Anointing of the Sick

Journeying through life we sometimes find ourselves experiencing times of suffering.  Our faith teaches us that Jesus also suffered.  His suffering, for our sake, transforms our suffering into hope.  As we seek that hope in difficult times, celebrating the sacrament of anointing of the sick reminds us that we are never alone in our suffering. 

Who may be anointed?  You may be anointed if you suffer from a chronic disease, if you have a life threatening illness or if you are undergoing a serious surgery.   

How do I go about scheduling an anointing?  You or a loved one may call the parish office at 410-742-6443 and request anointing of the sick.  A priest will schedule a time with you for the anointing.  If you are scheduling a surgery, call the office the week before to arrange for anointing.

What if it is an emergency?  During times when death seems imminent, call the parish office-day or night-and a priest will be paged to call you. The after hours emergency number is 410-742-8781. Be prepared to tell the priest exactly where your loved one can be found, private address or name of hospital or hospice with room number and floor. 

We celebrate a special Mass with anointing once a year.  Those who attend this Mass and are in need of the solace of the sacrament of anointing will be anointed by one of the priests during the Mass.  We encourage and invite health care workers to attend this Mass and join in the prayer for those who suffer from chronic illness.  Our Mass is scheduled in October in the St. Francis de Sales Church. Please check the bulletin as the time arrives.