General Anointing of the Sick?

[bquinnan]

A few weeks ago, our parish had a special Mass where the Anointing of the Sick was going to be administered to anyone wanting to receive it. I assumed it would be understood that the people who would go up to receive it would be those who are either battling a serious illness or otherwise facing a reasonable danger of death in the near future. However, it seemed like nearly everyone in the Church went up to receive it.

(I did not, as I didn’t think I met the criteria, not being sick or having a reasonable expectation that I might die soon.) My son, who was altar-serving, received it, following the lead of the older, more experienced altar servers.

Is it normal for healthy people to receive this sacrament in this situation?

 

[tseleehw]

This question comes up on here quite often - and the answer is no, it isn’t really supposed to be done this way. Only those who meet the criteria laid out by the Church are supposed to receive the sacrament. I’m not going to bother getting the criteria, but in a situation like this it is obvious there are many who are receiving the sacrament that shouldn’t be (such as your son, as it sounds like). The fault does not lie with those who received in error, but rather with the priest, who should discern each case individually or make clear the criteria at a mass such as this where many people are expected to be receiving at once.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

Anointing of the Sick should be for those faithful in “danger due to sickness or old age.”

EWTN: Anointing of the Sick
ewtn.com/expert/answers/anointing_of_the_sick.htm

Who may receive the Sacrament.

Canon 998
The anointing of the sick by which the Church commends to the suffering and glorified Lord the faithful who are dangerously sick so that He relieve and save them, is conferred by anointing them with oil and using the words prescribed in the liturgical books.

Canon 1004
1. The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, after having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.
2. This sacrament can be repeated whenever the sick person again falls into a serious sickness after convalescence or whenever a more serious crisis develops during the same sickness.

These canons can be summarized as follows. Those who satisfy three conditions may be anointed:

1. A baptized Catholic,

2. Reached the age of reason,

3. Begun to be in danger from illness or the infirmities of age, or have become sick again or underwent a further crisis. It should be noted that the danger need only have begun to exist. The person does not have to be "in extremis" (in imminent danger of dying). This is a change from the pastoral practice before the Second Vatican Council.

The ritual gives the following examples:

· "those who are dangerously ill through sickness or old age"
· "a sick person...before surgery whenever the surgery is necessitated by a dangerous illness"
· "elderly people...if they are weak, though not dangerously ill"
· "sick children...sufficiently mature to be comforted by the sacrament"
· "sick people who have lost consciousness or who have lost the use of reason...if ...they would have requested it if they had been in possession of their faculties"

Doubts about who may receive.

Canon 1002:
The communal celebration of the anointing of the sick for many of the sick at the same time who are duly prepared and rightly disposed can be performed according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop.

 

[Vico]

A few weeks ago, our parish had a special Mass where the Anointing of the Sick was going to be administered to anyone wanting to receive it. I assumed it would be understood that the people who would go up to receive it would be those who are either battling a serious illness or otherwise facing a reasonable danger of death in the near future. However, it seemed like nearly everyone in the Church went up to receive it.

(I did not, as I didn’t think I met the criteria, not being sick or having a reasonable expectation that I might die soon.) My son, who was altar-serving, received it, following the lead of the older, more experienced altar servers.

Is it normal for healthy people to receive this sacrament in this situation?

Those that went forward that did not meet the criteria for the sacrament, did not receive the sacramental grace, which includes being free from mortal sin, because those that are able to confess with mortal sin, must do so first.

 

[Eric_Prine]

I wonder if someone would accuse me of being an “ableist”, but can and should children with autism receive the sacrament of unction for their condition or is this only reserved for life or death diseases?

 

[Vico]

I wonder if someone would accuse me of being an “ableist”, but can and should children with autism receive the sacrament of unction for their condition or is this only reserved for life or death diseases?

From EWTN:

Those who satisfy three conditions may be anointed:

1. A baptized Catholic,
2. Reached the age of reason, [should be *use of reason per Canon 1004]
3. Begun to be in danger from illness or the infirmities of age, or have become sick again or underwent a further crisis. It should be noted that the danger need only have begun to exist. The person does not have to be “in extremis” (in imminent danger of dying). This is a change from the pastoral practice before the Second Vatican Council.

