless the person is physically unable, in which case not to be given unless the person is not living in manifest grave sin. In any case where the disposition is not proper, the grace is not received.

 

[InThePew]

There is definitely a penitential aspect to the sacrament of anointing but it’s not intended (nor is it appropriate) for it to take the place of the penitential rite at mass - the two serve very different and distinct purposes. Similarly, while it’s no longer intended solely for those who are facing imminent death but those who have “begun to be in danger of death” this shouldn’t be taken as far as saying “we are all sick” - we may well be but whether we’ve begun to be in danger of death is another question altogether. Personally, I explain the test and leave it up to individuals to decide for themselves whether or not it applies to them. Non-Catholics receive the sacrament under certain circumstances depending, in part, on whether it exists in their denomination.

As far as the last part goes, it may well be that he simply didn’t word what he was saying very well - it is true, to a certain extent (we’ll never see him as those in the first century did) but nonetheless could have been worded better.

 

[Petergee]

Non-Catholics receive the sacrament under certain circumstances depending, in part, on whether it exists in their denomination.

As it only be administered by a priest, surely it can’t exist in any protestant denomination? Whether the denomination has some similar (or even identical looking) ritual does not seem to make any difference as to whether it would be appropriate for a protestant to receive the sacrament in a Catholic church.

 

[InThePew]

One could say that about any sacrament but nevertheless limited exceptions are permitted by the Code of Canon Law and the Ecumenical Directory. Whether, and in what way the sacrament of anointing exists in other denominations is important in the sense that all sacraments have a community aspect to them (we don’t receive sacraments as individuals) but this isn’t necessarily a deal breaker; what matters is:
(1) that the seek the sacrament on their own accord (rather than an open invitation),
(2) that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments
(3) and are properly disposed.

Numbers 2 & 3 obviously require some discussion beforehand as well as discernment (hopefully) on the part of the minister and recipient as to what’s best in the individual’s circumstances.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The Eucharist, Confession, and Anointing are the three sacraments of healing.

There are no sacraments for the dead. The dead may benefit from our prayers.

The sacraments of the dead are baptism and penance.

 

[Dovekin]

There are only two sacraments that are called sacraments of the dead (for those without sanctifying grace)…

The sacrament of anointing is usually understood in terms of the words of St James:

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.
James 5:14-15

The consequences of the sacrament certainly sound like sanctifying grace are given. If saved and forgiven are not enough, the Lord will raise him up means he will not be “dead.”

When it was used at the point of death, a chance for confession was usually offered. Probably absolution was given, but the anointing could act as a kind of absolution for those unable to confess. It was a sign of their union with the Church, of not being dead in their sins but seeking the forgiveness of God who is always ready to be merciful.

 

[Gorgias]

The Eucharist, Confession, and Anointing are the three sacraments of healing.

There are no sacraments for the dead. The dead may benefit from our prayers.

Vico:

The sacraments of the dead are baptism and penance.

I was going to post the same response. Then, it dawned on me that this is meant in a figurative sense – those who haven’t received the grace of baptism, or who have lost that grace through sin – are “dead” in a sense, albeit not a physical one.

 

[Vico]

The Eucharist, Confession, and Anointing are the three sacraments of healing.

There are no sacraments for the dead. The dead may benefit from our prayers.

Vico:

The sacraments of the dead are baptism and penance.

Baltimore Catechism No 2:

1. Q. Which are the Sacraments that give sanctifying grace?
   A. The Sacraments that give sanctifying grace are Baptism and Penance; and they are called Sacraments of the dead.
2. Q. Why are Baptism and Penance called Sacraments of the dead?
   A. Baptism and Penance are called Sacraments of the dead, because they take away sin, which is the death of the soul, and give grace, which is its life.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The Baltimore Catechism was the official teaching in the Baltimore archdiocese many decades ago, I should have said it is an archaic term.

 

[Vico]

The Baltimore Catechism was the official teaching in the Baltimore archdiocese many decades ago, I should have said it is an archaic term.

It is still correct and I was trained using the Baltimore Catechism series in the period before the current universal catechism was available.

 

[po18guy]

Anointing infers the risk of death - thus no opportunity to confess. It also assumes that the penitent would avail themselves of reconciliation if it were possible.

I have been anointed too many times to count, but never stopped confessing my sins. If you need proof of the efficacy of the Sacrament of Anointing, I would guess that I am somewhat of an example. Twelve years of cancer treatment - one cancer three times, two other cancers, and finally all three simultaneously. Being essentially killed for a stem cell transplant and fighting Graft-versus-Host-disease ever since.

One might say that the evil one threw everything he had at me - but God’s power is infinitely greater. I have found that factng death and letting go of your life will restore that life.