Prayers for the sick and dying

By Msgr. James P. Moroney

Director of the Office for Divine Worship

Then call the priests, he advises, and they will “pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15)

Pastoral care of the sick and dying is an important part of the Church’s ministry and is carried out by priests, deacons and lay ministers in a variety of ways. 

At the heart of this ministry is the sacrament of the anointing of the sick, by which the Church prays for physical and spiritual healing by the laying on of hands and anointing with the “oil of the sick,” blessed by the bishop at the Chrism Mass. Only a priest can anoint the sick. The sick person can be anointed from the first time he or she becomes seriously ill or is about to undergo serious surgery. This anointing can even be repeated if there is a significant worsening of the patient’s condition. 

What does seriously ill mean? A serious illness is one that has the potential to be life threatening. Such an illness can be physical or psychological and due to sickness, old age or injury.

Priests also frequently anoint those who are dying, a practice previously called “the last anointing” or “extreme unction.” However, the anointing of the sick may be given to the dying person at any point during their sickness, and it is not necessary to wait until a person is just about to die. Indeed, it is best to arrange for a priest to anoint those who are seriously ill at an earlier point in time and not to wait until the last minute.

There are many prayers which the Church prays for a Christian who is dying. As a person is actively dying the priest may pray for the remission of his sins or give the “Apostolic Pardon.” There are also “Prayers of Commendation” which may be prayed by any baptized Christian, including a lay chaplain. Likewise, if possible, viaticum (the last holy Communion) can be given by a priest, deacon or even an extraordinary minister of holy Communion, should the person be conscious and able to receive the consecrated host.

In these days of pandemic, doctors, medical professionals and pastoral ministers face many challenges, especially in the face of such a highly communicable disease as COVID-19. In some medical settings, medical professionals have judged it unwise to allow a priest to enter the room of a sick person, especially in the light of shortages in personal protective equipment. In those instances, while the sacrament of the anointing of the sick cannot be administered, all the other prayers of the Church for the sick and the dying may be offered, even through a window looking into the room.

Every Catholic person has an obligation to pray for the sick and the dying during these difficult days. One such prayer, which we all might pray for the sick, comes from the book of prayers used by the priest and others in caring for the sick and dying, “Pastoral Care of the Sick and Dying.” It is a prayer prayed by Catholics all around the world and can be prayed by families and friends of the sick person and by each one of us.

“Father, your Son accepted our sufferings to teach us the virtue of patience in human illness. Hear the prayers we offer for our sick brother/sister. May all who suffer pain, illness, or disease realize that they have been chosen to be saints and know that they are joined to Christ in his suffering for the salvation of the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Likewise, we should join our prayers with all those who are praying for the dying. An ancient prayer, known as the “Proficíscere,” has been prayed for those who are about to die since the earliest days of the Church. It is a venerable spiritual practice to pray this prayer each night for someone who may be dying alone, asking God to gently lead them home to heaven:

“Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God the Almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you, go forth, faithful Christian. May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God, with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the angels and saints. Amen.”

We are each called to pray for the sick and the dying in the model of the Lord Jesus, especially in these days of pandemic. May the Lord give us the grace to care for them with his love.