Can a non Catholic recieve the last rites blessings?

[tomem]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

 

[Seatuck]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

I’m pretty sure he would need to be asking for communion with the Catholic Church in order to receive something like that. A death bed conversion as they say.

Why don’t you ask a trusted Priest this question? One who would be able to go to the bedside. And before that ask your friend if he is open to that.

You could pray at your friends bedside if he is not willing to do that.

 

[AlegreFe]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

hmm that’s a good question. I know a Priest cannot give him Extreme Unction. But I wonder if a Priest would be willing to give him a blessing. I don’t see anything wrong with that. But ask a Priest and see if he would do it.

I know there is one thing for sure that you can do. My family and I prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for my MIL at her bedside in the hospital, may she rest in peace.

These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to Saint Faustina;
“…When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior.”
You could even pray it with your Parish Priest and other friends and family members right there by his bed.

The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy
There is the link for the prayer at the EWTN website. My sig image is of The Divine Mercy.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Most priest chaplains in Catholic hospitals also have non-Catholic patients. Unless the patient doesn’t want to be seen by a priest, the priest stops by anyway.

So ask your friend if he’d like to have a priest stop by and visit.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

Your pastor could visit him and pray with him and even Bless him if he is Baptized. The “Last Rites” are a combination of three Sacraments and an Apostolic Blessing and can only be received by a Catholic or a person seeking to become Catholic.

 

[FrDavid96]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

The priest could give a blessing for the sick/dying and simply modify the words as necessary. But as you’ve read here, any Sacraments would not be possible, unless the patient wishes to join the Church. In that case, he could be received into the Church right away.

 

[Aramis]

I have a very dear friend who is not Catholic, but is also not in good health. His doctors have told him he has very little time left. I would like for him to depart this world with some blessings for his final journey so I was wondering if a priest could give him a final blessing or anything close to the Last Rites? I know one needs to be fully in communion with the church to receive any of the sacraments, but I am hoping that there might be some sort of last blessing? Any help would be great.

If he is Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, Old Catholic, PNCC: permitted by canon law.

If Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist: might be permitted by the bishop in accord with canon law, sans viaticum.

 

[FrDavid96]

If Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist: might be permitted by the bishop in accord with canon law, sans viaticum.

That’s not quite how it works. There must be “danger of death or other grave necessity” and it must be impossible for them to approach a minister of their own community before the bishop can give his permission. The person must manifest Catholic faith and be properly disposed.
See Canon 844 It’s not simply a matter of the bishop giving his permission–those specific requirements must be met first.

 

[stanthonyserver]

The Code of Canon Law 1170 Blessings, which are to be imparted first of all to Catholics, can also be given to catechumens and even to non-Catholics unless there is a prohibition of the Church to the contrary.

This would seem to say a blessing would be fine but we all agree that the Sacrament would not.

David