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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Annointing of the sick	Joe	Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Question: Brother, I recently read that you mentioned no one should receive The Annointing of The Sick unless in danger of being sick. I have attended Masses where at the end once a month the priests would allow this sacrament foe anyone who was I'll, mentally or physically or spiritually. I was told by a priest that is why they changed the way it is referred to now and not called the last rights anymore. Last year I fell and hurt the medial meniscus of my keft knee and had a bad limp. After mass I asked the priest if it was appropriate to have the sacrament for my knee and he said it was. An hour after my knee literally felt 25-50 percent better. It hasn't completely healed yet but it seemed to really help. ESP when I am stressed temptations really set in of the flesh for the relief factor. Was I wrong then to ask for the sacrament? Maybe I miss understood you. When I read the Catechism I do not remember it specifically stating it was only to be offered to the sick and dying but I think I read it said it was encouraged (I do not have it in front of me currently to verify this.) thank you brother for your time. Thank you for this wonderful website please do not retire from this as well!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Joe: You did no wrong to ask, but the priest did wrong to say that the Sacrament of Anointing was appropriate. The Priest is obligated to obey Canon Law. To not do so is rebellion. The priest is either sinning in rebellion or is ignorant of the rules of the Sacrament and needs to be re-educated. The priest has the solemn obligation to know and obey the rules for all Sacraments. Canon Law states: Can. 1004 §1. The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age. §2. This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or if the condition becomes more grave during the same illness. Can. 1005 This sacrament is to be administered in a case of doubt whether the sick person has attained the use of reason, is dangerously ill, or is dead. Can. 1006 This sacrament is to be conferred on the sick who at least implicitly requested it when they were in control of their faculties. Can. 1007 The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin. The Catechism says, "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" (CCC 1514). The Sacrament is not for the merely sick or suffering. It is for those who "begin to be in danger of death". This includes those, for example, who may be going into surgery in which the possibility of death may occur. Your knee injury does not qualify for the Sacrament of Anointing. The priest, however, can blessing you and pray for healing, but to administer the Sacrament of Anointing for a knee injury that did not pose you any danger of death was illicit. 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

Annointing of the sick

Joe

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Question:

Brother,

I recently read that you mentioned no one should receive The Annointing of The Sick unless in danger of being sick. I have attended Masses where at the end once a month the priests would allow this sacrament foe anyone who was I'll, mentally or physically or spiritually. I was told by a priest that is why they changed the way it is referred to now and not called the last rights anymore.

Last year I fell and hurt the medial meniscus of my keft knee and had a bad limp. After mass I asked the priest if it was appropriate to have the sacrament for my knee and he said it was. An hour after my knee literally felt 25-50 percent better. It hasn't completely healed yet but it seemed to really help. ESP when I am stressed temptations really set in of the flesh for the relief factor. Was I wrong then to ask for the sacrament? Maybe I miss understood you. When I read the Catechism I do not remember it specifically stating it was only to be offered to the sick and dying but I think I read it said it was encouraged (I do not have it in front of me currently to verify this.) thank you brother for your time.

Thank you for this wonderful website please do not retire from this as well!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Joe:

You did no wrong to ask, but the priest did wrong to say that the Sacrament of Anointing was appropriate. The Priest is obligated to obey Canon Law. To not do so is rebellion. The priest is either sinning in rebellion or is ignorant of the rules of the Sacrament and needs to be re-educated. The priest has the solemn obligation to know and obey the rules for all Sacraments.

Canon Law states:

Can. 1004 §1. The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.
§2. This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or if the condition becomes more grave during the same illness.
Can. 1005 This sacrament is to be administered in a case of doubt whether the sick person has attained the use of reason, is dangerously ill, or is dead.
Can. 1006 This sacrament is to be conferred on the sick who at least implicitly requested it when they were in control of their faculties.
Can. 1007 The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin.

The Catechism says, "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" (CCC 1514).

The Sacrament is not for the merely sick or suffering. It is for those who "begin to be in danger of death". This includes those, for example, who may be going into surgery in which the possibility of death may occur.

Your knee injury does not qualify for the Sacrament of Anointing. The priest, however, can blessing you and pray for healing, but to administer the Sacrament of Anointing for a knee injury that did not pose you any danger of death was illicit.

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