The Sacrament of Extreme

Unction.

UR Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in His tender solicitude for those whom He has redeemed by His precious Blood, has been pleased to institute another Sacrament to I help us at that most important hour on which eternity depends-the hour of death. This Sacrament is called Extreme Unction, or the Last Anointing.

Of this Sacrament St. James the Apostle thus speaks: Is any man sick among you? Let him call in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him (v. 14, 15). These words show the great and salutary graces bestowed by this Sacrament.

The Priest, in administering this Sacrament, anoints the five principal senses of the body-the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the lips, the hands-and the feet, because these may have been employed, during life, in offending God. At each anointing he pronounces these words: Through this holy unction, and of His most tender mercy, may the Lord pardon thee whatsoever sins thou hast committed by sight, hearing, etc.

The sick person should endeavor to prepare himself to receive this Sacrament by acts of sincere contrition for all his sins, by great confidence in the tender mercies of his Redeemer, and by a perfect resignation of himself to the holy will of God.

A PRAYER BEFORE EXTREME UNCTION.

LORD, Who hast mercifully provided remedies for all our necessities; grant me Thy grace so to use them that my soul may receive all those good effects which Thou didst intend in their institution. I desire now to be anointed, as Thou hast commanded by Thine Apostle. Grant, I beseech Thee, that by this holy Unction, and the prayers of the Church, I may partake of that spirit with which Christ suffered on the Cross, for Thy glory, and for the destruction of sin. Give me true patience to support all the pains and trouble of my sickness; give me an inward strength to resist all the temptations of the enemy; give me grace for the pardon of all my failings; give me that true light, by which I may be conducted through the shadow of death to eternal happiness; and if my health be expedient for Thy glory, let this be the means to restore it. Behold, I approach to this holy Ordinance with a firm faith and confidence in Thy goodness, that Thou wilt not forsake me in this time of my distress; but that Thou wilt fortify me with Thy grace, and defend me from all evil, and prepare my soul for a happy eternity. Amen.

THE MANNER OF ADMINISTERING THE SACRAMENT OF EXTREME UNCTION.

On arriving at the place where the sick man lies, the Priest, with the holy oil, entering the chamber, says:

Then, after placing the oil on a table, being vested in a surplice and violet stole, he offers the sick man a crucifix piously to kiss; after which he sprinkles both the chamber and the bystanders with holy water in the form of a cross, saying the Asperges as at p. 476. Then he says:

I D

Jesu Christe, domum

Let us pray.

AY there enter, O
Lord Jesus Christ,

hanc sub nostræ humilita- into this house, at the entis ingressu, æterna feli- trance of our lowliness, citas, divina prosperitas, everlasting happiness, heaserena lætitia, charitas ven-sent prosperity, peacefructuosa, sanitas sempi- ful gladness, fruitful cha

terna: effugiat ex hoc loco rity, abiding health: may accessus dæmonum, ad- the devils fear to approach sint angeli pacis, domum- this place, may the angels que hanc deserat omnis of peace be present theremaligna discordia. Mag- in, and may all wicked nifica, Domine, super nos strife depart from this nomen sanctum tuum, et house. Magnify, O Lord, benedic nostræ conver- upon us Thy holy name, sationi: sanctifica nostræ and bless our ministry : humilitatis ingressum, qui hallow the entrance of our sanctus et qui pius es, et lowliness, Thou who art permanes cum Patre et holy and compassionate, Spiritu Sancto in sæcula and abidest with the Fasæculorum. Amen.

ther and the Holy Ghost world without end. Amen.

OREMUS et deprece- LET us pray and be

mur Dominum nos

seech our Lord Jesus trum Jesum Christum, ut Christ, that blessing He benedicendo benedicat may bless this abode, hoc tabernaculum, et om- and all who dwell therein, nes habitantes in eo, et det and give unto them a good eis angelum bonum custo- angel for their keeper, and dem, et faciat eos sibi ser- make them serve Him, vire, ad considerandum so as to behold wondrous mirabilia de lege sua: things out of His law. avertat ab eis omnes con- May He ward off from trarias potestates; eripiat them all adverse powers: eos ab omni formidine et may He deliver them from ab omni perturbatione, ac all fear and from all dissanos in hoc tabernaculo quiet, and vouchsafe to custodire dignetur. Qui keep in health them that cum Patre et Spiritu Sanc- dwell in this house. Who,

The Priest, on entering the sick person's room with the Blessed Sacrament, says:

tibus in ea.

PEAC

EACE be unto this house.

R. And unto all who dwell therein.

Then, placing the Holy Sacrament, with the corporal, on a table, when the candles have been lighted he adores upon his knees, all present doing likewise; after which he takes holy water, and sprinkles the sick person and the bed, saying:

Amen..

HOU shalt sprinkle

me, O Lord, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: Thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great mercy.

sin

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was the beginning, is ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

now,

and

Then is repeated the Antiphon, Thou shalt sprinkle me, etc. After

HDJUTORIUM

wards:

DJUTORIUM nos- OUR help is in the

Domini.

trum in nomine

R. Qui fecit cœlum et

terram.

name of the Lord.

R. Who hath made heaven and earth.