The ritual gives the following examples:

· “those who are dangerously ill through sickness or old age”
· “a sick person…before surgery whenever the surgery is necessitated by a dangerous illness”
· “elderly people…if they are weak, though not dangerously ill”
· “sick children…sufficiently mature to be comforted by the sacrament”
· “sick people who have lost consciousness or who have lost the use of reason…if …they would have requested it if they had been in possession of their faculties”

ewtn.com/expert/answers/anointing_of_the_sick.htm

 

[Usige]

It does not have to be a life or death situation, but it generally must be severe to some extent. Until recently, mental illness or disabilities were not considered conditions appropriate to anointing as it was understood to apply to physical ailments. As I understand it, “Pastoral Care of the Sick” does forsee the Rite of Anointing for certain serious mental illnesses.
“Some types of mental sickness are now classified as serious. Those who are judged to have a serious mental illness and who would be strengthened by the sacrament may be anointed. The anointing may be repeated in accordance with the conditions for other kinds of severe illness.”
You would need to speak with your pastor to see if Autism is considered a serious illness in this regard. It likely would depend on the extent of impairment to the individual among other things. It also would likely depend on the priest to some extent. I don’t know that every priest would judge it to be useful so they would need to rely on their judgement based on a given case.

 

[Mintaka]

There are various holy oils known for healing which are not Sacraments (like the St. Joseph oil promoted by St. Andre Bessette up in Canada), and of course everybody knows about Lourdes water and the like.

There are also various shrines that you can visit, and of course various healing prayers are part of our tradition. If you know someone who is clearly a “living saint,” you can always ask him to pray for healing, too.

The mental illness use of the Sacrament is “new” in Church tradition, although using other forms of healing prayer is normal. It is a sign of how much mental illness and impairments scare modern people, in my opinion.

But generally speaking, you wouldn’t use the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick on somebody who is healthy but autistic.

OTOH, pastors today are given a fair amount of leeway with this Sacrament, so it would not probably be abuse if someone were anointed for autism. (That doesn’t mean it should happen for everyone or get constantly repeated as happens in many parishes; it just means it falls on the pastor, if he is overusing the Sacrament like it is the Swiss Army knife of healing prayer. And a pastor may have very good reasons which parishioners don’t know. So it is an issue well above my paygrade!)

Autism is certainly a serious condition, and some people with it do get in danger of death. If you have a specific person in mind… mentioning Anointing or other healing prayers of the Church is never offensive to a Catholic, I would think. Just be tactful.

 

[Chatter163]

Discussed in the last few days. Post three is especially relevant.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=1042963

 

[otjm]

A few weeks ago, our parish had a special Mass where the Anointing of the Sick was going to be administered to anyone wanting to receive it. I assumed it would be understood that the people who would go up to receive it would be those who are either battling a serious illness or otherwise facing a reasonable danger of death in the near future. However, it seemed like nearly everyone in the Church went up to receive it.

(I did not, as I didn’t think I met the criteria, not being sick or having a reasonable expectation that I might die soon.) My son, who was altar-serving, received it, following the lead of the older, more experienced altar servers.

Is it normal for healthy people to receive this sacrament in this situation?

Just curious, but how did you determine that these people were healthy?

 

[tseleehw]

Just curious, but how did you determine that these people were healthy?

I don’t think the OP was making any individual judgments on who was healthy or not (except for perhaps the OP’s son who they would know about) but rather that it is common sense that there are no doubt numbers of people receiving the sacrament who shouldn’t be. There were likely many who were properly disposed to receive but when you see dozens of 16-30 year-olds receiving the anointing of the sick at these masses (going by an example I have seen) it’s either the sacrament is being given to many who shouldn’t be receiving or our young people today are in very poor health overall…

 

[Vico]

I don’t think the OP was making any individual judgments on who was healthy or not (except for perhaps the OP’s son who they would know about) but rather that it is common sense that there are no doubt numbers of people receiving the sacrament who shouldn’t be. There were likely many who were properly disposed to receive but when you see dozens of 16-30 year-olds receiving the anointing of the sick at these masses (going by an example I have seen) it’s either the sacrament is being given to many who shouldn’t be receiving or our young people today are in very poor health overall…

There is no increase of sanctifying grace for those receiving this anointing (and able to Confess) that are not properly disposed, just as it would be for the Eucharist. Similarly for one that has not begun to be in danger of death from sickness or old age.

 

[otjm]

I don’t think the OP was making any individual judgments on who was healthy or not (except for perhaps the OP’s son who they would know about) but rather that it is common sense that there are no doubt numbers of people receiving the sacrament who shouldn’t be. There were likely many who were properly disposed to receive but when you see dozens of 16-30 year-olds receiving the anointing of the sick at these masses (going by an example I have seen) it’s either the sacrament is being given to many who shouldn’t be receiving or our young people today are in very poor health overall…

We are going at this from several different directions.

The OP said “it ***seemed like nearly everyone ***in the Church went up to receive it.” (mi bold and italics). As people have a tendency to hyperbole, This sounds like it may be something of an overstatement. Perhaps it isn’t, but we have no information as to how many people were at that Mass (50? 100? 200? 500?) and how many people actually went up.

