Anointing Of The Sick

Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders 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, and the Lord shall raise him up;
and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
James 5:14, 15

The sick know that Christ, who during his life often visited and healed the sick,
loves them in their illness through the sacrament of anointing,
Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness,
providing them with the strongest means of support.
Pastoral Care of the Sick, 1, 3

The sacrament of the sick is a sacrament by which God takes care of our bodies. It is the sign of God's tenderness.

It is aimed at all those who suffer, who are confronted with the difficulties of illness or old age and not reserved for the last moments of life.  It can be received by anyone who faces the test of age, physical or psychological illness.

Through anointing, the sick receive the strength of Christ in these difficult times. It can be received several times. The Catholic Church recommends preparing to receive the sacrament of the sick by confession.

Anointing of the sick consists of a silent prayer of the priest laying his hands on the head of the patient and an anointing of blessed oil - the oil of the sick - on the forehead and on the hands.

The sacrament of the sick helps to restore health. It gives the strength and the courage to endure the sufferings of illness or old age as Christ suffered his Passion on the cross.

If one member suffers in the body of Christ which is the Church,
all the members suffer with that member.
1 Corinthians 12:26

For this reason, kindness shown towards the sick and works of charity and mutual help for the relief of every kind of human want are held in special honour.  It is thus especially fitting that all baptised Christians share in this ministry of mutual charity within the Body of Christ by doing all that they can to help the sick return to health, by showing love for the sick, and by celebrating the sacraments with them.  Like the other sacraments, these too have a community aspect, which should be brought out as much as possible when they are celebrated. 

The family and friends of the sick and those who take care of them in any way have a special share in this ministry of comfort. In particular, it is their task to strengthen the sick with words of faith and by praying with them, to commend them to the suffering and glorified Lord, and to encourage them to contribute to the well-being of the people of God by associating themselves willingly with Christ's passion and death.

Christ implied that those who visit the sick should be concerned for the whole person and offer both physical relief and spiritual comfort. The priest is the only proper minister of the anointing of the sick. (Pastoral Care of the Sick, 32, 33, 34, 4, 16)

Holy Trinity Parish invites members of the parish community to participate in a Trinity Care to support and comfort those who are sick and in need of assistance.