A Catechism on the Sacrament of Holy Unction

What is the Sacrament of Unction? Did Our Lord institute it? What does it do?

Unction is a Sacrament instituted by Our Lord indirectly, through the practice and teaching of the Apostles, for the ministering to the physical and spiritual illnesses of the faithful; it is a Sacrament of grace, conveying the life and presence of God to ill persons to strengthen them in their suffering and unite them more deeply to the Crucified Lord Jesus Christ. Holy Scripture records the practice of the Sacrament of Unction from New Testament times: 'Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters (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 will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven' (Saint James 5.14-15). Our Lord, in truth, actually anticipated the practice of this Sacrament by giving power to His Apostles (and their successors in the Apostolic Ministry) to administer healing to the sick by means of anointing them with oil: 'So they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them' (Saint Mark 6.13). The Book of Common Prayer form of Unction is found on page 320.

At the very heart of the principle of Sacraments, that the outward and physical are the vehicle, or instrument, of the inward and spiritual, man himself is a 'sacrament,' body and soul. The body is the outward and visible instrument of the inward and spiritual, the soul and mind. The two elements are absolutely inseparable. Man is both body and soul, a composite being, and must have both to be fully and truly human. Sickness affects in a negative fashion not only the body, but the soul as well. Physical illness can result from spiritual distress or difficulty. Body and soul are one, very closely united, and are interrelated, the one to the other. One affects the other. And so, Our Lord provides in His Church and by His priests a channel of grace by which physical suffering and sickness may be made holy, consecrated to God, and through which illness is made to unite us to Jesus Christ the Crucified. Unction first and foremost ministers to the soul— bringing the grace of the Holy Spirit to the soul for the forgiveness of sins, for spiritual strength and comfort during illness, for the deepening of faith, hope, and love during the time of trial, for the healing and sanctifying of the soul - which is undoubtedly affected by illness.

The Sacrament gives a special grace for Christians who are suffering from illness; it is not magic— but like all Sacraments requires personal faith from the recipient in order for the Sacrament truly to bear fruit. Unction may be administered to someone who is either mentally or physically ill, and may be repeated for the same sickness if a person's condition temporarily improves and then worsens again. Every separate illness merits the use of this Sacrament. Only bishops and priests may administer this Sacrament, as Saint James clearly teaches. A priest should administer Unction using holy oil blessed by a bishop for this purpose. If a Christian is seriously ill, in body or mind, the priest should be called in order to pray for the person and administer this Sacrament. If a person is near death, and is known to be dying, he or family members should certainly call the priest for the Last Rites, the administration of last Unction for spiritual preparation for death, the administration of the Sacrament of Penance, last Absolution, and the administration of last Holy Communion, the Body and Blood of Our Lord known as Viaticum, 'way-bread' or 'food for the journey'-- the pilgrim's Food on the way to Heaven.

The special grace of this Sacrament consists of: the union of the sick person with the Passion and Suffering of Christ, for his personal welfare and for the blessing of the whole Church; strength, peace, and grace to bear patiently the suffering of illness, to endure the pain and hurt in a Christ-like manner; physical healing, if and only if it is according to the Will of God for the sake of the salvation of the individual person's soul; preparation for death and rest in Paradise. The outward and visible sign is the anointing of a baptised Christian who is ill, by a priest, with oil blessed by a bishop. Typically, the oil is applied to the forehead, and sometimes to the hands or specific place of pain. The prayer is one for blessing and spiritual healing from God (see page 320). The inward and spiritual grace is divine power, peace, strength and forgiveness of all sins. All Christians should avail themselves of this Sacrament when needed; it is the Church's truest ministry to the sick and dying.