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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.” (CCC 1499)  

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Anointing of the Sick is one of the two Sacraments of Healing, and contrary to popular understanding, it is is not limited to those who are actively dying. Those who want to receive the sacrament should contact the parish office at 410-969-2783. Beginning in October 2021, anointing will be offered following our 11:00am mass, in the chapel. 

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Please keep the following in mind when requesting to have someone anointed...

  • Roman Catholic priests or bishops are the only ones who can administer the anointing of the sick. 

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  • Persons wanting to receive the sacrament DO NOT have to be "actively dying." Those who are preparing to undergo a medical procedure, who have an acute condition, or have been sick for some time are also eligible.

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  • "When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it be God's will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit's gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age." (U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults, p. 253)

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  • If you or a loved one has been admitted to a hospital or rehab facility, please indicate that this person is a Roman Catholic during admission. Medical facilities will see this information and alert the chaplain's office, who will bring in a priest for anointing. Medical facilities have priest chaplains on staff who are responsible for anointing Catholic patients. Before calling the parish for anointing be sure to ask the medical facility's staff for information regarding their priest chaplain.

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