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Extreme Unction
(Anointing
of the Sick) Basics / Misc.
Also See:
Sickness / Extreme Unction (Topic Page)
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"Is
anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters [priests]
of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with
oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the
sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed
any sins, he will be forgiven." (St. James, Jms. 5:14-15)
"Can.
1001 Pastors of souls and those who are close to the sick are to
ensure that the sick are helped by this sacrament in good
time." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"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." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"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)
"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)
"[T]his
sacrament is not so necessary that the dying cannot obtain
salvation without it." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the
Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"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)
"Can.
941 Whenever there is doubt about whether the infirm one has
attained the use of reason, whether he is truly in danger of
death, or whether he is dead, the sacrament should be administered
under condition." (1917 Code of Canon Law)
"If
any one saith that the sacred unction of the sick does not confer
grace, nor remit sin, nor comfort the sick; but that it has now
ceased as though it were formerly only the grace of working cures;
let him be anathema." (Council of Trent)
'The
Shortest Form of Extreme Unction' [From the Decree of the Holy
Office, April 25, 1906]: "It has been decreed that in the
case of true necessity this form suffices: 'By this holy unction
may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned. Amen.'"
"If
any one saith, that Extreme Unction is not truly and properly a
sacrament, instituted by Christ our Lord, and promulgated by the
blessed apostle James; but is only a rite received from the
Fathers, or a human figment; let him be anathema." (Council
of Trent)
"Can.
999 In addition to a bishop, the following can bless the oil to be
used in the anointing of the sick: 1° those equivalent to a
diocesan bishop by law; 2° any presbyter in a case of necessity,
but only in the actual celebration of the sacrament." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"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)
"If
any one saith, that the rite and usage of Extreme Unction, which
the holy Roman Church observes, is repugnant to the sentiment of
the blessed apostle James, and that is therefore to be changed,
and may, without sin, be contemned by Christians; let him be
anathema." (Council of Trent)
"Can.
998 The anointing of the sick, by which the Church commends the
faithful who are dangerously ill to the suffering and glorified
Lord in order that he relieve and save them, is conferred by
anointing them with oil and pronouncing the words prescribed in
the liturgical books." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"[Extreme
Unction] is not a necessary sacrament, as Baptism is. Hence its
bestowal is not committed to all in cases of necessity, but only
to those who are competent to do so in virtue of their office
[that is, priests]." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the
Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"If
any one saith, that the Presbyters of the Church, whom blessed
James exhorts to be brought to anoint the sick, are not the
priests who have been ordained by a bishop, but the elders in each
community, and that for this cause a priest alone is not the
proper minister of Extreme Unction; let him be anathema."
(Council of Trent)
"Extreme
Unction, which may also and more fittingly be called '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."
(Second Vatican Council)
"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
illness." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Baptism
does not require a movement of the free-will, because it is given
chiefly as a remedy for original sin, which, in us, is not taken
away by a movement of the free-will. On the other hand this
sacrament requires a movement of the free-will... Moreover Baptism
is a necessary sacrament, while Extreme Unction is not." (St.
Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian
in the history of the Church")
"Can.
1000 §1 The anointings are to be carried out accurately, with the
words and in the order and manner prescribed in the liturgical
books. In a case of necessity, however, a single anointing on the
forehead, or even on another part of the body, is sufficient while
the full formula is recited. §2 The minister is to anoint with
his own hand, unless a grave reason warrants the use of an
instrument." (1983 Code of Canon Law)
"Now
the custom of the Church is that the sick should be anointed by
the priests with consecrated oil and through the accompanying
prayer restored to health. If therefore the sick be in sins and
shall have confessed these to the priests of the Church and shall
have sincerely undertaken to relinquish and amend them, they shall
be remitted to them. For sins can not be remitted without the
confession of amendment." (St. Bede the Venerable, Doctor of
the Church)
"Can.
