Help with 'Sacrament of the sick'....Advice needed

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skippykerrie

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Hi all,

I will give you background first of all…My Grandmother is in the final stages of life, she is Catholic and I am a recent convert (I am newly baptised). We haven’t always seen eye to eye but we talk occasionally on the phone, and I know she is strong in her faith. Her sons (including my Father) are lapsed Catholics. They are also estranged, not talking or communicating and are really arguing with each other and I am doing my best to stay out of things - for my self and my Nan.

Well, on hearing the news today of her final stages and nearing the end of her life, I was quite concerned that no one will ‘think’ or be ‘bothered’ to get a priest to do her sacrament of sick.
So I organised a priest to go and see her. I do live a fair way away and I can’t get to see her for over a day and on the advice of my close Catholic friend, my Catholic husband and also the priest himself (I explained the situation) they all said that it was a good thing I did and something she really should have.

Well, I have just ended a phone call from my Mum and now I have serious doubts of what I did. Apparently they only want family there with her and I feel I have made a huge mistake by asking him to go.

I am not sure if they have / will turn him away, but if they do will my Grandma be okay? I am new to all this and not sure of the consequences if she doesn’t receive the sacrament.

I am also concerned that I am going to be targeted by my family as a busy body/ ‘Religious nut’ as they have ‘kindly’ used before. I really didn’t mean to come across as a busy body, I just wanted to help!

Any advice or prayers are needed and greatly appreciated!

Many thanks in advance and God Bless!

K xx
 
I also know that as a Catholic it is really important to have the sacraments, this is why I arranged for a priest! It is such a shame my family don’t understand. 😦
 
Doing what is right is now always doing what is easy. You did the right thing.

Given that the priest whom you called told you that you did the right thing, you should not hesitate to know that’s true.
 
I think you did the right thing, absolutely- I would definitely want someone to do that for me. I carry a card in my wallet that has my basic health info (name, blood type, meds I take, my doctor’s contact info and I also have on there “I am a Catholic, please call a priest” but I got to thinking reading from your article that people might also want to put this information in a living will and any end-of-life documents they have made up. That way there can be no ambiguity and if the family chooses to ignore it, it won’t be because they didn’t know that the person absolutely wanted to receive the Sacrament.
 
You did the right thing and I would think it would be up to your Grandmother to see the priest or not. This would be a good time for some prayers that your Grandmother will receive the Sacrament of the Sick and go in peace to meet God. I would not care one hoot what your relatives think about you for doing this.
 
skippykerrie said:
Hi all,

I will give you background first of all…My Grandmother is in the final stages of life, she is Catholic and I am a recent convert (I am newly baptised). We haven’t always seen eye to eye but we talk occasionally on the phone, and I know she is strong in her faith. Her sons (including my Father) are lapsed Catholics. They are also estranged, not talking or communicating and are really arguing with each other and I am doing my best to stay out of things - for my self and my Nan.

Well, on hearing the news today of her final stages and nearing the end of her life, I was quite concerned that no one will ‘think’ or be ‘bothered’ to get a priest to do her sacrament of sick.
So I organised a priest to go and see her. I do live a fair way away and I can’t get to see her for over a day and on the advice of my close Catholic friend, my Catholic husband and also the priest himself (I explained the situation) they all said that it was a good thing I did and something she really should have.

Well, I have just ended a phone call from my Mum and now I have serious doubts of what I did. Apparently they only want family there with her and I feel I have made a huge mistake by asking him to go.

I am not sure if they have / will turn him away, but if they do will my Grandma be okay? I am new to all this and not sure of the consequences if she doesn’t receive the sacrament.

I am also concerned that I am going to be targeted by my family as a busy body/ ‘Religious nut’ as they have ‘kindly’ used before. I really didn’t mean to come across as a busy body, I just wanted to help!

Any advice or prayers are needed and greatly appreciated!

Many thanks in advance and God Bless!

K xx
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You absolutely did the right thing. Death is not something that should be brushed off - Extreme Unction is very, very, very, very important.

Prayers for you and your grandmother.
 
skippykerrie said:
I am not sure if they have / will turn him away, but if they do will my Grandma be okay? I am new to all this and not sure of the consequences if she doesn’t receive the sacrament.
Click to expand...
While it’s obviously important for your grandma - or anyone who is dying - to receive the sacrament, it’s not essential. There are times when circumstances (or others) sadly prevent this from happening but we know that God is merciful and loving and will receive her regardless.

Just one thing though - if it’s not too late (and you haven’t already done so) it would be helpful to give the priest you called a heads up on the situation with your family - just so he’s knows what he’s walking into!
 
You did the right thing. Don’t worry about the priest being sent away–every priest has had that experience at some point in his priestly life. It goes with the territory–better to hope that he will be able to see her and all will work out.
 
Thank you for all your advice and prayers.

The priest went to see her…the family walked out, but she received the sacrament! 🙂 I’m so so so so thankful that God worked through me to help her during her final hours.
She is still with us but not responding now so if you could keep her in your prayers- I would be very grateful.

Many thanks and God bless xxx
 
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