The Sacrament of the Sick

Lord Jesus gladly demonstrated that suffering and death are not an end in themselves, but rather should lead to overcoming pain and death, and thus to joy. Therefore, He gladly made exceptions to show that He has power over suffering and death. We read in Matthew: "And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed" (Matthew 14:35-36).

If any of you is sick, they should call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. (James 5:14-16, the institution of the Sacrament of the Sick)

The Sacrament of the Sick

Jesus had compassion for the suffering, and therefore, He instituted a special sacrament – the Anointing of the Sick. The purpose of this sacramental sign was to sanctify the sufferings of the faithful, cleanse them from sin, and if it would be beneficial for their soul or their loved ones, even to heal them.

The Apostle James writes about this sacrament: "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

God is the master of human life and health. He can wound and heal. He cares for the body, but even more so for the soul. We are His children, and He only intends our good. He does not test beyond human strength but multiplies it. Even a doctor sometimes has to cause pain, but he does so reluctantly and only for the sake of restoring health. God thinks of our eternal life.

The Church fervently desires that every one of its members, when dangerously ill, receives all possible support from her side. Therefore, she encourages them to have a priest called. The priest comes, and first of all, if necessary, he calms the sick person with the sacrament of reconciliation.

A good confession brings inner relief and peace, thereby also contributing to the healing of the body. Then, he anoints the forehead with blessed oil and says: "Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit." The attendees respond: "Amen," and the priest continues anointing the palms: "May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up." The attendees again say: "Amen."

After anointing the sick, the priest can grant them plenary indulgence for the case of death. Then, if the sick person is able to swallow, the priest administers Holy Communion to them. The Anointing of the Sick is administered in the household where the sick person lies, but it can be administered anywhere. It is also possible to administer it collectively to seriously ill and elderly people, for example, in the church. Then it is advisable for it to be done within the Holy Mass for the sick.

In our parish, the collective Anointing of the Sick is administered by the parish priest during the Holy Mass on the Friday of the fourth week of Lent at 6:00 p.m. It is necessary to register in advance at the basilica sacristy.

If anyone wants to receive this sacrament individually during the year, they should contact the parish priest or the priest appointed as a hospital chaplain or call the spiritual emergency number +420 731 144 144.