Christopher Wendt: Good evening, everyone. Good evening, Your Excellency.
His Excellency: Good evening.
Christopher Wendt: I greet all of you, members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Fatima, and all guests. I thank you all for being on tonight. Your Excellency, could you lead us in a prayer?
His Excellency: In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum. Adveniat regnum tuum. Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris. Et ne nos inducas in tentationem, sed libera nos a malo. Amen.
In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Christopher Wendt: Thank you, Your Excellency. Tonight’s broadcast is a catechism lesson from the Catechism of the Council of Trent. The topic will be the sacrament of Extreme Unction, also known as the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Before we get started, I just want to remind you that His Excellency has written this book, it’s called Credo, and I highly recommend that you get a copy if you haven’t. It contains all of our faith. There is so much ignorance about the faith, and there’s a crisis in the Church. This really will help. We need to learn our faith, and we really need to transmit it and pass it on to the next generation. So, if you haven’t gotten a copy for your family, I highly recommend that. Also, if you could keep us in your prayers, we are there. A group of us is going to be making a climb up Mount Kilimanjaro in July, next month. And we just ask you for your prayers, mostly that we can raise the money we need for the Saint Benedict House of Studies. If you’re interested in collaborating with that and trying to help the future of the Church and support authentically Catholic priests, you can go to livefatima.io/client.io/climb. There, you can find information about making a donation and helping many devout, pious young men who want to serve the Lord and the future of our Church. Without further ado, I give you Your Excellency. Thank you.
His Excellency: This Catholic catechesis is dedicated to the sacrament of Extreme Unction, also called the Anointing of the Sick. In all their works, the Holy Scripture teaches: “Remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.”
It is important, therefore, to meditate on death. “Remember thy last end.” The sacrament of Extreme Unction is inseparably associated with the recollection of the day of death.
The inevitable doom of all men, when recalled to the mind, represses depraved attitudes and sins. Therefore, people meditating on the last end shall avoid mortal sins and praise God that He has opened to them the way to true life eternal life, especially through the sacraments: the sacrament of baptism, and also the sacrament of extreme unction, or Anointing of the Sick, especially when departing this mortal life.
This sacrament is also called the Anointing of the Sick; at other times or on other occasions, it can be called the sacrament of the dying. These are names that easily return the minds of the faithful to the remembrance of the last hour of our life here on Earth.
Extreme Unction is, strictly speaking, a sacrament. We can see this in Holy Scripture, in the New Testament, from the words of Saint James the Apostle: “Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the 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 shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
So, the words of the Apostle Saint James, when he says that sins are forgiven, ascribe to this sacrament of unction the nature and efficacy of a sacrament. Such has at all times been the doctrine of the Catholic Church. This is testified by many councils, the Fathers of the Church, and the Doctors of the Church, especially the Council of Trent. Even Pope Innocent I, at the beginning of the fifth century, also recommends this sacrament with great earnestness to the attention of the faithful.
Extreme Unction, or this Anointing of the Sick, is a true sacrament. And although administered with many anointings, each given with a particular, peculiar prayer, it constitutes not many sacraments, each unction, but one sacrament. It is one, not in the sense that it is composed of inseparable parts, but because each of the parts of the sacrament, each anointing, contributes to its perfection. As a house, which consists of a great variety of parts, derives its perfection from unity, so also this sacrament, though composed of many and different prayers, anointings, and words, is one sacrament. And it affects only one thing, which is the sign.
Now, let us look at the parts of this sacrament.
First, the matter, its element or matter, is defined by the Council of Trent and consists of oil blessed by the bishop, or in case of emergency, also by a priest. Not just any kind of oil extracted from greasy substances, but only olive oil can be the matter of this sacrament.
Thus, its matter is most significant of what is inwardly affected in the soul by the sacrament, because oil is very efficacious and soothing of bodily pain, and the power of this sacrament lessens the pain and anguish of the soul. Oil also restores health, brings joy, feeds light, and is very efficacious in refreshing bodily fatigue. All these natural effects of oil have significance, they signify that the divine power accomplishes, in the sick person, through the administration of this sacrament, supernatural effects.