1003 §1 Every priest, but only a priest, can validly administer
the anointing of the sick. §2 All priests to whom has been
committed the care of souls, have the obligation and the right to
administer the anointing of the sick to those of the faithful
entrusted to their pastoral care. For a reasonable cause, any
other priest may administer this sacrament if he has the consent,
at least presumed, of the aforementioned priest. §3 Any priest
may carry the holy oil with him, so that in a case of necessity he
can administer the sacrament of anointing of the sick." (1983
Code of Canon Law)
"In
the administration of this Sacrament [of Extreme Unction] special
rites are also used, consisting principally of prayers offered by
the priest for the recovery of the sick person. 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 specially 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)
"No
sacramental or sacrament, having an effect that lasts for ever,
can be repeated, because this would imply that the sacrament had
failed to produce that effect; and this would be derogatory to the
sacrament. On the other hand a sacrament whose effect does not
last for ever, can be repeated without disparaging that sacrament,
in order that the lost effect may be recovered. And since health
of body and soul, which is the effect of this sacrament, can be
lost after it has been effected, it follows that this sacrament
can, without disparagement thereto, be repeated." (St. Thomas
Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the
history of the Church")
"It
is written (James 5:14): 'Is any man sick among you,' etc.
Therefore none but the sick are competent to receive this
sacrament... This sacrament is a spiritual healing...and is signified by way of a healing of the body.
Hence this sacrament should not be conferred on those who are not
subjects for bodily healing, those namely, who are in good
health... Although spiritual health is the principal effect of
this sacrament, yet this same spiritual healing needs to be
signified by a healing of the body, although bodily health may not
actually ensue." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church
and "greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"Bodily
deformity is not an impediment to any other sacrament. Therefore
it should not be an impediment to this one. Now each of the
anointings is essential to the sacrament. Therefore all should be
applied to those who are deformed... Even those who are deformed
should be anointed, and that as near as possible to the part which
ought to have been anointed. For though they have not the members,
nevertheless, they have, at least radically, the powers of the
soul, corresponding to those members, and they may commit inwardly
the sins that pertain to those members, though they cannot
outwardly." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"As
often as some infirmity overtakes a man, let him who is ill
receive the Body and Blood of Christ; let him humbly and in faith
ask the presbyters [that is, priests] for blessed oil, to anoint
his body, so that what was written may be fulfilled in him: 'Is
anyone among you sick? Let him bring in the presbyters, and the
them prayer over him, and let them pray over him, anointing him
with oil; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the
Lord will raise him up; and if he be in sins, they will be
forgiven him.' See to it, brethren, that whoever is ill hasten to
the church, both that he may receive health of body and will merit
to obtain the forgiveness of their sins." (St. Caesar of
Arles, c. 540 A.D.)
"I
answer that, This sacrament is the last remedy that the Church can
give, since it is an immediate preparation for glory. Therefore it
ought to be given to those only, who are so sick as to be in a
state of departure from this life, through their sickness being of
such a nature as to cause death, the danger of which is to be
feared... Any sickness can cause death, if it be aggravated. Hence
if we consider the different kinds of disease, there is none in
which this sacrament cannot be given; and for this reason the
apostle does not determine any particular one. But if we consider
the degree and the stage of the complaint, this sacrament should
not be given to every sick person." (St. Thomas Aquinas,
Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian in the history
of the Church")
"[This
holy Synod] declares and teaches, that our most gracious Redeemer,
who would have his servants at all times provided with salutary
remedies against all the weapons of all their enemies, as, in
the other sacraments, He prepared the greatest aids, whereby,
during life, Christians may preserve themselves whole from every
more grievous spiritual evil, so did He guard the close of life,
by the sacrament of Extreme Unction, as with a most firm defense.
For though our adversary seeks and seizes opportunities, all our
life long, to be able in any way to devour our souls; yet is there
no time wherein he strains more vehemently all the powers of his
craft to ruin us utterly, and, if he can possibly, to make us fall
even from trust in the mercy of God, than when he perceives the
end of our life to be at hand." (Council of Trent, 1551 A.D.)
