Death penalty and Last Rites

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I tried asking this on the AAA forum, but I probably bungled up the submission. Anyway, can a Catholic inmate on death row receive all the Last Rites elements immediately prior to execution? Does this ever happen? Although not technically sick, they are facing imminent death. Can they receive the anointing of the sick and the apostolic plenary indulgence?
 
jkatpc said:
I tried asking this on the AAA forum, but I probably bungled up the submission. Anyway, can a Catholic inmate on death row receive all the Last Rites elements immediately prior to execution? Does this ever happen? Although not technically sick, they are facing imminent death. Can they receive the anointing of the sick and the apostolic plenary indulgence?
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Yes, it can and should happen.

Timothy McVeigh, for example, requested and recieved Sacramental Absolution just prior to his execution.

They do recieve the Apostolic Blessing, which includes the plenary indulgence. If accepted with no attachment to sin, that means they go directly to Heaven :🙂

How’s that for a demonstration of God’s Mercy 👍
 
jkatpc said:
I tried asking this on the AAA forum, but I probably bungled up the submission. Anyway, can a Catholic inmate on death row receive all the Last Rites elements immediately prior to execution? Does this ever happen? Although not technically sick, they are facing imminent death. Can they receive the anointing of the sick and the apostolic plenary indulgence?
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They may receive Sacramental Confession and Holy Communion as any Catholic can request them at any time. They would not receive Anointing of the Sick or the Apostolic Blessing of Last Rites…
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
They may receive Sacramental Confession and Holy Communion as any Catholic can request them at any time. They would not receive Anointing of the Sick or the Apostolic Blessing of Last Rites…
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What is the reasoning for denial of the latter two? Surely they are at least as close to death as most who are sick and receive them.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
They may receive Sacramental Confession and Holy Communion as any Catholic can request them at any time. They would not receive Anointing of the Sick or the Apostolic Blessing of Last Rites…
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Are you sure about that,

Timothy McVeigh recieved Last Rites
lockport-ny.com/Features/McVeigh.htm
McVeigh, who was raised a Catholic but deserted his faith, had been given Last Rites by a prison chaplain, the Lockport Home Page learned shortly after the execution. The sacrament usually requires an admission of sorrow for past sins. He reportedly answered in the affirmative when told a priest was available to give him last rites after he was strapped onto a gurney in the death chamber. “He asked for it when he was on the table,” said Bureau of Prisons spokesman Jeff Grondolsky. Prison chaplain Frank Roof administered the Roman Catholic sacrament of Last Rites, in which blessed oil is daubed onto the body, just before curtains opened to reveal McVeigh to the execution witnesses. Following his execution, his body was cremated and the ashes given to one of McVeigh’s attorneys
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James Connoly, an Irish rebel in the 1916 Easter Uprising, was also given Last Rites prior to his execution by the British.
 
Brendan said:
Are you sure about that,

Timothy McVeigh recieved Last Rites
lockport-ny.com/Features/McVeigh.htm

James Connoly, an Irish rebel in the 1916 Easter Uprising, was also given Last Rites prior to his execution by the British.
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I wonder how accurate the news paper is about exactly what took place. The prison chaplain may have. I have read that it is not normally permitted. Maybe the Bishop gave him permission?
 
jkatpc said:
What is the reasoning for denial of the latter two? Surely they are at least as close to death as most who are sick and receive them.
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I read this several years ago. I guess that it is because they are not ill or injured, they are being punished for a crime they have been found guilty of. Maybe with the number of innocent people being found on death row, the Church has changed this. Only an active prison chaplain would be able to answer for certain I guess.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I read this several years ago. I guess that it is because they are not ill or injured, they are being punished for a crime they have been found guilty of. Maybe with the number of innocent people being found on death row, the Church has changed this. Only an active prison chaplain would be able to answer for certain I guess.
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James Connoly was executed in 1916, and he recieved Last Rites.
 
One thing to note, we are talking about Last Rite ( Confession\Absolution, Viaticum and the Apostolic Blessing)

NOT the Sacrament of the Sick.

The only Sacrament given is Sacramental Absolution, not the Sacrament of the Sick.
 
Brendan said:
One thing to note, we are talking about Last Rite ( Confession\Absolution, Viaticum and the Apostolic Blessing)

NOT the Sacrament of the Sick.

