Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Mary’s of the Lake:

This coming Thursday Sept 26 we are going to celebrate the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during the 8:30 am Mass in Lakewood.
Being one of the Seven Sacraments of the Church, this Sacrament has its base in this Bible passage: ‘Is anyone among you sick? S/he should summon the presbyters (priests) of the church, and they should pray over him/her and anoint with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him/her up. If s/he has committed any sins, s/he will be forgiven.’ (James 5: 14-15).

 ◆  This Sacrament of Anointing has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace & blessing upon the person experiencing the difficulty inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age. By and large, in this Sacrament, along with the Scripture readings, prayers and petitions, the priest uses the Blessed Oil to anoint on the forehead and on the palms of the hands of the sick person praying that the soothing & comforting, easing & healing power of Jesus be with the person so that s/he may have the relief & healing –especially the peace of mind & the strength of heart --always trusting in the Loving Care of our Lord, even when the person is facing a grave sickness or an imminent death. The Prayer which the priest uses during the Anointing is as follows: ‘Through this Holy Anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. R./ Amen!  May the Lord who frees you from sins save you and raise you up. R./ Amen!’ The Sacrament of the Anointing is oftentimes celebrated in the hospitals, nursing homes or in the residence of the sick person. It can also be celebrated in a context of a Mass (as we are doing this coming Thursday). The sickness can be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual… and is usually serious in nature (for the Anointing). The person is the one who judges the condition of the sickness and requests the Sacrament. Oftentimes, a person may request the Sacrament before having a major surgery. It is also to be noted that the Anointing can be received more than once (for example, when the sickness gets more serious).

◆Will you  arrange your time and bring your family members and/or loved ones to this special ‘Anointing Mass.’ As a ‘work of mercy’, you may want to invite and/or bring a neighbors or a friend to this Mass, as we continue to be mindful and pray for the sick and homebound. Also: don’t hesitate to call me or the Parish Office when a family member is seriously ill, and I will arrange to have the Anointing at home as well.
 Fr. Philip