Anointing of the Sick
There are some topics of the Faith which, for one reason or another, few ever seem to talk about. The Anointing of the Sick is one such topic, and even though I have talked about it a lot in recent years, it continues to be misunderstood or forgotten. So let’s review.
The Anointing of the Sick was formerly known as “Last Rites.” It is one of the Seven Sacraments instituted by Christ and given by the Church, and as such, is a visible sign that communicates invisible grace, more so than a simple blessing. It is a means of bestowing God’s healing grace, both for the soul and for the body. It is also meant as a safeguard for the person, should they be physically unable to make a confession: the Anointing of the Sick actually absolves sins (the same way Confession does). Because people can be in need of that healing grace without being at the point of actively dying, Vatican II expanded when the sacrament can be given. The Anointing can be given whenever the person is: seriously ill or injured, preparing for surgery, or near death. You do not need to be actively dying to be anointed.
The way the sacrament is celebrated is the priest offers the prayers and then lays hands on the person, calling the Holy Spirit down upon the person (the same as in Confirmation and Ordination). The priest then anoints the person with oil; first on the head showing the Holy Spirit coming to the person, and then on the hands, showing the person being configured to the Cross of Christ. This allows the person’s suffering to be united to that of Christ and thus to be made into a redemptive offering, giving the suffering purpose and meaning.
The final element of the sacrament is what is called the Apostolic Blessing. This part of the rite is only given to those who are actively dying. This is because the Apostolic Blessing is a plenary indulgence, a complete wiping away of temporal punishment due to sin. If the person is anointed and receives the Apostolic Blessing before death, it can be assumed that they skip Purgatory and go straight to heaven. So to answer the most common question: if you are seriously ill or injured, call the priest; you are never inconveniencing us by calling.