Recently, last fall/winter, my parish celebrated the Sacrament of the Sick. We had two lines going up, and each line contains about 20 +/- to the back pews; as the church is in the half-round, there were probably somewhere between 50 and 60 people coming forward. The average age range was between 50 and 90+, with several who were below that.

That seemed like a lot of people, but certainly not more than maybe 20% of the people at that Mass, and probably closer to about 15%. I could easily say “seemed like nearly everybody”, but that would be exceedingly hyperbolic as I am generally aware of about how many people actually come to that Mass.

So you saw dozens. Interesting, as it must be a rather large church building. Statistics generally put the majority of parishioners in the “over 50” category, as the age range of 18 to 30 has the worst attendance rate. And since “dozens” could amount to more than 24, and maybe as many as 60, that is quite a turnout.

The problem with that age range is that they are among the groups poorly catechized to almost not catechized at all. One can fault the pastor for not making more of a point about it, but it is debatable if a one to two minute comment about it would even be consciously heard, let alone understood.

Perhaps what you need to get started is something similar to “Theology on tap” (for those over 21) to reach out to them and help make up for the lack of catechesis.

 

[Eric_Prine]

Interesting thread.
I was chrismated and entered the Church only a few years ago, but my journey and personal catechizing (outside of RCIA) was with one foot in the Western lung of the Church and one foot in the Eastern lung of the Church. Though both are of one truth and the same sacraments, the approach and the prudence in approaching those sacraments do vary. In the Eastern tradition, unction is more common and on the Wednesday of Holy Week, all members of the Church receive unction. I entered in the Latin Rite, so I guess I am supposed to adhere to the Latin mechanics, though my circles have increasingly become more composed of being around Eastern Christians. Though we (Latins) are in full communion with Eastern Catholics, I wonder based on this thread if I should not partake in the unction if I do go to an Eastern Catholic Church Holy Wednesday.

 

[bquinnan]

Just curious, but how did you determine that these people were healthy?

Some of these people I know pretty well, and they came up as families. I imagine I would have heard if their entire family had been struck with a life-threatening illness. As noted, my 10-year-old son, who was assisting with altar serving for the first time, went up, at the prompting of the “senior” altar servers who were training him, and I know he hasn’t been diagnosed with anything. (I didn’t think under the circumstances I should intervene to stop him from receiving it, since I felt it was primarily the job of the priests to determine whether they were administering the sacrament appropriately, and I didn’t want to make a scene during a Mass.)

 

[bquinnan]

We are going at this from several different directions.

The OP said “it ***seemed like nearly everyone ***in the Church went up to receive it.” (mi bold and italics). As people have a tendency to hyperbole, This sounds like it may be something of an overstatement. Perhaps it isn’t, but we have no information as to how many people were at that Mass (50? 100? 200? 500?) and how many people actually went up.

Recently, last fall/winter, my parish celebrated the Sacrament of the Sick. We had two lines going up, and each line contains about 20 +/- to the back pews; as the church is in the half-round, there were probably somewhere between 50 and 60 people coming forward. The average age range was between 50 and 90+, with several who were below that.

That seemed like a lot of people, but certainly not more than maybe 20% of the people at that Mass, and probably closer to about 15%. I could easily say “seemed like nearly everybody”, but that would be exceedingly hyperbolic as I am generally aware of about how many people actually come to that Mass.

I’m really not being hyperbolic. This was a Saturday morning Mass, and the priest who was saying the Mass invited anyone wishing to receive the Sacrament to come up and do so. Basically, nearly everyone left their pews to line up to receive it, just as they would do for Communion. There were entire families going up to receive it, and then all the altar servers as well. It was not “20%.” It was upwards of 90%.

Now, I’m sure some had specifically come to that Mass because that Sacrament was going to be administered and they felt they had a need to receive it, so a reasonably long line wouldn’t have surprised me. But the pews were emptied – I suspect most people just thought, “I’m being invited to receive additional graces through this Sacrament – of course I will accept!”

Then by the everyone in line had received the Sacrament, most people had left, and they didn’t even have the final blessing to end the Mass, which bothered me a lot.

The problem with that age range is that they are among the groups poorly catechized to almost not catechized at all. One can fault the pastor for not making more of a point about it, but it is debatable if a one to two minute comment about it would even be consciously heard, let alone understood.

Perhaps, but I do think the priest who was saying the Mass (he wasn’t the pastor) could have been more clear. For example, he talked about the sacrament being typically administered to the sick and dying, but then added that we are all sick and dying in some way, because we are sinners, and that we can use all the prayers we can get. When I saw everyone else going to receive it, I was actually second-guessing whether I should go receive it or not. But since I’d always heard that this sacrament was reserved for those facing, for lack of a better phrase, an elevated risk of dying in the near future, I stayed in my pew.

