When are Last Rites needed for a second time?

[davidedric]

First, I am not a Catholic, nor a Christian. I am not arrogant enough to call myself an atheist, but I would call myself a sceptical agnostic. This question is not a “troll” - I do wish to understand others’ beliefs.

Some four years ago, I was very poorly following surgery. I was near death, and it was touch and go if I lived. Following infections, I came very near to death at least another two times in the following weeks.

I think that had I been Catholic, since my survival was very uncertain, it would have been appropriate to receive the last rites when I was first near death.

Since I was unable to move, I could not have physically transgressed. However, my mind played strange tricks and I hallucinated acts which would surely have been wrong.

My question is, would the first receiving of the last rites been sufficient, or, according to your faith, should they have been administered each time I approached death?

Dave

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

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.

Once someone begins to suffer a grave illness they can be anointed, and if their life is reasonably in danger they may receive the full Last Rites. Unless the individual recovers and then falls gravely ill again there is no need to repeat the Last Rites.

To be guilty of a sin someone needs to be aware that something is wrong and freely choose to do it. In the case of people heavily affected by medications, drugs and the ravages of illness they can hardly be considered responsible for their actions or have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. Therefore there is no sin in need of forgiveness.