Greek Catholics and the Anointing of the Sick during Great Fast?

[Tradycja]

Today at Divine Liturgy the priest said that on Wednesday the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be administered during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. He said that the sacrament can be administered to ALL present (not just the sick people).

Does someone know about this? I had always thought that it was reserved to the sick. If a member of the Latin rite attended such a Liturgy (such as myself) would they, since they are eligible to receive Communion and the Sacrament of Penance in that rite also be allowed to receive this sacrament?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

If you are Catholic it would be proper to identify yourself as such before asking an Orthodox priest for any sacrament. It is permitted by the Catholic Church, but may offend the Orthodox. The Catholic Church requires that we observe Orthodox restrictions in such matters.

 

[Tradycja]

I am speaking here of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Catholic).

 

[josephdaniel29]

Does someone know about this?

Holy Unction is offered to the all the faithful every year on Holy Wednesday, although from what I understand the practice is not universal. I don’t know anything about whether or not a Latin Catholic can receive this sacrament.

Yours in Christ
Joe

 

[Patchunky]

Holy Unction is offered to the all the faithful every year on Holy Wednesday, although from what I understand the practice is not universal.

There is a seperate blessing service where those who are sick are blessed and prayed for. There may be annoiting with Holy Oil as well.

This is NOT to be confused with the Last Rites which are for the dying.

Hope this helps…

 

[5Loaves]

Today at Divine Liturgy the priest said that on Wednesday the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be administered during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. He said that the sacrament can be administered to ALL present (not just the sick people).

…If a member of the Latin rite attended such a Liturgy (such as myself) would they, since they are eligible to receive Communion and the Sacrament of Penance in that rite also be allowed to receive this sacrament?

Are you sure your priest said this Wed.? In my experience, which is limited, Wed. of Holy Week is when this anointing is normally done, as josephdaniel29 said. That’s when it’s on our schedule, and the Orthodox church I otherwise go to on some occasions.

I think Patchunky is saying there is a separate service, or perhaps separate part of the Liturgy, when there is something specific for those who are ill. Patchunky are you saying both usually happen on Holy Wed.? A member of the Latin Church can certainly receive this if it’s the blessing I’m thinking of. It sounds like the priest was clear about who can receive.

My experience in the Roman Rite is that the priest uses his fingers for the anointing, and as you say it is intended according to canon law of the Latin Church #998 for those who are “dangerously ill”, tho in many Latin parishes it’s not treated that way and anyone goes up to receive. In the EC and Orthodox they use a sort of wand to apply, also to forehead and palms, again, in my limited experience.

I think there was anointing at Forgiveness Vespers which we did not have in my EC parish so I went to the Orthodox church. I have presented myself for this anointing there. I don’t ever go up for Holy Eucharist… That wasn’t the first time I was there for a Liturgy that included anointing. The priest there knows me pretty well and I think he would have either not anointed me when I went up, or spoken with me about not presenting myself if it is an issue for a Catholic to be anointed. Several of us EC’s were also there at the Orthodox Church for their altar feast day and their bishop presided. He anointed people and I went up for that. I was my understanding it’s a blessing, not a sacrament. Your priest called it a sacrament (Mystery?) I guess I should ask next time I’m at the Orthodox church but I don’t know why Father would have anointed me if it was a sacrament.

What I have experienced I think has been an anointing at the end of the liturgy. Patchunky and josephdaniel29 may better speak to that. I’m referring to attending a Russian Catholic and a Russian Orthodox so the liturgies are virtually the same.

I know you are not asking about an Orthodox church, just about an Eastern Catholic “Greek” Church.

Would we have had this at Theophany or Exaltation of the Holy Cross? I’m trying to remember when I did receive it in fairly recent memory in my EC Church.

 

[KyivAndrew]

Today at Divine Liturgy the priest said that on Wednesday the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be administered during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. He said that the sacrament can be administered to ALL present (not just the sick people).

Yes, we do this - once a year and it was a separate service, not done during the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts in my parish. It was a special blessing service, and the priest invited all, sick and not-sick alike to partake in the anointing. Our priest said he had had some parishioners proclaim healings during these services. I can’t remember if it wasn’t the Wednesday of Holy Week though. My timing is off a bit, other than that I know all the faithful were called to participate.

 

[ciero]

There is a seperate blessing service where those who are sick are blessed and prayed for. There may be annoiting with Holy Oil as well.

This is NOT to be confused with the Last Rites which are for the dying.

Hope this helps…

Actually the service is EXACTLY the same as Holy Annointing for the dying. No difference whatsoever. According to my bishop this service IS sacramental and it is ok for Latin catholics to recieve the anointing.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I am speaking here of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Catholic).

Sorry, for some reason I thought you were speaking of an Orthodox Church. On rereading your initial post I see I read it too fast.

 

[josephdaniel29]

There is a seperate blessing service where those who are sick are blessed and prayed for. There may be annoiting with Holy Oil as well.

This is NOT to be confused with the Last Rites which are for the dying.