"This
sacrament should be given to none but such as acknowledge it. Now
this does not apply to madmen and imbeciles. Therefore it should
not be given to them... The devotion of the recipient, the personal
merit of the minister, and the general merits of the whole Church,
are of great account towards the reception of the effect of this
sacrament. This is evident from the fact that the form of this
sacrament is pronounced by way of a prayer. Hence it should not be
given those who cannot acknowledge it, and especially to madmen
and imbeciles, who might dishonor the sacrament by their offensive
conduct, unless they have lucid intervals, when they would be
capable of acknowledging the sacrament, for then the sacrament
should be given to children the same in that state." (St.
Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and "greatest theologian
in the history of the Church")
"[O]il
is appointed (James 5:14) as the matter of this sacrament. Now,
properly speaking, oil is none but olive oil. Therefore this is
the matter of this sacrament... The spiritual healing, which is
given at the end of life, ought to be complete, since there is no
other to follow; it ought also to be gentle, lest hope, of which
the dying stand in utmost need, be shattered rather than fostered.
Now oil has a softening effect, it penetrates to the very heart of
a thing, and spreads over it. Hence, in both the foregoing
respects, it is a suitable matter for this sacrament. And since
oil is, above all, the name of the liquid extract of olives, for
other liquids are only called oil from their likeness to it, it
follows that olive oil is the matter which should be employed in
this sacrament." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church
and "greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"Now,
this sacred unction of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord,
as truly and properly a sacrament of the new law, insinuated
indeed in Mark, but recommended and promulgated to the faithful by
James the Apostle, and brother of the Lord*. Is any man, he saith,
sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the
Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be
forgiven him. In which words, as the Church has learned from
apostolic tradition, received from hand to hand, he teaches the
matter, the form, the proper minister, and the effect of this
salutary sacrament. For the Church has understood the matter
thereof to be oil blessed by a bishop. For the unction very aptly
represents the grace of the Holy Ghost with which the soul of the
sick person is invisibly anointed; and furthermore that whose
words, 'By this unction,' &c. are the form." (Council of
Trent, 1551 A.D.) [*Note: Some ancient languages have no word
for cousin (and other relatives) so the term "brother"
as used in Scripture (and repeated above) may be used to refer to
relatives other than blood brothers. The use of this terminology
does not mean that Jesus had blood brothers, which of course he
didn't since the Blessed Virgin Mary is an ever virgin. For more
information on this topic, visit the Non-Catholics
(apologetics) Section.]
"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... This sacrament regards not only the sickness, but also the
state of the sick man, because it ought not to be given except to
those sick people who seem, in man's estimation, to be nigh to
death. Now some diseases do not last long; so that if this
sacrament is given at the time that the sick man is in a state of
danger of death, he does not leave that state except the disease
be cured, and thus he needs not to be anointed again. But if he
has a relapse, it will be a second sickness, and he can be
anointed again. On the other hand some diseases are of long
duration, as hectic fever, dropsy and the like, and those who lie
sick of them should not be anointed until they seem to be in
danger of death. 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")
"The
fifth sacrament is extreme unction, whose matter is the olive oil
blessed by the bishop. This sacrament should be given only to the
sick of whose death there is fear; and he should be anointed in
the following places: on the eyes because of sight, on the ears
because of hearing, on the nostrils because of smell, on the mouth
because of taste and speech, on the hands because of touch, on the
feet because of gait, on the loins because of the delight that
flourishes there. The form of this sacrament is the following: Per
istam sanctam unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam indulgeat
tibi Dominus, quidquid per visum, etc. (Through this holy
anointing and his most kind mercy may the Lord forgive you
whatever through it, etc.). And similarly on the other members.
The minister of this sacrament is the priest. Now the effect is
the healing of the mind and, moreover, in so far as it is
expedient, of the body itself also. On this sacrament blessed
James, the Apostle says: 'Is any man sick among you? Let him bring
in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of
faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up:
and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him' [Jas. 5:14,
15]." (Pope Eugenius IV, "Exultate Deo", 1439 A.D.)