Perhaps what you need to get started is something similar to “Theology on tap” (for those over 21) to reach out to them and help make up for the lack of catechesis.

I’m not familiar with that – is that a specific program?

 

[tseleehw]

We are going at this from several different directions.

The OP said “it ***seemed like nearly everyone ***in the Church went up to receive it.” (mi bold and italics). As people have a tendency to hyperbole, This sounds like it may be something of an overstatement. Perhaps it isn’t, but we have no information as to how many people were at that Mass (50? 100? 200? 500?) and how many people actually went up.

Recently, last fall/winter, my parish celebrated the Sacrament of the Sick. We had two lines going up, and each line contains about 20 +/- to the back pews; as the church is in the half-round, there were probably somewhere between 50 and 60 people coming forward. The average age range was between 50 and 90+, with several who were below that.

That seemed like a lot of people, but certainly not more than maybe 20% of the people at that Mass, and probably closer to about 15%. I could easily say “seemed like nearly everybody”, but that would be exceedingly hyperbolic as I am generally aware of about how many people actually come to that Mass.

So you saw dozens. Interesting, as it must be a rather large church building. Statistics generally put the majority of parishioners in the “over 50” category, as the age range of 18 to 30 has the worst attendance rate. And since “dozens” could amount to more than 24, and maybe as many as 60, that is quite a turnout.

The problem with that age range is that they are among the groups poorly catechized to almost not catechized at all. One can fault the pastor for not making more of a point about it, but it is debatable if a one to two minute comment about it would even be consciously heard, let alone understood.

Perhaps what you need to get started is something similar to “Theology on tap” (for those over 21) to reach out to them and help make up for the lack of catechesis.

The two times I have been to these masses, literally everyone got up for the sacrament, with few exceptions (including myself, but I did not know better at the time). It was like communion where everyone goes, regardless of their situation. Being a rather large church (not one I attended regularly, but rather one where my grandmother attends), there were easily 50+ people that were under the age of 30 receiving the anointing. Now were there some that likely had legitimate illnesses or other reasons to receive? Sure. But everyone, or even the majority? I don’t think so. And like the OP in his post above, some of the people I knew and I knew for a fact that none of them were experiencing any health problems.

I’m not losing any sleep over this, but I’m just making a point that there are a small but significant number of priests who do this when it might be more prudent to cease this practice, since as you state most people aren’t well enough catechised to know better.

 

[bquinnan]

Interesting thread.
I was chrismated and entered the Church only a few years ago, but my journey and personal catechizing (outside of RCIA) was with one foot in the Western lung of the Church and one foot in the Eastern lung of the Church. Though both are of one truth and the same sacraments, the approach and the prudence in approaching those sacraments do vary. In the Eastern tradition, unction is more common and on the Wednesday of Holy Week, all members of the Church receive unction. I entered in the Latin Rite, so I guess I am supposed to adhere to the Latin mechanics, though my circles have increasingly become more composed of being around Eastern Christians. Though we (Latins) are in full communion with Eastern Catholics, I wonder based on this thread if I should not partake in the unction if I do go to an Eastern Catholic Church Holy Wednesday.

That’s really interesting. So at least there is some precedent for giving Extreme Unction to people who aren’t likely to be dying soon, even if it’s not a Western tradition.

 

[otjm]

I’m not losing any sleep over this, but I’m just making a point that there are a small but significant number of priests who do this when it might be more prudent to cease this practice, since as you state most people aren’t well enough catechised to know better.

Well, that is a good thing; sleep keeps you healthy!

However, stopping the sacrament makes as much sense as thrwoing out the baby with the bath water. Why should all the people who can benefit from it be denied? That is like saying that because some people receive Communion when they shouldn’t, we should stop distributing Communion.

I am with you on the issue of catechesis, but if we need catechesis, that is not achieved by denying sacraments.

 

[tseleehw]

Well, that is a good thing; sleep keeps you healthy!

However, stopping the sacrament makes as much sense as thrwoing out the baby with the bath water. Why should all the people who can benefit from it be denied? That is like saying that because some people receive Communion when they shouldn’t, we should stop distributing Communion.

I am with you on the issue of catechesis, but if we need catechesis, that is not achieved by denying sacraments.

I’m not saying to deny or not offer the sacrament and agree with you on that point - I just question the practice of doing it “en masse” in situations like this. Maybe instead of having the sacrament in the middle of these healing masses, offer it after the mass (as is normally done by pretty much any priest) and it might solve some of the problem of too many receiving who don’t currently need it. I know the general rule is that when in doubt that a priest will do an anointing, which makes perfect sense to me, but I think that over-offering of the sacrament causes problems as well…