Anointing of the sick

[IneedGod]

As a person going thru RCIA I am learning the sacraments.
I am now trying to understand more fully the sacrament of the Anointing of the sick.
My understanding is it was called the last rites or extreem unction.
It is or was only to be given in cases of danger of death.
It was not so much for physical healing as for spiritual healing although physical healing might occur.

Coming from a protestand background I am used to people being prayed over and even anointed with oil due to sickness that would not nessacarily lead to death.
I have read of healing masses and I am a bit confused.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Chris_Etzel]

Start with the CCC:

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catechism/catechism-of-the-catholic-church/epub/OEBPS/27-chapter10.xhtml#article25

And for the Protestant in you… (I have a bit of it left in me, too) James 5:14-15
Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

Hope this helps.

 

[1ke]

As a person going thru RCIA I am learning the sacraments.
I am now trying to understand more fully the sacrament of the Anointing of the sick.
My understanding is it was called the last rites or extreem unction.

The Last Rites are three sacraments given to those believed to be in imminent danger of death. They consist of Confession, Eucharist, and Anointing of the Sick.

Unction is another word for Anointing.

It is or was only to be given in cases of danger of death.

Not necessarily, although that is the association that is commonly made, particularly by Hollywood.

It was not so much for physical healing as for spiritual healing although physical healing might occur.

That is correct.

Coming from a protestand background I am used to people being prayed over and even anointed with oil due to sickness that would not nessacarily lead to death.
I have read of healing masses and I am a bit confused.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Anointing of the Sick is for the sick and infirm (elderly) but it is not necessarily only for those who are terminally ill.

I suggest the Catechism for further reading, scroll down to the section on Anointing of the Sick:

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

 

[IneedGod]

Thank you for your answers,
I do want to understand as fully as I can.
That brings me to this hypothetical question.
Lets say a person is suffering from bronchitis. What is that person to do? I have never seen (thus far) anyone go up for prayer in that type of situation.
Would or should they be given the sacrament?
Sorry for being so dense but I do want to understand the beliefs concerning healing.

 

[maryjk]

Thank you for your answers,
I do want to understand as fully as I can.
That brings me to this hypothetical question.
Lets say a person is suffering from bronchitis. What is that person to do? I have never seen (thus far) anyone go up for prayer in that type of situation.
Would or should they be given the sacrament?
Sorry for being so dense but I do want to understand the beliefs concerning healing.

It needs to be a serious illness.

From the CCC

1514 The Anointing of the Sick "is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, 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."129

1515 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.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

We have a priest who holds closely to the rules. I recently asked him to anoint me before I had an operation for cataracts. I explained that I have diabetes which makes me more prone to infection and slower to heal. He stated that the cataract surgery was not sufficient cause to anoint, but the added danger of complications in my case did justify it.

 

[maltmom]

I was in the hospital recently. At the time I was seriously ill and they didn’t know why. My Priest came and prayed for me and anointed me oil. I found out later that I had West Nile Fever. He did not bring the Eucharist nor did he hear my confession. A couple hours later my temperature dropped down to normal for the first time in over 2 weeks.

 

[asia53]

Sorry for being so dense but I do want to understand the beliefs concerning healing.

You’re not dense–you have an inquiring mind, ask questions, read the replies, and do the research for your own answers. To me, you’re very smart!

 

[Vico]

As a person going thru RCIA I am learning the sacraments.
I am now trying to understand more fully the sacrament of the Anointing of the sick.
My understanding is it was called the last rites or extreem unction.
It is or was only to be given in cases of danger of death.
It was not so much for physical healing as for spiritual healing although physical healing might occur.

Coming from a protestand background I am used to people being prayed over and even anointed with oil due to sickness that would not nessacarily lead to death.
I have read of healing masses and I am a bit confused.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

This sacrament of spiritual healing, with possible physical or mental healing that could occur as a result of the spiritual healing, strengthens us when we are turned towards God (repentent). If we are a publicly manifest sinner, then this sacrament is not to be given. Unless unconscious or incoherent, it is preceded by the sacrament of Confession. If not absolved then the purpose of the sacrament is not achieved. There are other types of prayerful healing services that are not a sacrament.

 

[IneedGod]

Would you be so kind as to expound upon those please?
Thank you

 

[Vico]

Would you be so kind as to expound upon those please?
Thank you

There are healing masses, usually charismatic. This include additional prayers for healing before and after the Mass. The same is done without a Mass. Another form of healing is a penetential Mass, with General Absolution, preceeded or followed by individual confessions. To give you an idea, I have been to one healing Mass that included General Absolution, and it was a couple of hours long. There were members of the audience that stood up to be healed and there were three there that testified to a healing that occurred just then.

Also there is, in some of the eastern Catholic churches a healing liturgy, during Lent, and also various Moleben (for particular person or groups or purpose).

metropolitancantorinstitute.org/Publications.html

 

[IneedGod]

Very interesting thank you!!
I will see what I can find on that. Those do happen in the RCC correct?

 

[Vico]

Very interesting thank you!!
I will see what I can find on that. Those do happen in the RCC correct?

The one healing Mass that I was at was in a Latin Catholic Church. The priest was from India, though, Fr. Mathew Naickomparambill V.C. from Kerala Divine Retreat Center.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

A few years back I was having a very bad spell of depression. I asked one of our priests for the anointing, but he believed that the anointing is only for physical ills. *

I have diabetes, a bad heart, and am over 70. He agreed that that justified an anointing. He told me to go pray by the Tabernacle. He came in a couple of minutes and anointed me.

There were several Vietnamese ladies praying by the Tabernacle. One followed me out and asked if the priest anointed me. I told her that I had a number of problems. She promised that she and the others would pray for me.

I don’t know whether it was the anointing or the ladies’ prayers but a couple of minutes later the depression turned off like someone had turned off a light switch.*

 

[asia53]

There are healing masses, usually charismatic. This include additional prayers for healing before and after the Mass. The same is done without a Mass. Another form of healing is a penetential Mass, with General Absolution, preceeded or followed by individual confessions. To give you an idea, I have been to one healing Mass that included General Absolution, and it was a couple of hours long. There were members of the audience that stood up to be healed and there were three there that testified to a healing that occurred just then.

There is one other type of healing Mass, also, usually charismatic. We celebrated Mass, the readings and homily emphasized healing, then people lined up for healing. A priest from Ireland was there, he laid his hands on people, and prayed. I remember, his hands were very, very warm—downright hot! Peoples’ knees were buckling right and left. The Irish priest has since retired, and returned to Ireland.

There is a huge misunderstanding about General Absolution. Usually, it’s used when there is no time for a proper confession (i.e. soldiers going into battle), extreme circumstances. However, as soon as you can or in the soldiers’ case, if you survive–you have to go to
confession.

Those do happen in the RCC correct?

Yes. Do some research first, though. Check with Archdiocese/ Diocese, make sure they have approval.

 

[IneedGod]

Thank you all so much, I think I have an understanding now.
God Bless

 

[dochawk]

I have an elderly friend who left a healing Mass from a traveling priest beign told he was no longer afflicted–and his next medical tests showed no trace of a long-time, ultimately fatal condition . . . Also, in much of the East, the understanding of the sacrament and when it is to be used is different, with the entire congregation being administered the Sacrament during Holy Week (and, no, I won’t get into the discussion of whether or not it is the Sacrament; this is well-established. And, also no, Western Canon Law and teaching is not relevant to this Eastern practice). hawk