Anointing of the Sick

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick gives strength and support and can be administered to anyone struggling with an illness.

How do I request the Anointing of the Sick?
Please call the Parish Office at (207) 883-0334 to make arrangements, or speak to a parish priest so you can schedule a time to receive this sacrament. In case of an emergency outside of business hours, please call the Parish Office and follow the prompt; a priest will respond as soon as possible. Full-time Catholic chaplains are on call at all times at Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital; requests for sacramental needs in the hospital should be made directly to hospital staff.

Who may receive the Anointing of the Sick?
In the Catholic Church, Extreme Unction or the Last Rites is the anointing at the time of death. Since the Second Vatican Council, this sacrament is now called the Anointing of the Sick, and has been broadened to offer healing and comfort in times of illness that may not lead to immediate death. 

Spiritual Healing
The healing that occurs in this sacrament of anointing is not necessarily physical healing. While we believe that physical healing can occur through the great power of God, the grace that is infused through this special sacrament is the reminder of the eternal presence of God in our human suffering.  When the priest blesses the oil of anointing, he asks God to “send the power of your Holy Spirit, the Consoler, into this precious oil. 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” (Pastoral Care of the Sick, No. 123).

“The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1531).

When should I request the Anointing of the Sick?
If you have a serious medical condition and are at home, in the hospital, or preparing for a medical operation, you may receive the sacrament. Please call the Parish Office at (207) 883-0334 to make arrangements, or speak to a parish priest so you can schedule a time to receive this sacrament. Full time Catholic chaplains are assigned to Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital, and are on call at all times.