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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
anointing of the sick in a Mass setting	Belle	Thursday, April 30, 2009
Question: Our parish offers the anointing of the sick during Mass once per month. Because I understand that it is a sacrament for the very ill and elderly, I have not availed myself of it. However, upon discussing my concerns about it, a friend advised that I should receive it because it will strengthen me spiritually and physically. I do suffer some bodily ailments -- hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety sometimes. Do those sufferings warrant the anointing of the sick and, if so, how often may I receive it?
Question Answered by Dear Belle: I have moved your question to this forum as it is not really dealing with spiritual warfare. When you say that the Anointing of the Sick is during Mass, I hope you mean that the Anointing takes place after Mass. It would be illegal to do the Anointing during the Mass itself. Usually the Priest does this after the Mass. As for who should receive the Sacrament of Anointing, the Sacrament answers that question: II. WHO RECEIVES ... THIS SACRAMENT? In case of grave illness . . . 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. Ailments that are not grave would not qualify. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

anointing of the sick in a Mass setting

Belle

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Question:

Our parish offers the anointing of the sick during Mass once per month. Because I understand that it is a sacrament for the very ill and elderly, I have not availed myself of it. However, upon discussing my concerns about it, a friend advised that I should receive it because it will strengthen me spiritually and physically. I do suffer some bodily ailments -- hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety sometimes. Do those sufferings warrant the anointing of the sick and, if so, how often may I receive it?

Question Answered by

Dear Belle:

I have moved your question to this forum as it is not really dealing with spiritual warfare.

When you say that the Anointing of the Sick is during Mass, I hope you mean that the Anointing takes place after Mass. It would be illegal to do the Anointing during the Mass itself. Usually the Priest does this after the Mass.

As for who should receive the Sacrament of Anointing, the Sacrament answers that question:

II. WHO RECEIVES ... THIS SACRAMENT?
In case of grave illness . . .
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.

Ailments that are not grave would not qualify.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum