Anointing the Sick
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. It is a
Sacrament of healing, for the soul and for the body.
The anointing is not only for the critically
ill but for the benefit of those with any serious health or mental problems as
well as people who are scheduled for serious surgery. Those who are
facing surgery are encouraged to receive the sacrament.
We also encourage families to contact the
parish to arrange for the reception of Communion at home while the patient
recovers from a hospital stay or surgery. See link to "Ministers of Care" at
left.
The forms of Anointing
Monthly Annointing
On October 7, 2007 St. Julie parish begins
to offer the Sacrament of the Sick on a regular basis after the 12:00 Noon
Mass. Once a month all those in need of this sacrament will be anointed.
This sacrament is not meant for only those
who are at the point of death. Anyone who suffers from sickness or old age is
an appropriate recipient of the sacrament. By this sacred anointing, the whole
Church commends the sick to the suffering and glorified Lord so that he may
raise them up and save them. The Church exhorts the sick persons to contribute
to the welfare of the whole people of God by associating themselves willingly
with the passion and death of Christ.
We should fight strenuously against all
sickness and carefully seek the blessings of good health. Therefore, we offer
this sacrament on a more regular basis.
The Anointing Mass
An annual Tradition at St. Julie Billiart
The Anointing Mass is sponsored by the
Ministry of Care.
All who are in need of healing are invited the receive the benefits of the
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
Our TNT teens assist in serving our guests
at the social after Mass.
Watch for the date of the next "Healing Mass" in the Bulletin pages or call
for information. 708 429 6767
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 him to receive this sacrament has certainly already
arrived."
For this reason, we suggest that persons
take advantage of the Parish's "Healing Mass" if at all possible.
If a sick person who received this anointing
recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this
sacrament again. If during the same illness the person's condition becomes
more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the
Anointing of the Sick prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the
elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced.
The sick should prepare themselves to
receive it with good dispositions, assisted by their pastor and the whole
ecclesial community, which is invited to surround the sick in a special way
through their prayers and fraternal attention.
Like all the sacraments the Anointing of
the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, whether it takes place in
the family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or a whole
group of sick persons. It is very fitting to celebrate it within the
Eucharist, the memorial of the Lord's Passover. If circumstances suggest it,
the celebration of the sacrament can be preceded by the sacrament of Penance
and followed by the sacrament of the Eucharist. As the sacrament of Christ's
Passover the Eucharist should always be the last sacrament of the earthly
journey, the "viaticum" for "passing over" to eternal life.
Private reception of Anointing
Make an appointment.
Do not wait until the ill person is at death's door. In these days of priest
shortages, other commitments may make it difficult for the priest to respond
on short notice. If the person can not attend the "Healing Mass", please call
the parish office as soon as possible to arrange an appointment. There is no
expiration date on the sacrament.
For additional information see links at
left.
Sacrament
of
Anointing of the Sick
We often
call sacraments celebrations, but what is there to celebrate about
sickness? Why have a sacrament which is reserved for times of serious
illness in a person's life? First, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick
is not meant to be a faith healing; it's primary purpose is not the
physical cure of a person, although, if a physical cure results from
participation in the sacrament and from the prayers surrounding the
sacrament, that is indeed a great blessing. The primary purpose of the
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is to make the ill person more aware of
God's presence and love, even in the midst of pain and suffering.
Serious illness not only hurts us physically; it can also
be quite injurious to our emotions and even to our spiritual life.
Lengthy, serious, and painful illnesses can easily lead to depression and
to all kinds of questions about God: "If God loves me, why does He
allow this?" "If God answers prayers, why doesn't He hear my
prayers and cure me?" "Is God doing this to me to punish me for
something?" "Is God testing me for some reason, maybe to see if
I'll remain faithful to Him, or to see if I'm worthy of Heaven?"
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick tries to bring
peace into the time of illness by addressing some of these questions.
First, it expresses our faith that God is present in the human mystery of
suffering, sickness and death, that God remains with us in serious
illnesses, just as God remained with Jesus in His passion and crucifixion,
even when Jesus lost sight of the Father's presence and cried out,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" We don't know why
human life isn't free of illness and suffering, or why some people have
lots of serious illness while others have little or none, but we believe
God is always with us, no matter what life brings.
Second, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick reminds us
of how God is with us in our illness. God is not with us as
a punisher or as a tester. As the Gospel of John says, "God so loved
the world that He sent His only Son, that in Him we might have life."
Even in serious illness, God is with us in the only way He can be, as
infinite love, which never abandons us, not even in illness or death.
Third, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick reminds us
of the presence, the prayers, and the support of the Church, the People of
God. The suffering and pain of serious illnesses can be very isolating; we
can feel very alone and cut off from other people. The sacrament brings
other people into our illness and pain; showing us that we are not alone,
that others are suffering too; inspiring us that others who are much worse
off are remaining people of great faith and courage; and making concrete
the prayers of so many people for us, both loved ones and strangers.
For all
these reasons, Anointing of the Sick is called a sacrament, a holy sign
and celebration of God's presence and love.
The above was taken from an article by Fr.
Richard Homa on 5/16/1999.
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St Julie Billiart
Parish
