When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God’s will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.

The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment  about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient. The Sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after the anointing but becomes ill once again, or if, during the same illness, the person’s condition becomes  more serious.

A person should be anointed before surgery when a dangerous illness is the reason for the intervention (cf. Rite of Anointing,  Introduction, nos. 8-10).  Moreover, “old people may be anointed if they are in weak condition even though no dangerous illness is present. Sick children may be  anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be comforted by this  sacrament. [The faithful] should be encouraged to ask for the anoint-  ing, and, as soon as the time for the anointing comes, to receive it with  faith and devotion, not misusing the sacrament by putting it off” (Rite  of Anointing, nos. 11, 12, 13). (United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. (2006). United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). p. 281ff)

To request the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for oneself or a loved one, please contact the parish office at either campus: