Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

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I think saying “That would contradict” is a bit too emphatic. 19 hours ago (noted on the OP) was a weekday. And weekday Masses in my personal experience are attended in large part by retired people (and some who have a job which does not require their attendance at 8:00 a.m. weekdays).

So it is entirely possible that all who went up were legitimately approaching the sacrament.

It is done once a month;, so it is not like “every rainy Tuesday”. It is done at a weekday Mass. So it is likely that it (the Mass) attracts a much greater portion of elderly.

I look like I am healthy; but I have had reoccurring cancer, not that you need to know; if I were to go up, I don’t need to apologize to anyone or provide a monologue as to why I go up. And you could not tell by looking at me that I had ever had that; I go fishing and hunting and appear to be healthy.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
1514: 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.

1515: If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. the same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced.

What we have here is someone who went to daily Mass, did not describe who was going up to receive the sacrament, has no personal knowledge of the medical status of those going up, and asked a rather innocent question, and without s scintilla of evidence some have pronounced that this is a violation of Canon law and/or an abuse of the sacrament.

And that will make a perfect presentation to the bishop of how this parish priest needs to be keelhauled?
 
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It depends. I know some in their early 60’s who are in worse physical condition than some who are 75.
 
pianistclare said:
I’ve now seen several of these types of threads.
The previous parish I worked in had one of these annually. Always on the Feast day of our Patron.
I’m pretty sure the Archbishop knows about it.
The parish 10 miles down the road does this once a month on First Friday at the noon Mass.
How is it that some find this completely wrong, and in other places it’s common?
Just wondering.

My current parish never does it at a sort of “blanket” event. But the Pastor does anoint people preparing for surgery, individually at times.
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There is a difference between anointing the seriously ill and anointing anyone who happens to come forward.

That’s what makes it different from one parish to another.

If the priest is anointing those who are seriously ill, there’s no problem–in fact, the Church recommends it.

Do you see the difference?
 
twf said:
Father,
If I, as a member of the Latin Church, happened to attend Forgiveness Vespers at a Byzantine Catholic Church during Holy Week, could I licitly receive this sacrament without being sick?
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As a Catholic, you can ALWAYS participate in what the Eastern Catholics are doing.

Obviously, if it’s a matter of a wedding or baptism there’s going to be differences and rules that apply.

However, if you’re doing what every Eastern Catholic attendee is doing at that particular time, then it’s perfectly fine.
 
mbmulkern said:
Hi FrDavid. It’s me again. I see you’re llockedinto this discussion again. Don’t worry I have no comments for now but as you can see there a lot of people who see this as just a very special blessing . Some priests don’t have a problem with administering it. That is until someone throws the book at them which is something I would not want to do.
Some people see it as a blessing and some see it as a curse.
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That is the problem.

It is NOT just some “special blessing.”

It is a Sacrament. And the Church defines who is eligible to receive this Sacrament.

It is for the seriously ill.

The Church has plenty of blessings for those who are not seriously ill. If a priest wants to “give everyone a blessing” he needs to pick the appropriate one and do it.
 
It’s not sacrilege.

It’s common eastern practice, which you are ignorant of.

Stop trying to teach when you don’t understand things yourself.
 
Arkansan said:
What Spyridon said is incorrect. The conditions required are matters of basic sacramental theology, and thus the law is the same in both the Latin Church and the Eastern Churches. See my above post for the relevant law.

I don’t know enough about the Eastern Churches to say whether he is simply mistaking a sacramental for the Sacrament of Anointing, or whether he is describing a liturgical abuse similar to what the OP described. If it’s the former, then your participation as a Latin Catholic would very likely be just fine. Though if it’s the latter then of course no one should participate, as the mass simulation of a Sacrament is a grievous sacrilege.
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There is such an Anointing in the East for Holy Week.
 
Yes, exactly.

When in Rome, do as the Romans.

When in Byzantium, do as the Byzantines.
 
I received this once at a church I used to go to after mass, but had no idea it was an abuse. I legit have a mental illness I was hoping to receive healing for
 
Bishops will tell you that they have more worries on their plate, that is, if the bishop himself isn’t in agreement. Some are. If your letter even gets to the bishop (quite often they will be forwarded on to somebody in communications) it will probably be filed in the circular file or you’ll get one of those, “Thank you for your letter. Your feedback is very important to us and you can rest assured that the diocese of X and Father A of R are aware of your concerns. You are in our prayers. Please keep us in prayer and have a blessed Y.”

I know the above probably sounds sarcastic and complaining, but for a wonder, it isn’t. It’s an acknowledgement that just like death and taxes we are going to have abuses. Some of them will be accidental, some will be deliberate, and virtually none of them will be anything we in the pew can do anything about, as more and more even the most pastoral (in the good sense, not the Orwellian misuse of the last couple of years sense) of bishops is striving to do as much as he can simply to keep the worst of the dreck from taking over his diocese, knowing he is going to have to let some ‘slip in’, and each year more and more of that, yet hoping that the tide will turn or that by not fighting some horror, he’ll gain enough ‘cred’ to keep something unspeakably evil away from his people a little longer. . .
 
I do. My point is, all of the people who come forward BELIEVE they are seriously ill, either with physical ailments or mental ones.
Thank you Father!
 
TK421 said:
Today at a parish at Mass, the priest was doing an Anointing of the Sick, and basically the entire congregation went up (as if receiving Communion) to receive the sacrament; young, old ,and what have you. I haven’t seen this before. What is it called?
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Example, St. Susanna Church, Mason, OH, received by those in a state of grace.
Anointing of the Sick at St. Susanna Church

Any individual facing surgery, recovering from serious injury, suffering chronic illness, or experiencing a deterioration of health, can receive the sacrament.

The sacrament is celebrated once a quarter at either one of the 8:15 AM Saturday Masses or at one of the 6:00 PM Monday evening Masses. If the need for the sacrament is immediate please do not hesitate to call the Parish Office.
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I was anointed once (10+ years ago) when I was not sick at all. I just happened to be at a Mass when the priest invited the people to come up for Anointing. I didn’t know any better so I went up with almost everyone else.

Within the past year, I was at a similar event. This time, I knew better so I didn’t go up. Almost everyone, young and old, went up. This was not a “healing Mass”, just a regular, daily Mass.

Afterwards, one of my colleagues asked “did you go up for your blessing?” I said “no, it wouldn’t have worked.” I got a quizzical look in response.

Dan
 
Hahahaha. Many people at the former parish stay in their pews. They are encouraged to pray for those int he line.
 
pianistclare said:
I do. My point is, all of the people who come forward BELIEVE they are seriously ill, either with physical ailments or mental ones.
Thank you Father!
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That might be your experience. I’m certainly not trying to tell you otherwise. And I do believe you when you say that’s your experience.

What I am saying is that it is NOT what is happening in some places.
 
I respect that definition Dr. I will remember that.
Thank you
 
Father confirmed that Spyridon was indeed correct. This is also consistent with what I have read / heard elsewhere… the Byzantine Rite does indeed licitly confer the anointing on all the faithful in this one special context.
 
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