LAUDATO SI @10

 

THE DOCTRINE: THE CHURCH'S TEACHING REGARDING THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

​The theology of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is clearly enunciated by the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church (hereinafter referred to as Catechism):

​By the sacred anointing of the Sick and the prayer of the priests, the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion of Christ. (Catechism n. 1499 and Dogmatic Constitution on the Church—Lumen Gentium n. 11)

​It is clear from this teaching that the sick share in the suffering, passion and death of Christ, the Divine Physician, to Whom the sick are commended by the Church for healing. By His passion and death on the cross, Christ has given a new value to suffering; henceforth, those who suffer can identify themselves with His redemptive passion. In this way, the sick share in the sufferings of Christ and offer their sufferings so that they become a grace and pray for the Church and the good of the People of God. (Catechism nn. 1499-1510)

​CHURCH LAW AND THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

​The Code of Canon Law supports the doctrine of the Church. Canons nn. 998-1007, which are divided into three chapters, pertain to the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. The first chapter addresses the celebration of the sacrament. It prescribes the matter and the form to be utilised. The oil to be used must be consecrated by a bishop or a religious superior of communities of consecrated life.

​The celebration of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick includes the active participation of the faith community, as the Second Vatican Council recommends when it states, "liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is the sacrament of unity." (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy—Sacrosanctum concilium n. 27)

​One of the principles which prompted the revision of liturgical rites and texts by the Second Vatican Council was the intent to clearly express the significance of the various sacraments of the Church so as to include the active and full participation of the entire faith community in their celebration. (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy—Sacrosanctum concilium n. 21)

​The canons in the second chapter deal with the subject of the minister of the sacrament of The Anointing of the Sick—the priest. They clearly state that the minister must anoint only those entrusted to his pastoral care unless expressly granted otherwise (Canon n. 1003).

​Those to be anointed, as indicated in the canons of the third chapter, are the baptised sick and elderly faithful who preferably should be in control of their faculties to get the most benefit from the sacrament.

​THE CHURCH'S PRACTICE OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK

​The care of the sick has long existed in the history of the Church, and the sacrament administered to the sick has been known by various names throughout history. Originally, it was known as the "Anointing of the Sick." In the Middle Ages, from the Carolingian era through the Council of Trent, this sacrament was called "Extreme Unction." The literal understanding of the name had disastrous effects and was misleading. Some people concluded that it was a sacrament to be reserved for those whose death was imminent. In this way, Extreme Unction was relegated to the

dying and administered as the last rites of the Church—farewell. The Viaticum was oftentimes not received, depending on the state of the dying.

​Unfortunately, this understanding of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was prevalent at the time Christianity was introduced to our country in the second half of the 19th century. We now realise that the canons intend this sacrament to be administered, not to the living, but to those who are sick, preferably with sound faculties.