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“Anointing of the Sick is the sacrament that is received by those who are ill or suffering. By the sacred anointing and the prayer of the priest, the whole Church commends those who are sick to Christ. The sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gifts of strength, faith, peace, and courage, and his or her suffering is united with the suffering of Christ for the building up of the Church." (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC], nos. 1520-23)
In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the priest anoints persons who are seriously ill, injured, elderly, or preparing to undergo surgery or other medical procedures. The oil of the sick is blessed by the bishop each year at the Chrism Mass and is the special oil used for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In addition to Anointing, the person is often offered Eucharist. For a dying person, the Sacrament is preparation for passing over to eternal life, but one need not be on one’s death bed to celebrate this sacrament.
History and Theology
Jesus showed great care for those who were sick and was concerned with their bodily and spiritual well-being. We know from the Letter of James (5:14-16), that in early Christian communities people were instructed to bring the sick to the priest to be anointed and prayers were offered on their behalf.
The Council of Trent stated anointing was for the sick and dying. Because this anointing was often connected with Viaticum (the last communion one receives before dying) this sacrament was commonly referred to as part of the Last Rites, but since the second Vatican Council, great progress has been made to return the sacrament to its original theology as a sacrament of healing.