The Catholic sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is intended for baptized Catholics suffering from serious physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual illness, especially when facing death. It is not restricted to terminal illness and can be administered multiple times if a person’s health worsens or they relapse. Here are some situations when the sacrament may be appropriate: 

• Serious illness: Cancer, heart disease, chronic illnesses like Parkinson’s, or illnesses that could become life-threatening 

• Advanced age: Elderly people who are weakened, even if not seriously ill 

• Upcoming Surgery: When surgery is due to a serious illness. [Note that if the upcoming surgery is for body enhancements, procedures such as in-vitro fertilization, tubal ligation, a vasectomy, sex reassignment surgery, and so on, do not sign up for this sacrament and instead make an appointment with a priest by emailing sdewlen@ap.church] 

• Mental illness: Acute depression, anxiety that causes panic attacks or other debilitations, bipolar disorders, or psychoses (such as schizophrenia)

• Addiction: Drug or alcohol abuse, when it creates a dangerous situation to the person 

• Unconscious or incapacitated: If the person would likely have requested the sacrament 

• Children: If they have sufficient reason (usually 7 years old or older) and would be comforted by this sacrament [if you are not sure, make an appointment or a phone call with a priest by emailing sdewlen@ap.church to schedule it]. If a child is under the age of 7, and has never been baptized, and it has been determined that the child is terminal by a physician, that child can be baptized and confirmed immediately.

The sacrament is meant to provide spiritual and physical strength, unite the sick with Christ, and offer courage and peace to endure suffering. While the sacrament forgives venial sins, it does not forgive mortal sins, so if the person is healthy enough, he or she should ask the priest to hear his or her confession and receive absolution before receiving this sacrament of the anointing of the sick. 

We will have Intercessory Prayer Teams available on the third Saturday of the month immediately following the 10:00 am daily Mass.  There is no registration required for those who have a prayer request.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. His cures were signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The core message of His healing tells us of His plan to conquer sin and death by His dying and rising. The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment, by the priest, about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient. When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God's will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit's gift of peace and courage to deal with the sufferings that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.