Good for the elderly
Anyone who needs to be anointed with oil can do so as many times as they need throughout their lives, and a person who has a chronic illness may need to be anointed again if the condition of the sickness worsens. The impending death of a person due to external factors (such as the execution of a death sentence) does not make him or her eligible for the sacrament.
Additionally, ″those who are gonna minister to the ill or participate in a community celebration but who are themselves in good health may not be anointed in the name of’solidarity with the sick.’″ Abusing the sacrament of anointing as a sacrament for the ill should be avoided at all costs since it undermines and destroys its purpose (BCL, March-April 1979, PCS 108).
If a person is chronically ill or elderly and in weakened health, the Sacrament of Anointing may be repeated if the priest determines that the sick person’s state merits it (102).
The same is true for the elderly, whose weakness becomes more apparent as they age (1515). Can. 1004 2 allows for the repetition of this sacrament in cases when the sick person, after recovering, becomes dangerously ill again or if the condition gets more serious during the same sickness.
‘Any member of the faithful who is in imminent risk of death due to illness or old age might receive this sacrament as soon as he or she becomes aware of the danger. The faithful who receive this sacrament can receive it more than once if their disease worsens or if they are afflicted by another terrible illness.
There are no restrictions on how many times a person can be granted the Last Rites. These can be administered as many times as necessary if necessary.
Unbaptized men must be ordained deacons before they can be elevated to the position of priest, and they must be elevated to the position of bishop before they can be promoted to that of bishop. Each priest and bishop has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders more than once, yet he only receives ordination to the various levels of the Church once.
As part of the healing process, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is delivered to those who are sick, frequently at the point of death, in order to provide spiritual and bodily strength to the person who receives it. Performing this ritual in order to impart God’s favor through the Holy Spirit is considered a sacrament (an external symbol of something inside).
Only a priest or bishop has the authority to administer the sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick, but a lay person has the authority to offer Holy Communion to a dying person as ‘Viaticum, the Last Sacrament of the Christian,’ according to the Catholic Church.
There is significant ambiguity around what is commonly referred to as ″The Last Rites,″ which is frequently exacerbated by the media. Contrary to popular belief, this word does not refer to the same thing as Anointing of the Sick. Viaticum is the suitable celebration for individuals who are about to die since it is the last time that person receives the Body and Blood of Christ.
They may be provided to persons who are about to be executed, those who have been fatally harmed, or those who are terminally ill. Last rites are not permitted to be administered on someone who has already passed away. Last rites are a term used in sacramental Christianity to refer to a series of sacraments that are performed simultaneously in preparation of an individual’s death.
As stated in the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary, ″The Church prays for those who find themselves unable to receive the Sacraments of the Anointing of the Sick and of the Viaticum, entrusting each and every one to divine Mercy through the intercession of saints and granting the faithful a Plenary Indulgence on the subject.″
It is entirely feasible for someone other than a priest or bishop to offer and deliver last rites in an emergency situation.
As a result, these sacraments will never be performed again. The sacrament of baptism, for example, may be administered conditionally if it is uncertain whether or not the individual has received the sacrament (with language such as ‘If you have not been baptized, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit’).
The faithful are permitted to take Communion up to two times every day, according to the rules of the Church.
Why is it necessary to receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders just once? The Christian is left with a spiritual mark or an indelible character as a result of this. In what way does the spiritual mark or character play a role in your life? Signifying that Jesus Christ has sealed the Christian’s heart with the seal of his Spirit, allowing you to serve as his witness.
If a person is gravely ill and is unable to undergo the sacrament of Penance, it is a source of consolation to know that the Anointing of the Sick can still forgive deadly sin.
Remember that deacons are called to serve in the peripheries, which means that we are the ones who are most frequently called to visit hospitalized and nursing home patients. As a result, deacons perform many of the ‘final rites’ that I discussed in my last piece, including prayers, blessings, and the distribution of the Eucharist or Viaticum.
People who are sick and anointed receive God’s grace through the Holy Spirit, which provides spiritual comfort. To be forgiven of their sins means that when they die, they will be cured and all sin will be eliminated.