When they experience serious illness Catholics are able to be assisted by their reception of the sacrament for the sick, the anointing of the sick. This sacrament is a ministering of God’s healing and encourages faith and hope in his saving love. In our infirmity God offers himself again and again as our rock, our security: in him we take fresh heart.
In the Sacrament of the Sick, prayers for the sick person are accompanied by the priest laying hands on the sick person, and anointing him or her with the Oil of the Sick, blessed by the bishop at the Chrism Mass in Holy Week.
In the past, this sacrament was usually administered at the end of someone's life - this is why it acquired the unofficial name by which many people still call it, 'The Last Rites'. This is not a good name for the sacrament because, although it still has its place during the final hours, it is nowadays used much more widely - possibly before a serious operation, or if an unwelcome diagnosis has been made, or for those who are seriously weakened by illness, but not in imminent and immediate danger of death.
If you or a relative or friend feel that you would benefit from receiving this sacrament, then please do ask one of the priests who will do all he can to assist you.
