Anointing the Sick

What is the Rite of Anointing?

In times of undue anxiety, it is normal to receive ‘Laying on of Hands with anointing’. 

In the letter of St James, scripture says: “Is anyone among you sick? He should call the ministers of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint (him) with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.” (Jms 5:14-15). 

If somebody is in hospital or unwell at home, please let your priest know. 

He can bring Communion to you or arrange for an authorised lay person to share this ministry.

When can I ask for this ministry?

At different times in the year, especially during Lent and Advent there may be ‘Healing Services’, when the priest uses this Rite within the Mass for larger gatherings. The same ministry is often available at the Dominican convent. At at any moment of crisis you may ask for this ministry, either at home or within the Mass, perhaps on a weekday, and especially before any serious hospital surgery.

The purpose of the sacrament is to reassure the sick or anxious person with the healing touch of Christ’s own hands and to feel the healing balm of the action of the Holy Spirit by the use of holy oil.

So, what are the Last Rites?

In the final moments of life, it is normal to call the priest for the ‘Last Rites’ (Extreme Unction), when the priest will come to the home or hospital. He will encourage the sick person to make a simple confession, but if the person is too sick or unconscious, he will whisper the Rite of Absolution before laying on his hands in the name of Jesus and anointing with the Holy Oil. But this should not only be associated with the passage of dying.

Funerals

To bury the dead with dignity is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy

Who is allowed to have their funeral at Our Ladye Star of the Sea?

The Catholic Church has an automatic duty to care for all people in times of sadness. You do not necessarily need to be a Catholic to ask for a funeral at this church, especially if a friend, partner or family member is already affiliated in some way to this community. 

What form does a funeral service take?

A funeral in church is an act of Christian worship. Speak to the priest who will want to meet the needs of your family appropriately in a time of sadness. The normal form for a funeral service at OLSS especially for a Catholic person is always a Requiem Mass. To unite ourselves and our loved ones to the Sacrifice of Christ in times of grief and sadness is the sacramental ministry of the Church.

A Requiem Mass may take different forms according to the pastoral circumstances of the family. It may be a very quiet gathering with little or no singing, or it may be something quite splendid and publicly uplifting. It should be solemn, gentle, and yet uplifting at the same time: ‘Christ is Risen’, all our hope is in Him and He gathers us into the Communion of Saints.

Who can help with music?

We have organists and singers who can often interpret contemporary music in an appropriate way as well as the traditional hymns. They will require a fee but it is always better to have real music and singing rather than recorded music. You may even have someone in your family who might like to sing.

What would be the normal order of events?

Normally a Requiem would take place before the committal at a cemetery or crematorium straight after the Mass. Sometimes a cremation may have been arranged to take place previously or privately elsewhere. Then the ashes might be brought subsequently to the Church for a more collective celebration of the life of the deceased. Occasionally a ‘funeral office’ without the Rite of Mass may be more appropriate, especially if the deceased was not a Catholic. Usually, though, the Mass is the best offering to bring all the people together no matter who they are.

Can my loved one lay overnight in church?

A tradition is to let the deceased person lie in the church overnight before the main funeral. This is a way to let the most important members of the bereaved have a quiet and more personal time together, not only in the presence of their loved one but in the sacred and healing presence of Christ Himself.  

All of the above options can be adapted according to your pastoral needs, together with a family eulogy, and perhaps additional readings or poems. All the local funeral directors, without exception, provide excellent service.