(Death, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell)
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
|
|
Extreme Unction
James 5:14-15: "Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man. And the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him."
The Sacrament "Extreme Unction," also called "Last Rites" or "Annointing of the Sick," is the annointing given to those who are gravely bodily ill, especially those in danger of death from bodily illness or from violence already done to the body (i.e., a soldier about to go into battle is not a candidate for the Sacrament; one who has been shot and lies gravely wounded or, especially, dying, is).
The conditions for receiving Unction are that one must:
-
have reached the age of reason (usually considered to be around the age of 7)
-
be in a state of grace (Penance is part of the Rite)
-
be sorrowful for past sins, trust in God and resign himself to His will, whether His positive will is to heal the sick person or His passive will is the person's death
The
effects of the Sacrament are the strengthening and comfort of the soul of the
annointed one, the remission of sins and some of their temporal punishments, and
the possible restoration of bodily health.
The Rite in which the Sacrament is offered includes the Sacraments of
Penance and the Eucharist (in that order),
followed by the Sacrament of Unction itself. It may be received conditionally up
to three or four hours after apparent death (we can't presume to know the moment
the soul leaves the body and can only know with moral certainty that death has
occured after corruption has begun). If the sick one is unconscious, conditional
absolution and Unction are offered, without the Eucharist (known at this time as
"Viaticum," meaning "Food for the Journey").
The matter of the Sacrament is the
Oil of the Sick ("Oleum Infirmorum"), which is
olive oil blessed by the Bishop on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday of Holy Week --
the week before Easter).
The form of the Sacrament are the words:
Through this Holy Unction or oil, and through the great goodness of His mercy, may God pardon thee whatever sins thou hast committed by evil use of sight (sight, hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch, ability to walk).
Latin:
Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid per (visum, audtiotum, odorátum, gustum et locutiónem, tactum, gressum deliquisti.)
If death is so imminent that there is no time for the full Rite, the Sacrament may be given with a single annointing on the forehead and the words:
Through this holy unction may the Lord pardon thee whatever sins or faults thou hast committed.
The preparations for Extreme Unction are almost precisely like those for receiving a sick call from a priest, but a few extra items are nice to add: bread, cotton, and lemon or salt.
First, prepare the house: Set up a table near the bed in a place where the sick person can see it easily, such as at the foot of the bed or at the side halfway down the length of the bed. Cover it with a white cloth, and on it place the Crucifix and two lit blessed candles, one on each side of the Crucifix. Near them, place a dish of regular water, a bottle of holy water, a clean linen cloth for the priest's fingers, and a piece of palm the priest can use to spinkle the holy water (if you don't have palm, you can use another type of plant, such as box). The following aren't strictly necessary, but the priest may find them useful: cotton or slices of bread, some lemon slices, and a dish of salt. Lay a linen cloth across the breast of the sick person.
Greet the priest at the door: Women should cover their heads; men should uncover theirs. Meet the priest in silence at the door, bearing a lighted blessed candle (preferably the Baptismal candle of the sick one), and genuflect. Lead him to the sick person's room and remain there with him until Confession is heard. When you leave the room while Confession is being heard, close the door; you may re-enter when the priest opens it again. At all times, the priest will be quiet and somber; don't expect him to socialize before or afterward, as he carries with him the Body of Christ.
The Rite
The priest enters the sick room itself.
V. Peace to this
house.
R. And all who dwell therein.
he priest lays the corporal on the prepared table, places the Blessed Sacrament on it, gives the Crucifix to the sick person to kiss, and sprinkles the room with Holy Water.
Cleanse me of sin with hyssop, Lord, that I may be purified; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
The Aspérges is repeated, and the priest continues:
V. Our help is
in the Name of the Lord.
R. Who made Heaven and Earth.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit
V. Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God: and be pleased to send Thy
holy angel from Heaven to guard, cherish, protect, visit and defend all that
dwell in this house. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The priest goes closer to the sick person and, if necessary, hears his confession. Afterward, the Eucharist is given as it usually is outside of Mass, but the sick person, if possible, says the "Confiteor" and the "Domine non sum dignus" with the priest.
R. Amen
Confíteor
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, to all the Saints, and to you Father, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word and deed: through my fault [strike breast], through my fault [strike breast], through my most grievous fault [strike breast]. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you Father, to pray to the Lord our God for me. [the priest then says the Misereátur]
Dómine, non sum dignus
Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.
The priest will then offer the Eucharist as Viaticum. Viaticum means "Food for the Journey" and is the Eucharist received just before death. The sick one is exempt from the Eucharistic Fast at this time (i.e., if he has eaten soon before receiving Viaticum, it is OK). When offered as Viaticum, the Eucharist is given with the following words:
Receive, brother (sister), the Viaticum of the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ; and may He keep you from the malignant foe, and bring you to life everlasting. Amen.
Prayer follows:
O holy Lord, Father almighty and eternal God, we prayThee in faith that the holy Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, may profit our brother (sister) who has received it as an everlasting remedy for body and soul: Who being God, lives and reigns. Amen.
V. Our help is
in the Name of the Lord.
R. Who made Heaven and Earth.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit
V. Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, let there enter this house with the entrance of our lowliness eternal happiness, divine prosperity, serene gladness, fruitful charity, everlasting health; may there fly from this place all approach of the demons; let the angels of peace be present and all ill-feeling and discord leave this house. Make Your Name great over us, O Lord, and bless + our ministry: hallow the entrance of our lowliness, Thou Who art holy, Thou who are kind, and abide with the Father and the Holy Spirit, world without end.
