Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
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Holy Oil or Chrism | Chas | Thursday, February 4, 2010 |
Question: I have some relatives that occassionaly go to some healing service and come back with either a small bottle of oil or a tiny can of chrism. They say its blessed and then they proceed to want to "annoint" or bless everybody in the family who is sick. I know that one has to be extremely careful when use Holy Oils and should be use like we use Holy Water to bless ourselves. But they proceed to make the sign of the cross with oil on their thumbs across the forehead, then the palm of the hands and at times even the feet. Then they proceed to quietly say a prayer while laying their hands on the head of the person they praying for. Is this going overboard? What if it is a deacon? Is he allowed to use oil in this manner in the home of his relatives? |
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Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM
Dear Chas: It is not permitted for laity to use chrism, the oil of catechumens, or the oil of the sick. These liturgical oils are reserved to clergy for use in the respective liturgies. One can have a priest bless regular olive oil. This can be used by parents to bless their children. Laity are not, however, to anoint the sick with oil in a way that resembles the Sacrament of Anointing. The Joint Curial Declaration on the Role of the Laity states:
There is, however, some question about the use of blessed oil like that one may get at a shrine, or the oil brought by the Faithful blessed by a priest. Thus, I wrote to Rome to get a definitive answer: ------------- So what does this mean? This means that they laity can never substitute the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick with their own anointing; the laity are not to substitute their own "anointing." Laity cannot use oil in such a way that is equivalent to the Sacrament of Anointing of Sick even though they are not intending to do the Sacrament. This probably prohibits many charismatic groups from using oil in the way they do. Laity cannot use oil in such a way that they essentially co-opt a role that really belongs to clergy. This too will prohibit the way typical charismatics use oil. What is also important to see here, is that even if all criteria is met to allow a layman to use oil, if there is misunderstanding on the part of on-lookers, then it is not to be done. ALL involved must be properly catechized. The types of ways that oil can be used would include on your children, your spouse, or others in which you have a paterfamilias relationship and even then never as a replacement for the priestly sacrament. In other words, oil can be used in a similar way as Holy Water by the laity in certain limited situations. Holy Water represents a "washing clean" factor, and is a reminder of our baptism and our baptismal promises. Blessed Oil represents a "healing" factor, and is a reminder of our confirmation and the fullness of the Holy Spirit indwelling us, and our promises to live a Godly life. If we stick to these images and consider the oil as a "mere blessing" with a hint of healing as a purpose, and/or a hint of renewal of the Holy Spirit within us, rather than a substance that gives particular and special sacramental power for healing, then we may be okay. The PARTICULAR SACRAMENTAL POWER of HEALING is reserved to clergy. God Bless, 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
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