Anointing of the Sick
"Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."
St. James of Jerusalem, James 5:14-15
Jesus commanded his disciples to heal the sick and He even said, "I was sick and you visited me" in reference to the weakest of our community. It is therefore a great work of mercy to visit the sick and the housebound, especially if a priest can come to administer the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This Sacrament is an outpouring of the healing power of the Holy Spirit to restore, body, mind, and soul.
It is given to anyone who is seriously ill or about to undergo an operation, not just those who are at the point of death. In any case, it is a gift of the Holy Spirit for the strengthening and renewal of the sick or dying person to either free them from bodily harm or to support them in their trial.
If you are going into hospital, or if you have a relative or friend in hospital, please make sure that the Parish knows - under the provision of the Data Protection Act, the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital no longer automatically informs us of patients who are Catholic.
If you are sick, or know a Catholic (practicing or not) who would benefit from this gift, please get in contact to arrange a visit from a priest.
You can email exeter-sacredheart@prcdtr.org.uk or call 01392 642389