Exploring the Sacraments - The Sacrament of the Sick - 5th February 2012 (SS102fm Programme excerpt)(S2E11b)

On this programme we continued our monthly series on the seven sacraments with this month focusing on the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick which ties into the fact that February 11th, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, is World Day of the Sick.

Traditionally referred incorrectly to as Extreme Unction or Last Rites, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was previously most commonly only administered to the dying, for the remission of sins and the provision of spiritual strength and health. In modern times, however, the use of the sacrament has been re-examined and expanded to all who are gravely ill or are about to undergo a serious operation, and the Church stresses a secondary effect of the sacrament: to help a person recover his health. Like Confession and Holy Communion, to which it is closely linked, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick can be repeated as often as is necessary. Pope Benedict XVI in his message for the 2012 World Day of the Sick on February 11th reminds us that anointing of the sick is one of the Church’s two “sacraments of healing”, together with the “medicine of confession”, penance.

The SS102fm team reflect on this wonderful sacrament and explore its meaning and the graces which can flow from it.