Anointing of 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. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ. (Jas 5:14-16; Rom 8:17; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 2:11-12; 1 Pet 4;13)." (CCC 1499)

The pastoral care of the sick and dying has always been an integral part of the Church’s mission entrusted to it by Jesus: “I was sick and you visited me” (Matthew 25:36).

Anointing of the Sick (formerly known as Extreme Unction or the Last Rites) is administered to bring spiritual and even physical strength during an illness, and near the time of death. It is a sacrament of healing and a prayer for physical and spiritual health. The act of anointing with oil is a sign of strengthening. 

The Anointing of the Sick is meant for the living. If there is a Catholic person in your family who is ill, chronically sick, growing weaker, disabled or preparing for surgery, he/she is welcome to receive the anointing of the sick. If a family calls for the anointing of a loved one, it is a great support for the sick person to have their family and friends present during the actual anointing. 

When To Be Anointed

Do not delay anointing. Receive the sacrament during the early stages of illness. This is NOT the “last rites”. The sacrament can be repeated whenever the sick person again falls into a serious sickness or whenever a more serious crisis develops during the same sickness.

Near the Time of Death

Although a priest is on call day and night, please contact the priest early. Do not wait until the sick person is in a coma or actually dying. You can help; an honest word with the sick may be less cruel than to let them die without having the consolation of consciously settling their spiritual affairs.

In case of an emergency, a priest is available at any time. Please notify the parish when someone from your family is admitted to the hospital. We will put them on our prayer list for the sick and visit them, if possible. The administration of sacraments in a hospital, however, is under the pastoral care of the assigned Catholic chaplain.

To request Anointing of the Sick, please call the parish administration office at 715-637-3255, or use the form on our Contact Us page.

• Anointing of the Sick (USCCB)
• Prayers for the Health and Dignity of the Sick (USCCB)
• Order for the Blessing of the Sick (USCCB)