Anointing of the Sick
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is a prayer by the Church for the healing of the person being anointed. Perhaps that healing will be physical – if it be God’s will – but the healing that we ask for in the sacrament is also spiritual and emotional. The Sacrament of the Sick is available to any baptized Catholic (over the age of 7) whose health is extremely impaired by illness or advanced age.
The Church asks us to not to wait until the last possible moment and encourages any Catholic whose health is seriously impaired to seek the sacrament whenever their illness or infirmity becomes serious.
Baptism is always the first sacrament that a person receives, so the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is not available to the unbaptized. In addition, it is associated with the forgiveness of sins. This sacrament is only celebrated by a priest (or bishop) and it is not administered to those who are under the age of reason – as no personal sins are imputed to ones so young. A priest will be happy to bless and pray with a sick child, however.
Due to federal privacy laws, hospitals no longer contact parishes when a parishioner enters the hospital. Please call the parish office at (901) 527-2542 when you or a loved one enters – or plans to enter – the hospital. Arrangements can be made when a person is homebound, in advance of scheduled surgery or when a person is admitted to the hospital. In addition, arrangements can be made to bring Holy Communion to a person who is unable to come to Mass.