ANOINTING OF THE SICK

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 raise them up and save them and indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church (1499)

"Is any one among you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

Who can receive this Sacrament?
Any baptized person who has a serious illness and who needs strength and support from the Lord in facing his illness, may receive this Sacrament.  It is not necessarily restricted to those who are dying. The Anointing of the Sick is often combined with the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist. These give the person additional spiritual strength and grace.  If the person is near death, the Eucharist is called Viaticum, “food for the journey."  It strengthens him for his journey home to God.

Please call the parish office at 603-448-1262
to make arrangements for this sacrament. 
​It can be administered anywhere (at home, in the hospital, or in church) and at any time.

Because of the privacy laws, the priests of the parish are no longer allowed to call and make general inquiry as to whether a member of the parish is currently in the hospital or nursing home.  Often, we only find out about the sacramental need of a patient if a family member calls and informs the parish of the patient's confinement.