And let us look at the form. The form of this sacrament is the word or solemn prayer which the priest uses at each anointing, as he says, “By this holy unction, may God pardon thee whatever sins thou hast committed by the evil use of sight, locution, smell or touch.” This is the true form of the sacrament, we learn from the words of St. James: “Let the priests pray over the sick, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.” Hence, we can see that the form is to be applied by way of prayer.
The Apostle does not say of what particular words that prayer is to consist of, but this form has been handed down to us by the faithful tradition of the Fathers of the Church. It should not excite a surprise that while the form of each of the other sacraments either absolutely signifies what it expresses such as, for example, “I baptize you,” or “I sign you with the sign of the cross” or is pronounced as it were by way of command, as in the administration of Holy Orders, “Receive the power,” the formulation of the sacrament of extreme unction, or anointing of the sick, is expressed by way of intercession, petition, or prayer.
Since this sacrament is administered not only for the spiritual grace which it bestows but also for the recovery of health, which, however, is not always obtained, the form is used in a so-called deprecative form: an imprecation, a petition, in order to implore God’s mercy. But the virtue of the sacrament does not always and uniformly affect the recovery of bodily health.
Let us look at the institution of this sacrament. This sacrament owes its institution to Christ. It was subsequently made known and promulgated by the apostles and James. Our Savior Himself, however, seems to have given some indication of it when He sent His apostles two and two before Him. The evangelist informs us that going forth, they preached that all should do penance, and they cast out many devils and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
This anointing cannot be supposed to have been invented by the apostles but was commanded by our Lord. Nor did its power arise from any natural virtue. Its efficacy, we must believe, was supernatural and divine, having been instituted to heal the maladies of the soul rather than to cure the diseases of the body.
This is the doctrine taught by the Fathers of the Church so it cannot be at all doubted that Extreme Unction is to be recognized and venerated as one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Let us look at the subject of this sacrament. Although instituted for the use of all, Extreme Unction, or the anointing of the sick, is not to be administered indiscriminately to all persons. In the first place, it is not to be administered to persons in sound health, according to these words of Saint James: “Is anyone sick among you?”
This is also proved by the fact that Extreme Unction was instituted as a remedy not only for the diseases of the soul but also for those of the body. Only the sick need a remedy, and therefore this sacrament is to be administered to those only whose malady is very grave or such as to excite apprehensions of approaching death.
It is obvious that if the sacrament is administered while consciousness and reason are yet unimpaired, and the mind is capable of eliciting acts of faith and of directing the will to sentiments of piety, a more abundant participation of its graces will be received.
So, extreme unction or the anointing of the sick can be administered to no one who is not really seriously sick, not even to those who are in danger of death simply, as when they undertake, for example, a dangerous trip or enter into battle with the sure prospect of possible death, or have been condemned to death and are on the way to execution.
Furthermore, all those who do not have the use of reason are not fit subjects for this sacrament. Likewise, children who, have committed no sins, do not need the sacrament as a remedy against the remains of sin because this is an effect of the sacrament: to heal the remains of mortal sins and other sins.
Let us look at the administration of this sacrament. The sacred unction is to be applied not to the entire body, but to the organs of sense: to the eyes, on account of sight; to the ears, on account of hearing; to the nostrils, on account of smell; to the mouth, on account of taste and speech; to the hands, on account of touch.
The sense of touch, it is true, is diffused throughout the entire body, yet it is more developed in the hands. This manner of administering Extreme Unction is observed throughout the universal Church and is in keeping with the medicinal nature of the sacrament. As in corporal disease, the malady affects the entire body, yet the cure is applied to that part only which is the seat and origin of the disease.
So likewise, this sacrament is applied not to the entire body, but to those members in which the power of sensation is most conspicuous and also to the loins, which are, as it were, the seat of concupiscence, and to the feet, by which we move from one place to another.
