The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated whenever a Catholic Christian is experiencing a serious illness, preparing for surgery, or is of an advanced age and seeks the grace of God to carry on. As with all the sacraments, this outward sign instituted by Christ traces its origins to the Sacred Scriptures, where Saint James writes, “Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will heal the sick person and if they have committed any sins, their sins will be forgiven them” (Jas 5:14). In the celebration of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the priest, who represents Jesus Christ and the entire Church, lays hands on the sick person, extending the healing touch of Jesus. He then anoints the forehead and the hands of the sick person with the Oil of the Sick, praying: “Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, a sacrament for the living as well as the dying, may be celebrated more than one time, as symptoms of an illness intensify, surgeries are scheduled, and one grows older.
Anointing of the Sick Preparation
Formal preparation for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick occurs within the Rite itself.
Catholics who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may contact the Parish office at 419-435-6692. Also, those who wish to celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick may approach the Pastor before or after weekend Masses, he will be happy celebrate the anointing with you at this time.
If you or a loved one are hospitalized, please inform your caregivers that you are a Catholic and a parishioner of St. Wendelin and would like to be anointed by a priest. Because of HIPAA laws, it is best to ask a family member to call the Parish Office to make the Pastor aware that you would like to be anointed for the sick. All calls are forwarded to the rectory whenever the Parish Office is closed.