PASTORAL CARE OF THE SICK: SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK

“Is there anyone sick among you? They should ask for the presbyters of the church. They in turn are to pray over them with oil in the name of the Lord.” - James 5:13

Christ is our Healer :

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is the continuation of the Lord’s compassion for the sick. Christ so identified with the sufferings of the sick that he made their sufferings his own. The Anointing of the Sick is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for them to receive this sacrament has certainly arrived. By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord that he may raise them up and save them. (Constitution of the sacred Liturgy, no.73)

• Pastoral Care Ministry provides presence, prayer and sacrament to parishioners who are homebound, hospitalized and residents of nursing homes. It also provides support for family caregivers during times of sickness and at the death of a loved one.
• Lay ministers bring the Eucharist on a regular basis to members of the community who are no longer able to come to the celebration of the Eucharist.
• Nursing home residents are visited on a monthly basis and local hospital patients are visited on a weekly basis. Follow-up calls are made to the latter once they have returned home.
• Family members are encouraged to call Sister Julie at the Parish Center when loved ones are homebound, hospitalized or become residents of local nursing homes.

Anyone wishing more information on becoming a homebound minister can call Sister Julie Horvath at the Parish Center .