Should a sick person recover after having been anointed, that person may receive the aid of the sacrament as often as he or she shall relapse into the danger of death through serious sickness. This sacrament, therefore, is evidently to be numbered among those which may be repeated.
The minister of Extreme Unction is indicated by the Apostle in Holy Scripture. For he says, “Let him bring in the presbyters of the Church,” by which name, as the Council of Trent has well explained, Saint James does not mean persons of advanced age or chief authority among the people, but priests who have been duly ordained by a bishop with the imposition of hands.
To the priest, therefore, it has been committed to administer this sacrament. Even deacons cannot administer the sacraments because they are not priests, only bishops and priests.
This sacrament imparts grace that remits sin, especially lighter, or as they are commonly called, venial sins. Mortal sins are remitted by the sacrament of penance. Extreme Unction, or the anointing of the sick, was not instituted primarily for the remission of mortal sins. Only baptism and penance, the sacrament of confession, accomplish this remission of mortal sin directly.
Another advantage of the sacred unction is that it liberates the soul from the languor and infirmity that it contracted from sins and from all the other remains of sin. Extreme Unction compensates for all that the sick person, through no fault of his own, left incomplete in the sacrament of penance.
So, what a person left incomplete in the sacrament of penance is accomplished in the sacrament of Extreme Unction or the anointing of the sick. It is thus the completion of the sacrament of penance. By reason of physical and mental weakness, the sick are rarely capable of making a good confession or of doing penance. Therefore, the Church deals leniently with them and, by this unction, commends them to the mercy of God.
This anointing cleanses away sin, if there be any sin still to be expiated, and cancels a part of the penalty of sin in proportion to the contrition and devotion with which the sacrament is received.
In common with all the other sacraments, Extreme Unction or the anointing of the sick imparts a higher degree of sanctifying grace, an increase of sanctifying grace. This is of more importance to us at our death than at any other moment. To increase in us the sanctifying grace is crucial, for the degree of our future felicity depends on the degree of sanctifying grace we possess here on earth. The greater our love of God, the more capable we shall be of the enjoyment of eternal beatitude.
Thus, this holy sacrament cleanses away all that is an impediment to our eternal salvation. We should also consider that we must soon stand before the judgment of God, who will pass on us a sentence of strictest justice according to our deeds.
It often happens that, struck with this terror, the faithful feel themselves deeply agitated, and nothing conduces more to a tranquil death than to banish sadness, to await with a joyous mind the coming of the Lord, and to be ready willingly to surrender our soul to the Lord whenever it shall be His will to demand it from us.
To free the minds of the faithful from this solicitude and anguish, and to fill the soul with pious and holy trust and joy, is then an effect of this sacrament of extreme unction, or anointing of the sick.
Although the devil, the enemy of the human race, never ceases while we live to meditate on our ruin and destruction, at no time does he more violently use every effort utterly to destroy us and, if possible, deprive us of all hope of divine mercy than when he sees the last day of life approach.
Therefore, arms and strength are supplied to the faithful in this sacrament to enable them to break the violence of the attacks of the devil. For the soul of the sick is relieved and encouraged by the hope of divine mercy, strengthened by which it bears more lightly the burdens of sickness and eludes with greater ease the artifice and cunning of the devil, who lies in wait for the soul.
The recovery of health, if indeed advantageous, is another effect of this sacrament. And if, in our days, the sick obtain this effect less frequently, this is to be attributed not to any defect of the sacrament, but rather to the weaker faith of a great part of those who are anointed with the sacred oil, or by whom it is administered.
For the evangelist bears witness that the Lord wrought not many miracles among His own people because of their unbelief. Holy confession should precede Extreme Unction because the recipient of the sacrament must be in a state of grace. So extreme unction, or the anointing of the sick, is a remedy and, as medicine is for the living, not the dead, so the sacrament also is of no utility to those who are spiritually dead.