Hope this helps…

It’s the exact same service. I have attended it several times as the communal service on Holy Wednesday and as a service for a sick individual.

Holy Unction is Holy Unction, whether you are in imminent danger of death or not.

Yours in Christ
Joe

 

[babochka]

I think there was anointing at Forgiveness Vespers which we did not have in my EC parish so I went to the Orthodox church. I have presented myself for this anointing there. I don’t ever go up for Holy Eucharist… That wasn’t the first time I was there for a Liturgy that included anointing. The priest there knows me pretty well and I think he would have either not anointed me when I went up, or spoken with me about not presenting myself if it is an issue for a Catholic to be anointed. Several of us EC’s were also there at the Orthodox Church for their altar feast day and their bishop presided. He anointed people and I went up for that. I was my understanding it’s a blessing, not a sacrament. Your priest called it a sacrament (Mystery?) I guess I should ask next time I’m at the Orthodox church but I don’t know why Father would have anointed me if it was a sacrament.

Would we have had this at Theophany or Exaltation of the Holy Cross? I’m trying to remember when I did receive it in fairly recent memory in my EC Church.

There is a special anointing that occurs at the end of the Liturgy on major feast days and on the Sunday following those feasts. This is different from the Sacrament that occurs on Holy Wednesday, which is the same as the “Sacrament of the Sick”.

 

[5Loaves]

There is a special anointing that occurs at the end of the Liturgy on major feast days and on the Sunday following those feasts. This is different from the Sacrament that occurs on Holy Wednesday, which is the same as the “Sacrament of the Sick”.

Thanks for clarifying that… I know the Greek Orthodox proto Cathedral here had Holy Unction on their calendar 12/16/09 also.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

My Melkite parish does this. Last year my wife sent me on behalf of our family because my daughter (only a couple months old at the time) was very sick in the hospital and neither of them were able to go. It was a great comfort for all of us that at least one of us was able to receive Holy Anointing. Afterwards they gave us vials of the holy oil to take home and use for family blessings.

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip

 

[ciero]

My Melkite parish does this. Last year my wife sent me on behalf of our family because my daughter (only a couple months old at the time) was very sick in the hospital and neither of them were able to go. It was a great comfort for all of us that at least one of us was able to receive Holy Anointing. Afterwards they gave us vials of the holy oil to take home and use for family blessings.

ICXC + NIKA,
Phillip

The oil left from this service should NOT be given out to be taken home, traditionally it is put in a lamp and burned. Giving it out is like the priest giving you the Eucharist to take home. The sacrament of annointing can only be done by a priest.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

The oil left from this service should NOT be given out to be taken home, traditionally it is put in a lamp and burned. Giving it out is like the priest giving you the Eucharist to take home. The sacrament of annointing can only be done by a priest.

Maybe I’ve misunderstood what was given us. I can’t imagine my parish priest giving the parishioners something they should not have.

 

[Mickey]

Maybe I’ve misunderstood what was given us. I can’t imagine my parish priest giving the parishioners something they should not have.

I have also heard of the oil being given to parishioners to take home so that the ill may be anointed. I have never read or heard that this is against any type of canon law.

 

[Mickey]

Maybe I’ve misunderstood what was given us. I can’t imagine my parish priest giving the parishioners something they should not have.

I read somewhere that it is a Russian custom not to encourage allowing the faithful to take unction oil home. But it is a Greek custom to allow the faithful to take some home for personal use.

 

[josephdaniel29]

The oil left from this service should NOT be given out to be taken home, traditionally it is put in a lamp and burned.

Putting aside whether or not it should be taken home the reality is it often is.

Yours in Christ
Joe

 

[Madaglan]

Today at Divine Liturgy the priest said that on Wednesday the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick will be administered during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. He said that the sacrament can be administered to ALL present (not just the sick people).

Does someone know about this? I had always thought that it was reserved to the sick. If a member of the Latin rite attended such a Liturgy (such as myself) would they, since they are eligible to receive Communion and the Sacrament of Penance in that rite also be allowed to receive this sacrament?

On Holy Wednesday during Holy Week, the priest anoints the persons present. He gives Holy Unction to those who are Orthodox, and to those who are not Orthodox he may apply a different oil (e.g. collected from the tomb of a saint).

In the Latin Church, there is, from my experience, not yet a standard application with regards to the scenarios in which anointing of the sick is to be used. One priest may freely do what another refuses to do. Case in point: a number of years ago I had a series of health problems. None was immediately mortal, but they significantly affected me. A Latin priest friend online strongly suggested I go to a local priest to ask for anointing. I went to an elderly Latin priest to ask him if he could anoint me. He flat out said no, saying that I was not sick (meaning, not dying). I later went to a younger Latin priest, who said sure thing and anointed me with the sacrament. I’m grateful to that priest.

Vatican II has helped shift anointing of the sick away from its former sole association as Extreme Unction in Last Rites, and towards a wider application in which those who may not be on their deathbed but are nonetheless sick in soul and body can benefit.