Anointing of the Sick

"He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two…They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them."  (Mark 6:7, 13)

In the Catholic Church, the Last Rites is the anointing at the time of death. Since the Second Vatican Council, this sacrament is now called the Anointing of the Sick and has been broadened to offer healing and comfort in times of illness that may not lead to immediate death.

Anointing of the Sick is a healing sacrament of the Church that can only be administered to a Catholic by a Catholic priest. It can be administered multiple times, often in response to serious illness or injury, as well as before major surgery. Death does not have to be imminent in order for someone to be anointed.


Helpful guidelines/procedures for requesting the Sacrament:

  • If a parishioner is going into a serious surgery/medical procedure please click HERE.
  • If a parishioner is in the hospital and is in imminent danger of dying, ask the hospital nursing staff to "contact the on-call Catholic priest for "Last Rites ."
  • If a parishioner is on comfort care/palliative care, please DO NOT wait until they are actively dying to notify the Parish Office.  Contact the office as soon as possible at 315-458-0283.

Spiritual Healing

In this Sacrament, the priest anoints the individual's head and hands with oil, and when the priest blesses the oil of anointing, he asks God to "send the power of your Holy Spirit, the Consoler, into this precious oil. Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction" (Pastoral Care of the Sick, #123).