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Type of Sacrament:
'Sacrament of Healing' / 'Sacrament of the Living' (click
here for more info.)
Is Sacrament Obligatory?
While it is not strictly obligatory for salvation, it is
strongly recommended.
"Can.
944 Although this sacrament of itself is not necessary as a means
to salvation, it is not licit for anyone to neglect it; and every
care and precaution should be taken that the infirm, while still
in possession of their faculties, should receive it." (1917
Code of Canon Law)
Recipients:
Baptized
Catholics who have reached the age of reason who are in danger of
death (e.g. from accident, injury, disease, sickness, old age). It
is also good to receive this sacrament before surgery (as
applicable) and if one's frailty in old age "becomes more
pronounced". Note that one should not wait until the
very brink of death to receive this sacrament.
"Can.
1005 If there is any doubt as to whether the sick person has
reached the age of reason, or is dangerously ill, or is dead, this
sacrament is to be administered." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Extreme
Unction may be given to all [Catholics who are] dangerously ill, who have
ever been capable of committing sin after baptism and who have the
right dispositions for the Sacrament. Hence it is never given to
children who have not reached the use of reason, nor to persons
who have always been insane." (Baltimore Catechism)
Can This Sacrament Be Repeated?
Yes.
The sacrament may be repeated each time the person is seriously
ill, after relapses, or after an illness worsens.
"Can.
1004 §. 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
[or another] illness." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Sometimes
a disease lasts long after the sacrament has been received, so
that the remnants of sin, against which chiefly this sacrament is
given, would be contracted. Therefore it ought to be given
again... And if the sick man escape that danger while the disease
continues, and be brought again thereby to the same state of
danger, he can be anointed again, because it is, as it were,
another state of sickness, although strictly speaking, it is not
another sickness." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church
and "greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
When Should Sacrament Be Received?
As
soon as possible, preferably while the sick person has use of his
senses.
"We
should receive Extreme Unction when we are in danger of death from
sickness, or from a wound or accident." (Baltimore Catechism)
"We
should not wait until we are in extreme danger before we receive
Extreme Unction, but if possible we should receive it while we
have the use of our senses." (Baltimore Catechism)
"Extreme
Unction should be received when the illness is dangerous, and
after the sick person has received, if possible, the sacraments of
Penance and the Blessed Eucharist; it is even well to receive it
while he has the use of his senses, and has still some hope of
recovery." (Catechism of St. Pius X)
"It
is well to receive Extreme Unction while the sick person retains
the use of his senses, and while there remains some hope of his
recovery because: (1) He thus receives it with better
dispositions, and is hence able to derive greater fruit from it;
(2) This sacrament restores health of body (should it be for the
good of the soul) by assisting the powers of nature; and hence it
should not be deferred until recovery is despaired of."
(Catechism of St. Pius X)
"Now
only the sick need a remedy, and therefore this Sacrament is to be
administered to those only whose malady is such as to excite
apprehensions of approaching death. It is, however, a very
grievous sin to defer the Holy Unction until, all hope of recovery
being lost, life begins to ebb, and the sick person is fast
verging into a state of insensibility. It is obvious that if the
Sacrament is administered while consciousness and reason are yet
unimpaired, and the mind is capable of eliciting acts of faith and
of directing the will to sentiments of piety, a more abundant
participation of its graces must be received. Though this heavenly
medicine is in itself always salutary, pastors should be careful
to apply it when its efficacy can be aided by the piety and
devotion of the sick person." (Catechism of the Council of
Trent)
General
Prerequisites:
Recipients should have the proper disposition,
including repentance
for past sins
"We
should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in the state of
grace, and with lively faith and resignation to the will of God."
(Baltimore Catechism)
"Can.
1007 The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those
who obstinately persist in a manifestly grave sin." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"The
principal dispositions for receiving Extreme Unction are: To be in
the state of grace; to have confidence in the power of this
sacrament and in the mercy of God and to be resigned to the will
of the Lord." (Catechism of St. Pius X)
"Can.
942 This sacrament is not to be conferred on those who are
impenitent, persevering contumaciously in manifest mortal sin; if
there is doubt about this, it should be conferred under
condition." (1917 Code of Canon Law)
"The
right dispositions for Extreme Unction are: (1) Resignation to the
Will of God with regard to our recovery; (2) A state of grace or
at least contrition for sins committed, and (3) A general
intention or desire to receive the Sacrament. This Sacrament is
never given to heretics in danger of death, because they cannot be
supposed to have the intention necessary for receiving it, nor the
desire to make use of the Sacrament of Penance in putting
themselves in a state of grace." (Baltimore Catechism)
Ordinary
Ministers:
Priests (or Bishops)
Note:
Only validly ordained bishops & priests may confer this
sacrament. Lay persons (and nuns) may NOT
administer this
sacrament
Form /
Matter: Prayers / Anointing (various areas of the body),
Oil
Chief
Effects:
*
Confers grace
*
Remits sin
*
Diminishes the debt of temporal punishment
*
Comforts the sick
*
May heal the body if advantageous for the recipient and if the recipient
has faith
*
Helps prepare the sick or aged person for eternal life
*
Strengthens one to bear suffering
*
"The effects of Extreme Unction are: 1) To comfort us in the
pains of sickness and to strengthen us against temptations, 2) To
remit venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the remains of sin,
and 3) To restore us to health, when God sees fit."
