Q: In my parish we have a monthly Mass with the anointing of the sick, at which I often see people go up to be anointed who are perhaps in their 60s but seemingly very healthy and sometimes even younger people. I thought the sacrament was for people in danger of death. What is the Church’s teaching on this?
You raise a good question, which I have been asked numerous times. I think that what can easily happen in these Masses is that the distinction between the blessing of the sick and the anointing of the sick becomes blurred.
There are Masses and ceremonies for the blessing of the sick, often around the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes on 11 February, in which all those who are sick in any way can be blessed.
It is not necessary that they be seriously ill, much less in danger of death, in order to be blessed.
Even those with the flu or a cold, or suffering from aches and pains, mental conditions like depression or anxiety, etc, can present themselves for the blessing.
These ceremonies can be held at any time of the year.
Indeed, it would be appropriate to have a monthly Mass for the Sick, as found in the Missal, with the blessing of the sick after Mass.
Returning to Masses with the anointing of the sick, the Church’s requirements here are very strict.
The Code of Canon Law mentions them in two canons. Canon 998 says that the sacrament commends to the Lord “the faithful who are dangerously ill” and Canon 1004 clarifies that the sacrament can be administered “to any member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger by reason of illness or old age.”
While the last canon does not state explicitly that the person must be “in danger of death”, this is clearly implied.
It should be noted that the mind of the Church following the Second Vatican Council has been to bring forward the conferring of this sacrament to a time when the person, while in danger of death, is not at death’s door, as was often the practice before the Council.
Hence the Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting the Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, says: “The Anointing of the Sick ‘is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death.
“Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.’” (SC 73; CCC 1514)
The phrase “in danger of death” can admit of different interpretations. For example, an otherwise healthy 80 year-old might be considered in danger, as might a person in the early stages of cancer, or a person with a history of heart problems.
In general, when there is doubt about the seriousness of the condition, the doubt can be interpreted in the person’s favour and they may be anointed.
In this regard, the Code of Canon Law says: “If there is doubt as to whether the sick person has reached the use of reason, or is dangerously ill, or is dead, this sacrament is to be administered.” (Can 1005)
Following this criterion, when anointing Masses are celebrated in the parish it is up to each person to decide whether they are in danger of death from their illness or their age, and thus whether to receive the sacrament or not. They can give themselves the benefit of any doubt.
Returning to your question, it would seem that some of the people presenting themselves for anointing in your parish are not really in sufficient danger to be anointed.
It is up to the priest to make clear to the congregation the criterion about who may be anointed so that abuses do not occur.
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