Viaticum and Confession

[johnnykins]

Have viaticum and final confession gone out of “style?” When my mother passed away a few months back my sister called the church and asked for the priest to come to the hospital to administer last rites. When he arrived she was still conscious, able to speak and swallow. He annointed her, but did not have viaticum, nor did he offer confession. Admittedly, I do not know exactly what my sister asked for - so not having communion may have been due to a misunderstanding. But no confession??? At the time I did not ask him about confession for her - and I should have. Admittedly, too, my mother had been home-bound and though he was the administrator for 12 weeks at the church he had not found the time to visit - though the prior pastor came monthly - so he never met her. (In his defense the parish is in the Boston Archdiocese and he has 2 parishes to administer due to the closures there.) The prior pastor came by after she lost consciousness and when I asked him about the lack of confession being offered - he passed it off as no big deal. Admittedly, he was in a tough position and probably felt he was being pastoral as there was little he could do at that point. In all it left a bad taste in my mouth - really more a sadness. It seems to me that the priest should come to such a situation prepared for both viatcum and confession. Anyone else have a simlar situation?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

johnnykins:

Have viaticum and final confession gone out of “style?” When my mother passed away a few months back my sister called the church and asked for the priest to come to the hospital to administer last rites. When he arrived she was still conscious, able to speak and swallow. He annointed her, but did not have viaticum, nor did he offer confession. Admittedly, I do not know exactly what my sister asked for - so not having communion may have been due to a misunderstanding. But no confession??? At the time I did not ask him about confession for her - and I should have. Admittedly, too, my mother had been home-bound and though he was the administrator for 12 weeks at the church he had not found the time to visit - though the prior pastor came monthly - so he never met her. (In his defense the parish is in the Boston Archdiocese and he has 2 parishes to administer due to the closures there.) The prior pastor came by after she lost consciousness and when I asked him about the lack of confession being offered - he passed it off as no big deal. Admittedly, he was in a tough position and probably felt he was being pastoral as there was little he could do at that point. In all it left a bad taste in my mouth - really more a sadness. It seems to me that the priest should come to such a situation prepared for both viatcum and confession. Anyone else have a simlar situation?

It was probably poor communication. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick does forgive sin for those who are unable to Confess their sins. In this case your mother was not given the opportunity by the priest. You can probably rest assured that Forgiveness was included in the Sacrament of Anointing since it was not intentional and she passed away before being able to ask for Confession again. It may have been that he was asked to come and Anoint her and was not informed that he should bring Holy Communion. Although should probably have taken the Blessed Sacrament with him anyway.

 

[viktor_aleksndr]

Maybe you should have told the priest that your mother must be given the last rite (viaticum and confession) and not just anointing of the sick. Maybe your sister told the priest that your mother wanted an anointing of the sick. Viaticum is the last rite and not the anointing of the sick.

 

[Brain]

well i always thought unction was the sacramewnt of the sick, but when you say “last rites” you mean annointing, confession, and final communion (viaticum).

 

[viktor_aleksndr]

anointing of the sick is not just for people who are going to die but for those who are seriously ill as well. Viaticum is for person who is in danger of bodily death.