The only Sacrament given is Sacramental Absolution, not the Sacrament of the Sick.
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Last Rites is three Sacraments. (Reconciliation, Holy Communion as Viaticum, Anointing of the Sick and then the Apostolic Blessing)
 
Condemned prisoners are not supposed to receive the sacrament for the sick, for the simple reason is that they are not sick or injured.

Soldiers being sent into a dangerous battle situation can’t receive it either. But either can receive confession and/or communion before their ordeals.
 
The imminence of the person’s death must have it’s origins from within the person, not an external cause. They have to be sick.
I read it in an old catechism and tucked it away. I can dig out the source if anyone wants, but this is the teaching of the Church and always has been.
 
Then why did Timothy McVeigh recieved the Last Rites? I believe that he was in a perfect state of health.
 
A person may be emotionally or spiritually in dire need and receive the Sacrament of the Sick. For example, it is sometimes given after exorcisms when a person has been suffering the psychological and spiritual attacks of a demonic source.

I’d imagine someone going away to certain death at execution would be in dire psychological, emotional and spiritual need, and could therefore receive the anointing of the sick.

On the other hand, a soldier going into battle, while under a great deal of stress, shouldn’t be so ill in himself as to merit this sacrament. If a soldier was in that much emotional distress, they probably have PTSD and shouldn’t be allowed to go into battle in the first place.

As to James Connolly, I get the feeling the British probably didn’t keep him in the best of health in the days leading up to his execution.
 
Sir_Knight said:
This topic was widely discussed on this board and the general agreement was that he DID receive the last rites.
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I’m not contesting if he did or not. The question is should he have. There are many instances every day where people receive the Sacraments when they shouldn’t. The Sacrament of the Sick is often abused when offered in parishes at Sunday Mass.
 
any Catholic who asks may receive the sacraments, and the priest at the scene judges if anointing of the sick will be administered. Recall the sacrament is for the gravely ill and also for those in danger of death, and let the priest do his job without second-guessing. It is a very narrow restricted graceless view of the sacramental economy when 3rd parties begin speculating about who may or may not have this healing sacrament.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
The Sacrament of the Sick is often abused when offered in parishes at Sunday Mass.
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Can you expand on that?

I recall during the first Gulf war the pastor had a service for those about to go away and gave then all the last rites as a group. Nonw of them were ill at that moment. Was that wrong per church teaching?
 
Sir_Knight said:
Can you expand on that?

I recall during the first Gulf war the pastor had a service for those about to go away and gave then all the last rites as a group. Nonw of them were ill at that moment. Was that wrong per church teaching?
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In my opinion he should have invited them to go to Confession. Maybe be available in the confessional during a certain time just for any of them. Offered Mass just before their departing so that they could receive Holy Communion and giving them a personal blessing invoking St. George. Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum??? A person can only receive the Apostolic Blessing associated with “Last Rites” once in their life.

Many times in parishes the faithful are not properly catechized about the Sacrament of the Sick in preparation to receiving it at a Sunday Mass. They are not informed of the need to be in a state of Sacramental Grace to properly receive the Sacrament under those circumstances. Such as the need to examine one conscience and go to Confession prior to receiving the Sacrament. The necessary conditions for receiving it, such as over the Age of Reason, being at risk of death due to serious illness or injury, or advanced age.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
In my opinion he should have invited them to go to Confession. Maybe be available in the confessional during a certain time just for any of them. Offered Mass just before their departing so that they could receive Holy Communion and giving them a personal blessing invoking St. George. Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick and Viaticum??? A person can only receive the Apostolic Blessing associated with “Last Rites” once in their life.

Many times in parishes the faithful are not properly catechized about the Sacrament of the Sick in preparation to receiving it at a Sunday Mass. They are not informed of the need to be in a state of Sacramental Grace to properly receive the Sacrament under those circumstances. Such as the need to examine one conscience and go to Confession prior to receiving the Sacrament. The necessary conditions for receiving it, such as over the Age of Reason, being at risk of death due to serious illness or injury, or advanced age.
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Does your last sentence square with this: “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” (CCC 1514)? Also, do you have a source for receiving the Apostolic Pardon only once in a lifetime?
 
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