Every priest may also give the papal benediction or blessing with a plenary indulgence. The sick person must call upon the holy names of Jesus. The priest usually repeats some short prayers to him, in which the names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph occur verbally if the sick can still speak, or mentally, if not. He also offers him the crucifix to be kissed. This is for those who are truly at the last hour.
The relatives and friends of the sick person should set the room in order and have everything that is needed in readiness for the administration of the last sacraments. In ordinary circumstances, a table should be covered with a white linen cloth, with a crucifix and two lighted candles upon it. There should also be a vessel containing holy water because the priest has to sprinkle both the chamber, the bystanders, and the sick. A glass of clean water should also be available for the priest to wash his fingers. Some cotton wool must also be provided to wipe the parts that have been anointed.
This is when the sick person receives the sacrament in his home. There can be situations when this is not possible, but when it is, it is advisable to prepare everything in order. Faith should be strongly stirred in the sick person, trust in the Lord, in whatever it may please God, in His wisdom, to do with regard to the health of the body.
The faithful are to rely on a sure hope of attaining, by virtue of this sacred oil, health of the soul first and, should the hour of departure from life be at hand, experiencing the fruit of that glorious assurance in the words of the Book of Revelation: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.
Christopher Wendt: Thank you, Your Excellency, for your lesson on Extreme Unction and the Anointing of the Sick. I have two questions, if I may. One is: when the priest administers the Anointing of the Sick or Extreme Unction, does that remove all temporal punishment due to sin? Or is it subjective, and does it depend upon the faith and devotion of the person receiving the sacrament?
His Excellency: It’s not removing all consequences or penalties of sin. It depends, really, as I mentioned on the state of true contrition and devotion, and only God knows the amount of the remission. Therefore, we have to pray for the dead person and for souls in purgatory.
Christopher Wendt: And then my other question is on the subject of the matter. You said the matter is olive oil. Is that of apostolic origin? Is it found in the Fathers and everywhere? And is it regulated in canon law? Could you speak a little bit about the matter?
His Excellency: Yes, it is clearly indicated also in the Council of Trent and in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and in the Code of Canon Law, that it must be olive oil. At least since the times of the apostles, it was used, and so we have no authority to change this.
Christopher Wendt: Yeah, so it’s not man-governed. It’s of such ancient apostolic origin that that’s the way it is. If a priest doesn’t use that, then we don’t have the sacrament, right?
His Excellency: Yes, it is. It’s a continuous tradition of the Church since the Apostle James says “oil,” and at that time, it was only olive oil.
Christopher Wendt: Olive oil. Okay, that’s all my questions. I’m sure our audience has many more, I just don’t know what they are. So, if you could close us with a prayer for holy popes and give us your blessing.
His Excellency: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Kyrie Eleison! Christe Eleison! Kyrie Eleison! Lord Jesus Christ,
You are the Good Shepherd! With Your almighty hand, You guide Your pilgrim Church through the storms of each age.
Adorn the Holy See with holy popes who neither fear the powerful of this world nor compromise with the spirit of the age, but preserve, strengthen, and defend the Catholic Faith unto the shedding of their blood, and observe, protect, and hand on the venerable liturgy of the Roman Church.
O Lord, return to us through holy popes who, inflamed with the zeal of the Apostles, proclaim to the whole world: “Salvation is found in no other than in Jesus Christ. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they should be saved” (see Acts 4:10-12).
Through an era of holy popes, may the Holy See, which is home to all who promote the Catholic and Apostolic Faith, always shine as the cathedra of truth for the whole world. Hear us, O Lord, and through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of the Church, grant us holy Popes, grant us many holy Popes! Have mercy on us and hear us! Amen.
Dominus vobiscum.
Christopher Wendt: Et cum spiritu tuo.
His Excellency: Et benedictio Dei Omnipotentis: Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, descendat super vos et maneat semper. Amen.
Praise be Jesus Christ!
Christopher Wendt: Now and forever!
Christopher Wendt: Thank you, Your Excellency. I wish you all a good evening. The next broadcast will be on July 13 and will be a question-and-answer session. Until next time.