The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is administered during periods of illness, often near the time of death. This is in order to bring the person receiving it spiritual and physical strength.
As a sacrament , it is performed to give God's grace, through the Holy Spirit. The sacrament itself has three distinct parts: In the prayer of faith, it is the whole community who pray for God's help for the sick person. These are the People of God, The laying-on of hands recalls Jesus’ manner of healing. “They brought the sick with various diseases to him; and he laid hands on every one of them and healed them” (Luke 4:40). This indicates that this person is the object of the Church’s prayer of faith. It is a sign of blessing and an invocation for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Anointing with oil signifies the presence of the Holy Spirit, strengthening and healing. In biblical times, anointing oil was used to massage athletes to fortify them before a race. In the sacrament, the forehead and hands are anointed, and sometimes additional parts of the body, such as the area of pain or injury. Read about how to plan the Funeral Mass |
Part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham
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St Anne's Church
93 Camp Hill Road Nuneaton, CV10 0JP St Joseph's Church Spring Hill New Arley, CV7 8FE Registered charity number 234216 |