Did my father receive true absolution from Annointing of the Sick?

[princz23]

Ten weeks ago, my father, who attends a Baptist church and has never been baptized, became very ill and was not expected to live. My brother and I are Catholic and asked the hospital priest to do the Anointing of the Sick. He agreed and did so. My father was in a coma and could not consent. He has lived through God’s grace and is going to need several months of rehabilitation. Did my father receive absolution from his sins? If so, I believe it is important for me to tell him. He has struggled with believing he had to be perfect before God would accept him. I believe this could help him on his journey, but I don’t want to mislead him.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Jennifer,

One must be baptized in order to receive the other sacraments. Your father could possibly be considered to have had baptism of desire. While it is possible that he would have consented to be anointed, we don’t know that. If he had consented, he would have fully benefited from the Anointing of the Sick. But this is something that only God knows.

If I were you, I would try to convince him to be baptized. Baptism removes all sins and you would know for sure that he is in good spiritual shape. He is in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.