R. Amen
Let us pray and implore our Lord Jesus Christ that He would fill this dwelling with blessing and all that dwell therein, and send them a good angel to be their guardian and make them His servants to study the wonders of His law; may He turn them from all contrary powers; may He save them from alarm and disturbance and vouchsafe to keep them in health in this dwelling, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns for ever and ever. Let us pray. Hear us, holy Lord, almighty Father, eternal God: and be pleased to send Thy holy angel from Heaven to guard, cherish, protect, visit, and defend all them that dwell in this house. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
The Confiteor is said. After the priest says the Misereatur, he asks all in the house to pray for the sick person as s/he receives Unction.
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let there be extinguished in you all power of the devil by the imposition of our hands, and by the invocation of the glorious and holy Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, and of her illustrious Spouse, St. Joseph, and of all the holy Angels, Archangels, Patriarchs, Porphets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Virgins, and of all the saints together.
R. Amen
The priest takes
the Oleum Infirmorum (the Oil of the Sick) and anoints the sick person in
6 places:
eyelids
ears
nostrils
lips
hands
feet
As he anoints each place, he says the words below.
After anointing each place, he wipes it with a piece of cotton.
R. Amen
By this holy unction + and his own most gracious mercy, may the Lord pardon you whatever sin you have committed by (sight, hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch, ability to walk).
R. Amen
The priest wipes his hands on the bread or cotton, washes them, and continues:
Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
[Our Father (silently)]...And lead us not into temptation.
R. But deliver us from evil.
P. Save your
servant (handmaid).
R. Who hopes in Thee, my God.
P. Send him (her) help, O Lord, from Thy holy place.
R. And from Sion Thy protection.
P. Be to him (her), O Lord, a tower of strength.
R. From the face of the enemy.
P. Let not the enemy prevail over him (her).
R. Nor the son of iniquity draw nigh to hurt him (her).
P. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to Thee.
P. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit.
Lord God, Who said by Thy apostle James: Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let htem pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him; we implore Thee, our Redeemer, to cure by the grace of the Holy Spirit the ailments of this sick person and heal his (her) wounds, forgive his (her) sins, drive from him (her) all pains of mind and body and in Thy mercy restore him (her) to full health within and without, that being cured by the help of Thy mercy he (she) may return to his (her) former duties, Thou Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth God, for ever and ever.
R. Amen
Let us pray. Look down, Lord, upon Thy servant (handmaid) N____ who is failing in the weakness of his (her) body; refresh the soul created by Thee, that brought to amendment by chastisements he (she) may feel himself (herself) saved by Thy healing. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
Let us pray. O holy Lord, Father almighty and eternal God, Who by pouring the grace of Thy blessing upon the bodies of the sick tends Thy creature with many proofs of Thy love, be pleased to draw near at the invocation of Thy Name, that Thy servant (handmaid) may be delivered from sickness and endowed with health: raise him (her) up with Thy right hand, strengthen him (her) in Thy might, defend him (her) by Thy power, and restore him (her) with all desired prosperity to Thy Holy Church. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
The Last Blessing
V. Our help is
in the Name of the Lord.
R. Who made Heaven and Earth.
Remember not, Lord, the offences of Thy servant (handmaid), and take not vengeance on his (her) sins.
Lord, have
mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
[Our Father (silently)]...And lead us not into temptation.
R. But deliver
us from evil.
V. Save your servant (handmaid).
R. Who hopes in Thee, my God.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come to Thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit
V. Let us pray.
Let us pray. Most gracious God, Father of mercies and God of all consolation, Thou wish none to perish that believes and hopes in Thee, according to Thy many mercies look down favourably upon Thy servant (handmaid) N.____ whom true faith and Christian hope commend to Thee. Visit him (her) in Thy saving mercy, and by the passion and death of Thy only-begotten Son, graciously grant to him (her) forgiveness and pardon of all his (her) sins that his (her) soul in the hour of its leaving the earth may find Thee as a Judge appeased, and being washed from all stain in the Blood of Thy same Son may deserve to pass to everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.
R. Amen
One of those present, and the sick person (if possible) says the Confiteor, then the priest says the Misereatur, Indulgentiam, etc. and continues:
R. Amen
May our Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who to His apostle Peter gave the power of binding and loosing, by His most gracious mercy receive your confession and restore to you that first robe which you received at Baptism; and I, by the faculty given me by the Apostolic See, grant you a plenary indulgence and remission of all your sins, in the Name of the Father +, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen
By the Sacred mysteries of man's redemption may almighty God remit to you all penalities of the present life and of the life to come: may He open to you the gates of paradise and lead you to joys everlasting.
R. Amen
May almighty God bless you, Father + and Son, and Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
Having come into contact with the Holy Oil, the bread, cotton, lemon, and water used by the priest when rinsing his fingers must be disposed of by burning or by burying in the earth.
Thus ends the Rite of the Sacrament of Unction.
Another thing your priest might do -- and which you should ask for -- is offer the Apostolic Blessing, which is a complete pardon for sins and for the punishment of sins if the recipient is properly disposed.
Apostolic Blessing
By the Faculty which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a plenary indulgence for the remission of all your sins, and I bless you. In the Name of the Father and the Son + and the Holy Sprit. Amen.
For more on the care of the dying, see The Catholic Way of Dying.