Who can receive the Sacrament of the Sick?

[FrDavid96]

Fr. David… thank you, for sharing your wisdom and for helping me to fully understand what has been happening here. I appreciate your words, deeply. And I will cease to “receive” the Sacrament of the Sick… should we continue to attend the Wednesday daily Mass. I’m thinking, though… that maybe we should not attend that Mass any longer, but move to another day.

From what you’ve said… I’m beginning to wonder, also… about this whole perception of a “healing Mass”. This is what people in my parish refer to the Wednesday daily Mass… as. I guess there is no such thing as a “healing Mass”?

I would like to say a word in defense of my Pastor; that he is an extremely caring, holy and “fatherly” man. He obviously takes his role as a priest and pastor… very seriously. Praise God! He has a great charism for reaching out to everyone. No one is excluded, in this wonderful man’s mind. He loves everyone and plays no favorites (which, sadly… in some parishes, is not always the case). And I believe that this is the reason that he is offering the Sacrament each Wednesday. He is attempting to do “everything” he can, for his flock. Just like many a doting dad… he is maybe a bit prone to spoiling his kids?

I do pray for him… but I will make it a point to offer more prayers for my Pastor… whom we love, dearly.

Thank you again, dear brothers and sisters… for taking the time to reply to this thread. God bless.

There realy is no such thing as a “healing Mass” there is a “Mass for the Sick” but the term “healing Mass” is one that is often used, and too often in a misleading way. Yet, that doesn’t mean that a proper use of the term isn’t possible–it certainly is.

It is also perfectly licit to have the Anointing of the Sick within Mass (the ritual specifically addresses how this is done), but it must be done properly. Could we call this a “healing Mass”? Perhaps, but it’s better to use the terminology of the Church, to avoid misunderstandings.

 

[KawaitaSakebi]

Someone mentioned receiving the sacrament for “emotional and mental illness”, but what about for something less than that?

I ask because I had gone through a very rough time, which was related a semi-serious but hardly life-threatening injury (a broken foot). When father offered the sacrament of the sick after Mass, I jumped at the chance, and felt better than I had in a long time.

How do you judge when mental or emotional ills are “serious enough” to warrant the sacrament? In most cases, presumably, they aren’t going to be life-threatening. And how do you know when a minor physical ailment is causing a deeper internal hurt? It may be that many seemingly healthy people in a parish are worse off than the ones whose crosses are easy to see. How much is enough? How often do people forget that we have a sacrament for the sick? I know I did. Isn’t a pastor who offers it after Mass giving people an opportunity they might otherwise never have had?

I’m sorry, I got a little carried away. And I know nobody’s posted here in two months. I just wanted to throw my two cents in.
~K

 

[FrDavid96]

Someone mentioned receiving the sacrament for “emotional and mental illness”, but what about for something less than that?

I ask because I had gone through a very rough time, which was related a semi-serious but hardly life-threatening injury (a broken foot). When father offered the sacrament of the sick after Mass, I jumped at the chance, and felt better than I had in a long time.

How do you judge when mental or emotional ills are “serious enough” to warrant the sacrament? In most cases, presumably, they aren’t going to be life-threatening. And how do you know when a minor physical ailment is causing a deeper internal hurt? It may be that many seemingly healthy people in a parish are worse off than the ones whose crosses are easy to see. How much is enough? How often do people forget that we have a sacrament for the sick? I know I did. Isn’t a pastor who offers it after Mass giving people an opportunity they might otherwise never have had?

I’m sorry, I got a little carried away. And I know nobody’s posted here in two months. I just wanted to throw my two cents in.
~K

K,
The point is that this Sacrament may only be admininistered to those who are actually eligible for it–those for whom it is intended. Administering a Sacrament, or simulating administering one, does no one any good. The opportunity should only be given to those who truly need the Sacrament–and yes, everything possible should be done to make it available to them. But making it available to those who are not eligible to receive it only diminishes the value of Anointing.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

Mental and emotional problems can be extremely serious. It can cause much suffering and even suicide.

Some people think that mental problems can be overcome by “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, and going on.” In the past mental problems were often thought of as weakness. No one wanted to admit to having a severe depression or being bi-polar.

It is good that someone who is suffering with mental problems can be anointed.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Mental and emotional problems can be extremely serious. It can cause much suffering and even suicide.

Some people think that mental problems can be overcome by “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, and going on.” In the past mental problems were often thought of as weakness. No one wanted to admit to having a severe depression or being bi-polar.

It is good that someone who is suffering with mental problems can be anointed.

You may not be aware but we are asked not to revive old threads and then add to them. This thread is over seven years old and, when such pops up in the list of threads being commented upon, it can be easy for someone else to inadvertently break the rule because they did not advert to the date of the original post. I almost did, thinking this was current and open for commenting…and I add this so hopefully others won’t make the mistake I almost did.
*Lately we’ve seen several old threads revived–some as old as six years. Please, when you search for a topic take note of the year it was first posted. If it’s over a year old, please start a new thread to discuss the topic. Thank you, all! *
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