(Baltimore Catechism)
*
"The sacrament of Extreme Unction produces the following
effects: (1) It increases sanctifying grace; (2) It remits venial
sins, and also mortal sins which the sick person, if contrite, is
unable to confess; (3) It takes away weakness and sloth which
remain even after pardon has been obtained; (4) It gives strength
to bear illness patiently, to withstand temptation and to die
holily; (5) It aids in restoring us to health of body if it is for
the good of the soul." (Catechism of St. Pius X)
*
Strengthens one in one's final battle with devil: "From it,
moreover, we derive another advantage, which may justly be deemed
the greatest of all. For although the enemy of the human race
never ceases, while we live, to meditate our ruin and destruction,
yet at no time does he more violently use every effort utterly to
destroy us, and, if possible, deprive us of all hope of the divine
mercy, than when he sees the last day of life approach. Therefore
arms and strength are supplied to the faithful in this Sacrament
to enable them to break the violence and impetuosity of the
adversary, and to fight bravely against him; for the soul of the
sick is relieved and encouraged by the hope of the divine
goodness, strengthened by which it bears more lightly all the
burdens of sickness, and eludes with greater ease the artifice and
cunning of the devil who lies in wait for it." (Catechism of
the Council of Trent)
*
Frees from solicitude: "Another advantage of the
Sacred Unction is that it liberates the soul from the languor and
infirmity which it contracted from sins, and from all the other
remains of sin. The time most opportune for this cure is when we
are afflicted with severe illness and danger to life impends, for
it has been implanted in man by nature to dread no human
visitation so much as death. This dread is greatly augmented by
the recollection of our past sins, especially if our conscience
accuses us of grave offences; for it is written: They shall come
with fear at the thought of their sins, and their iniquities shall
stand against them to convict them. Another source of vehement
anguish is the anxious thought that we must soon afterwards stand
before the judgment seat of God, who will pass on us a sentence of
strictest justice according to our deserts. It often happens that,
struck with this terror, the faithful feel themselves deeply
agitated; and nothing conduces more to a tranquil death than to
banish sadness, await with a joyous mind the coming of our Lord,
and be ready willingly to surrender the deposit entrusted whenever
it shall be His will to demand it back. To free the minds of the
faithful from this solicitude, and fill the soul with pious and
holy joy is, then, an effect of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction."
(Catechism of the Council of Trent)
Additional
Information:
* Extreme Unction does
not replace the sacrament
of Penance, which is especially necessary if one is not in the
state of grace. As stated in the Catechism of the Council of
Trent: "As all care should be taken that nothing impede the
grace of the Sacrament, and as nothing is more opposed to it than
the consciousness of mortal guilt, the constant practice of the
Catholic Church must be observed of administering the Sacrament of
Penance and the Eucharist before Extreme Unction."
*
May be joined by Viaticum: "Can. 921 §1 Christ's faithful
who are in danger of death from whatever cause are to be
strengthened by Holy Communion in the form of Viaticum."
(1983 Code of Canon Law)
*
"There is no Sacrament, the administration of which is
accompanied with more numerous prayers; and with good reason, for
at that moment more than ever the faithful require the assistance
of pious prayers. All who may be present, and especially the
pastor, should pour out their fervent aspirations to God, and
earnestly commend to His mercy the life and salvation of the
sufferer." (Catechism of the Council of Trent)
*
Although Extreme Unction "was not instituted primarily for
the remission of grave offences; only Baptism and Penance
accomplish this directly" (Catechism of the Council of
Trent), the Baltimore Catechism states that "Extreme Unction
will take away mortal sin if the dying person is no longer able to
confess, providing he has the sorrow for his sins that would be
necessary for the worthy reception of the Sacrament of
Penance."
*
If the sacrament is received in one's home, certain items should
be available. As stated in the Baltimore Catechism: "When the
priest is coming to give the last Sacraments, the following things
should be prepared: A table covered with a white cloth; a
crucifix; two lighted candles in candlesticks; holy water in a
small vessel, with a [clean] small piece of palm for a sprinkler;
a glass of clean water; a tablespoon and a napkin or cloth to be
placed under the chin of the one receiving the Viaticum. Besides
these, if Extreme Unction is also to be given, there should be
some cotton and a small piece of bread or lemon to purify the
priest's fingers." [Note: "It seems most proper that
the things necessary for the last Sacraments should be carefully
kept in every Catholic home, and should never, if possible, be
used for any other purpose." (Baltimore Catechism)]. Also,
the Baltimore Catechism states: "The further preparation for
the administration of the last Sacraments requires that out of
respect for the Sacraments, and in particular of for the presence
of Our Lord, everything about the sick room, the sick person and
even the attendants, should be made as neat and clean as possible.
Especially should the face, hands and feet of the one to be
anointed be thoroughly clean."
*
"On seeing the priest, the sick person should feel thankful
to God for having sent him; and should gladly receive the comforts
of religion, which, if he is able, he should request
himself." (Catechism of St. Pius X)
*
In cases of serious illness when a sick person will not consent or
is afraid to receive the Sacraments or wishes to put off their
reception, the Baltimore Catechism suggests: "In case of
serious illness, if the sick person will not consent, or is afraid
to receive the Sacraments, or, at least wishes to put off their
reception, we should send for a good priest at once and let him do
what he thinks best in the case, and thus we will free ourselves
from the responsibility of letting a Catholic die without the last
Sacraments."
*
Although the sacrament should certainly be received while one is
clearly living, a priest is justly called even after apparent
death (e.g. when the person has no heartbeat, no brainwaves, no
breathing, etc.), since one cannot be certain that the soul has
left the body until the body reaches a certain, irreversible state
(i.e. putrefaction). [Note: If a priest does not
wish to come after apparent death, he may be reminded of his
obligation. Note that he may give the sacrament conditionally if
he thinks the person is dead.]
*
Penance, Extreme Unction and Holy Viaticum are considered the last
Sacraments which "prepare us for our heavenly homeland".
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