The Sacrament

Minister and matter

In order to receive the Sacrament of Holy Unction, people must be baptised; they must have reached the age of reason, that is to say, a baby cannot receive this Sacrament; and they must be seriously ill, or in danger of death because of old age.  The Minister of the Sacrament is a priest.  The matter is anointing with oil which has been blessed by a bishop.  The bishop blesses the oil for the various parishes during the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, and it is then taken to the different churches where it is kept locked up in a safe place.

Form

In administering the Sacrament those parts of the body may be anointed which are connected with the five senses – the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.  So the priest may anoint the eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth and hands by making the sign of the Cross on each of them with holy oil, and at the same time saying a prayer asking God to forgive the sins which the person has committed through each sense. It is the prayer which is the form of the Sacrament.  For example, when the ears are anointed, the priest says, “Through this holy Anointing and of his most tender mercy may the Lord forgive thee whatever sins thou hast committed by hearing.  Amen”.

The priest may just anoint the person’s forehead and perhaps the hands also.  But in any case, if the sick person is likely to die at any moment it is sufficient to anoint him or her on the forehead only as including all the senses.  After each anointing the priest wipes the oil away with a piece of cotton wool.

Inward grace

The inward grace given through the Sacrament of Holy Unction is, first, forgiveness of sins; that is, of course, if the person is sorry for his or her sins.  In the ordinary way people would make their Confession beforehand.  Holy Unction also heals the soul of the weaknesses and ill effects caused to it by past sins.  It gives peace of soul and great confidence in God, and strengthens sick people to bear the troubles and sufferings of their illness as Christians, and to resist temptation.  And lastly, if it is God’s will and for the good of the person’s soul, Holy Unction also helps him or her to recover from the illness.