This pastoral care should be provided by the local Catholic parish in which the sick person is registered throughout the period of his/her illness, not only when the person begins to be affected more deeply by the illness. The information given below is to help all caregivers have a better understanding of the Catholic Church’s desire to partner in providing consistent and grace-filled care for those who know well the suffering of Christ.

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  What is the Sacrament of the Sick?

  
  For many years the Sacrament of the Anointing of theSick was named Extreme Unction and referred to as the last rites. This happened for many reasons such as a high mortality rate and an emphasis be-ing placed on cleansing the soul.
  
  The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick includes the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the rites of Anointing and of Viaticum. Viati-cum is the final giving of Holy Communion to the sick person approaching death. The “last” Sacrament is Viaticum, which is the Holy Eucharist, administered in a special ritual. It is considered “food for the journey” when a person is at the time of passage from this life. Viaticum means with us on the way.
  
  The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is for those who are seriously ill; Viaticum, the Eucharist, is the Sacrament for the dying. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick occurs when a Catholic priest prays over, lays hands on and anoints the sick person on the forehead and hands with the Oil of the Sick. The Oil of the Sick is special holy oil blessed by the Bishop once a year as part of the Chrism Mass held on or around Holy Thursday. Each Catholic parish receives some of this blessed oil for use in the Rite of Anointing.
   

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  Who Can Administer the Anointing of the Sick?

  The only minister of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick is a bishop or a priest. A deacon or layperson cannont administer this sacrament. However, all Christians are called to pray for, visit, and show compassion to the sick.

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  When Should I Call a Priest? Which Priest Should I call?

  The parish priest of the person who is ill should be informed as soon as serious illness befalls a sick person –or when serious surgery is scheduled – so that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick can be administered, along with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, if possible. Pastoral care for the sick person should be asked for as soon as a person ex-periences the danger of illness or is chronically ill, particularly if the person is elderly.
  
  During the course of the illness, Holy Communion should be offered to the sick person as often as it is conveniently distrib-uted either by the local Catholic parish or by the Ministers of Holy Communion that serve the local Catholic parish or local hospital.  In hospital settings, where the patients come from many different Catho-lic parishes, the clergy and lay ministers who provide the ordinary pastoral care at the facility should be informed of the person’s condition. These are the persons who usually schedule prayer services and coordinate Eucharistic ministry.
  
  When death is imminent, if the sick person is in a medical facility that provides Catholic pastoral care, [but if at all possible while the sick person is still conscious], the pastoral care staff of the facility should be notified first so that Viaticum [Holy Communion for the Dying] can be administered by the local hospital chaplain, deacon or minister of Holy Communion. If the dying person is at a hospital that does not provide such Catholic pastoral care or dying at home, the dying person’s local pastor should be contacted to provide pastoral care for the dying.
  
  Once death occurs, notice should be given to the deceased person’s Catholic parish office so that the ritual prayers for the dead can be offered and that arrangement for funeral services can begin.  Funeral arrangements should begin with contact with the deceased person’s local parish office. No funeral arrangements should be finalized without this contact having first been made.

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  HOW SERIOUSLY ILL DOES A PERSON HAVE TO BE TO RECEIVE THIS SACRAMENT?

  Any person who is seriously ill because of sickness, old age, or injury may be anointed. The illness may be physical or mental. The ritual indicates that a person who is ill should be anointed early in the illness, or before one faces serious surgery.
  
  The anointing can be repeated if the medical situation worsens or if the sick person experiences a different illness or injury. How-ever, it is not necessary to repeatedly anoint a person who is ill. God’s compassion and faithful-ness remain with the sick person throughout his/her illness.
   

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  What do I do if the Person is Unconscious?

  The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick can be administered to a person who is not conscious. In this case, the Church relies on the desire of the family who requests this and on the presumption that the ill person would have asked for the anointing if s/he were able to do so.

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  Should Someone Receive the Anointing of the Sick After Death?

  Since all the Sacraments of the Church are an encounter between a living person and God within the Church community, anointing a person who is certainly dead is not possible. The ritual, however, provides official prayers for the dead and the consolation of the living as part of the Church’s pastoral care.
   

  The Church has the great challenge of continuing the work of Jesus’ healing in the world. Please know of the Church’s prayers for you and the one you love who is ill.