The Sacrament of the Sick

If a member of your family is seriously ill, please call the parish office (937-4555). One of the priests will come to your home or the hospital to anoint the sick and pray with him/her.

The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, should be celebrated at the beginning of a serious illness, either terminal or not. The reception of the Eucharist, within or outside Mass, as Viaticum, food for the passage through death to eternal life, is the last sacrament proper to the dying Christian. Depending on the circumstances, every effort should be made to involve the family and friends of the dying in the liturgical celebration.

Our church provides a rich selection of prayers of commendation for the moment of death. For exceptional circumstances, in sudden and immediate danger of death or when the person is already dead, the priest or deacon can be called for appropriate rites or prayers.