"Some
hold that mere oil is the matter of this sacrament, and that the
sacrament itself is perfected in the consecration of the oil by
the bishop. But this is clearly false since we proved when
treating of the Eucharist that that sacrament alone consists in
the consecration of the matter (Q2, A1,r 2). We must therefore say
that this sacrament consists in the anointing itself, just as
Baptism consists in the washing, and that the matter of this
sacrament is consecrated oil. Three reasons may be assigned why
consecrated matter is needed in this sacrament and in certain
others. The first is that all sacramental efficacy is derived from
Christ: wherefore those sacraments which He Himself used, derived
their efficacy from His use of them, even as, by the contact of
His flesh, He bestowed the force of regeneration on the waters.
But He did not use this sacrament, nor any bodily anointing,
wherefore in all anointings a consecrated matter is required. The
second reason is that this sacrament confers a plenitude of grace,
so as to take away not only sin but also the remnants of sin, and
bodily sickness. The third reason is that its effect on the body,
viz. bodily health, is not caused by a natural property of the
matter; wherefore it has to derive this efficacy from being
consecrated." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church and
"greatest theologian in the history of the Church")
"The
form of this sacrament is expressed by way of a petition, as
appears from the words of James, and from the custom of the Roman
Church, who uses no other than words of supplication in conferring
this sacrament. Several reasons are assigned for this: first,
because the recipient of this sacrament is deprived of his
strength, so that he needs to be helped by prayers; secondly,
because it is given to the dying, who are on the point of quitting
the courts of the Church, and rest in the hands of God alone, for
which reason they are committed to Him by prayer; thirdly, because
the effect of this sacrament is not such that it always results
from the minister's prayer, even when all essentials have been
duly observed, as is the case with the character in Baptism and
Confirmation, transubstantiation in the Eucharist, remission of
sin in Penance (given contrition) which remission is essential to
the sacrament of Penance but not to this sacrament. Consequently
the form of this sacrament cannot be expressed in the indicative
mood... This sacrament...considered in itself, is sure of its
effect, yet this effect can be hindered through the insincerity of
the recipient (though by his intention he submit to the
sacrament), so that he receives no effect at all. Hence there is
no parity between this sacrament, and the others wherein some
effect always ensues." (St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the
Church and "greatest theologian in the history of the
Church")
"And
now as to prescribing who ought to receive, and who to administer
this sacrament, this also was not obscurely delivered in the words
above cited. For it is there also shown, that the proper ministers
of this sacrament are the Presbyters of the Church; by which name
are to be understood, in that place, not the elders by age, or the
foremost in dignity amongst the people, but, either bishops, or
priests by bishops rightly ordained by the imposition of the hands
of the priesthood. It is also declared, that this unction is to be
applied to the sick, but to those especially who lie in such
danger as to seem to be about to depart this life: whence also it
is called the sacrament of the departing. And if the sick should,
after having received this unction, recover, they may again be
aided by the succor of this sacrament, when they fall into another
like danger of death. Wherefore, they are on no account to be
hearkened to, who, against so manifest and clear a sentence of the
apostle James, teach, either that this unction is a human figment
or is a rite received from the Fathers which neither has a command
from God, nor a promise of grace: nor those who assert that it has
already ceased, as though it were only to be referred to the grace
of healing in the primitive church; nor those who say that the
rite and usage which the holy Roman Church observes in the
administration of this sacrament is repugnant to the sentiment of
the apostle James, and that it is therefore to be changed into
some other: nor finally those who affirm that this Extreme Unction
may without sin be contemned by the faithful: for all these things
are most manifestly at variance with the perspicuous words of so
great an apostle. Neither assuredly does the Roman Church, the
mother and mistress of all other churches, observe aught in
administering this unction, - as regards those things which
constitute the substance of this sacrament, - but what blessed
James has prescribed. Nor indeed can there be contempt of so great
a sacrament without a heinous sin, and an injury to the Holy Ghost
himself." (Council of Trent, 1551 A.D.)
Also
See: Extreme
Unction / Anointing of the Sick (Gen'l. Info.)
| Extreme
Unction / Anointing of the Sick (Catechism of the Council of
Trent) | Praise
/ Benefits of Extreme Unction (Anointing of the Sick) | Sacraments
at the End of Life | Suffering
& Death (Catholic Life Section) | Prayers
For Final Perseverance / Happy Death | Extreme
Unction / Anointing of the Sick (Topical Scripture)
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