Our parish celebrates this sacrament as a community two or three times a year in the context of the Mass. On those occasions, anyone facing illness, difficulties, or trials of any sort is encouraged to benefit from the strength and consolation this sacrament provides.
We also administer this sacrament privately to anyone who desires to receive the peace it affords (e.g., before a surgery). It can occur immediately following one of our regular liturgies or be arranged at a special time. If one so desires, the priests of our community are also happy to administer this sacrament at one’s home or in the hospital.
The gospels attest to the fact that Jesus spent most of his time healing the sick. His healing addressed people’s physical ailments and their spiritual and psychological longings. Moreover, after Jesus called his disciples, he empowered them to continue his healing ministry.
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Church continued to carry out the mission of praying over the sick and anointing them with oil. Whenever the Christian community celebrates the “Anointing of the Sick,” we not only remember the healing activity of Jesus but sacramentally celebrate how Christ continues to heal and restore us today.
In the Anointing of the Sick, we use a special oil called the Oil of the Infirm. It is blessed by the archbishop at the Chrism Mass each year during Holy Week. During the rite, the priest places the oil on the forehead and hands of the person receiving the sacrament. This sacrament may be received often.