Healing Mass to be celebrated at St. Joseph Church

MASS OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
THE SACRAMENT OF HEALING
Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 11AM

St. Joseph Parish
767 Prospect St., Maplewood, NJ 07040
973-761-5933


The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is for:

•Those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age
•A person facing surgery
•Elderly people who have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present
•Sick children or people of any age in need of healing
•Those suffering mental or spiritual illness in search of healing in a time of crisis or pain.

A light luncheon will be served for participants after Mass. If transportation assistance is needed, please call the Parish Office, 973-761-5933, on or before Monday, October 10.

"If anyone is sick, let him call on the elders of the Church. They shall pray for him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer said in faith will save the sick man; the Lord will raise him up and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:13-15


MASS OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
Some Questions and Answers


•Why does the Church now call this sacrament the Anointing of the Sick and not Extreme Unction?
Answer: This sacrament was revised to lead to a wider availability of the Sacrament and to extend it beyond cases of moral illness.

One of the most important documents issued by the Second Vatican Council is the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, also known by its Latin name, Sacrosanctum Concilium (Dec. 4, 1963.) The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy called for the renewal of many of the liturgical rites of the church, including the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Over time this sacrament had become entwined with preparation of the dying, but Liturgy encouraged the church to return to its more ancient roots and decreed that, “Extreme Unction,” which may…more fittingly be called “Anointing of the Sick,” is not a sacrament intended only for those who are at the point of death.” (Liturgy, #73)

•Who may receive the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?
Answer: Those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age; a person facing surgery; elderly people if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present; sick children; those suffering mental or spiritual illness in search of healing in a time of crisis or pain may receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops answers this question in Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum, by stating that, “Great care and concern should be taken to see that those of the faithful whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age receive this sacrament.”(#8) It is not necessary that one be dying or at the point of death to receive the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, indeed the Church encourages reception of the sacrament well before this point. “Elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present.”(#11)

•Can a person receive this sacrament more than one time?
Answer: Yes. The Apostolic Constitution revising the rite for the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick states that, “The sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after being anointed and then falls ill or if during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious.” (#9)

•Will receiving the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick heal someone who is ill?
Answer: In short, will this sacrament necessarily cure the recipient of their illness? No. But will it heal them? Yes.

As Christians we believe that we are more than just our physical bodies, we believe that we are also spiritual beings who are made in the image of God as a unity of both body and soul. Illness and frailty of the human body may also manifest themselves in the human spirit. Those who are seriously ill may struggle with despair or depression; anxiety about their own welfare or that of their loved ones. Serious or chronic illness may even lead some to feel abandoned by God and to struggle in their faith. Many who receive this sacrament are in need of healing both in their bodies and their spirit. During the Rite of Anointing, the priest blesses the oil to be used, saying, “Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it, heal them in body, in soul, and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction.” (Rite of Anointing, #123) Catholic Christians believe that the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick offers God’s healing power to those who receive it. When it is God’s will, some will experience a bodily healing, but all who are open to the grace of the sacrament will experience the spiritually healing power of God’s love for us.
•What is the purpose of celebrating the Anointing of the Sick at Mass?
Answer: Our mission as a Church is to do what Jesus did. On nearly every page of the Gospels we read of Jesus’ concern for the sick.

Sacraments are one of the means by which God Makes manifest the grace of Christ in the life of the community of the church. They bind us together and strengthen us for our common mission of living out the gospel. At some sacramental celebrations, like the Eucharist, the entire community participates in the sacrament. Other times, like Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick, only part of the congregation receives the sacrament, but the rest of the congregation is present to bear witness to our common faith, to affirm and support those receiving the sacrament, and to pray that all may be open to the grace of God.

•If I’m not sick, why should I attend the Mass of the Anointing of the Sick?
Answer: As Christians, we believe that even in the most difficult moments of human life, even in sickness and suffering, despair and struggle, the Lord will not abandon us. The communal celebration of the Anointing of the Sick presents the congregation with a means of witnessing to these faith claims.

An Anointing of the Sick Mass offers a parish an opportunity to publicly proclaim our faith in the promise of Christ to remain with us always. “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 give them relief and save them (see Jas 5:14-16.)” Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium,) #11.

As we come together to pray for and with our sick and frail members, we show both to them and to their caregivers the value of their lives and their struggles for the whole community. Participation in a Healing Mass is an act of solidarity with those among us who are sick; it is recognition of the value and challenge of illness in human life, and an act of faith in the power of the sacrament and the presence of Christ in even the most difficult of times.