Anointing of the Sick
If the infirmed is in a hospital, please ask for the Catholic Hospital Chaplain. He is a priest on-site who can administer the Sacrament.
To receive the special prayers and Anointing, call the Parish Office at 619-233-3838.
Please give the receptionist information such as:
• Name and age of the sick or dying person
• Brief description of the person’s illness or condition
• Address and phone number
• Does the person wish to receive Holy Communion?
• Is the person a parishioner?
The information will be passed to the priest on duty who will visit you. Be assured of our prayers during this time.
The Anointing of the Sick is given when someone is:
• Struggling with serious or chronic illness
• Preparing for surgery and, when during the course of recovery, the condition worsens
• Coping with emotional illness
• Nearing the end of life
We all will inevitably face an amount of suffering and affliction, but our faith in God’s grace can sustain us. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given with the hope,
that if it is God’s will, the person will be physically healed of the illness.
Jesus’ words and actions are the foundation of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. He healed many, and it was essential to his mission to the disciples: “He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two . . . They anointed with oil the many who were sick and cured them.” (Mark 6:7-13)
When physical healing does not occur, if received with faith, the primary effect of the Sacrament is spiritual healing – a reminder that God desires to give comfort to the suffering. The sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to cope with the difficulties and anxieties that accompany serious illness. When administered during a terminal illness, “The Last Rites” are given. Through Anointing the sick person receives spiritual healing and comfort; through Confession the forgiveness of sins; and through Holy Communion the final preparation for a new life in heaven.