tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post2987921844134538519..comments2024-03-25T17:14:03.066-07:00Comments on The New Theological Movement: Should Anointing of the Sick be given before surgery?Father Ryan Erlenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-2881788713036736902014-10-22T15:19:56.079-07:002014-10-22T15:19:56.079-07:00Comstantine, I thought my response wa proper consi...Comstantine, I thought my response wa proper considering Fr Andrew professed to be "surprised" that I "do not know" the easter practice - that is an offensive way of speaking. <br />In any case, the eastern law is what it is -- again in the case of matrimony stating that the priest is not the minister but a witness. Your problem is with your own law.<br />Btw, you should know that the latin church does require the priest's reception of the vows for validity in catholic marriages.<br /><br />Finally, though it is a red herring, I will simply state that, if a man is really a priest (and the eastern priests are), then he says the words "this is..." Over bread and wine he effects transubstantiation. In any rite or form or even outside any rite. That is what the power of the words means.<br /><br />I am sorry to hear of your father's death - he will be in my prayers. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-59484641321540871252014-10-22T14:42:44.634-07:002014-10-22T14:42:44.634-07:00JMJ
October 22, 2014
Thank you for your prompt r...JMJ<br />October 22, 2014<br /><br /><br />Thank you for your prompt response, Fr. Ryan. <br /><br />Just to clarify, I meant in to way to imply that transubstantiation does not take place in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom or any of the other Eastern Divine Liturgies but rather that the Eastern Churches teach that transubstantiation takes place at the point of the prayer of Epiclesis rather than at Christ's words "Take eat...", which precede the Epiclesis. As transubstantiation is a matter of faith I honestly don't know any Eastern Catholics who would even attempt to deny transubstantiation. I don't understand why both the Latin and the Eastern teachings on the Sacred Liturgy could not both be correct while remaining distinct in the different Rites of the Church.<br /><br />What about the differing theological understanding of the Sacrament of Matrimony in the East and the West that Fr. Andrew mentioned above? In CCC 1623 it states that in the Eastern Churches "...the priests (bishops or presbyters) are witnesses to the mutual consent given by the spouses, but for the validity of the sacrament their blessing is also necessary." Would you hold that the Eastern Theology is not legitimate because we require blessing of the priest but in the Latin Rite the spouses confer the Sacrament of Marriage upon one another without the Priestly blessing for validity? I think that both of these Sacramental Theologies are a rich and beautiful example of what the Eastern tradition and Western tradition have to offer the Church.<br /><br />Fr. Ryan, with no disrespect to you or to your Priesthood, while the action of telling a brother priest to read canon law may not be disrespectful in it's own right, your words: "... I suspect that you are ignorant of your own Canon Law ...", could certainly be received in a disrespectful, demeaning, & hurtful manner by a brother priest. Likewise, the readers of your blog may perceive your words in this manner. I found it to be disrespectful and demeaning myself, Fr. Ryan, as the son of Fr. Andrew, your brother priest.<br /><br />Fr. Andrew recently died, so I would appreciate your prayers for his blessed repose with Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints.<br /><br />Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη! Eternal Memory! Αἰωνία ἡ μνήμη!<br /><br />With the saints, oh Christ, give rest to the soul of your servant, Andrew, the priest, where there is no pain nor sorrow nor suffering, but life everlasting.<br /><br /><br />Respectfully submitted, In Christ's Love,<br /><br />ConstantineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-82707202569624516052014-10-21T18:04:17.401-07:002014-10-21T18:04:17.401-07:00Constantine, correct, I am saying that the sacram...Constantine, correct, I am saying that the sacrament is invalid if the person has not begun to be in danger of death. Further, I affirm as a matter of faith that transubstantiation must be held, and that this occurs by the power of the words of consecration. Further, the best in the eastern tradition is in harmony with the west. <br />Finally, it is no disrespect to tell a brother priest to read canon law. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-67026982850590884722014-10-21T16:57:43.477-07:002014-10-21T16:57:43.477-07:00JMJ
October 21, 2014
Dear Fr. Ryan,
Is it not t...JMJ<br />October 21, 2014<br /><br /><br />Dear Fr. Ryan,<br /><br />Is it not true that both the clergy and the lay faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Eastern Orthodox Churches have taught for nearly 2,000 years that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is for the healing of entire human person, body, mind, and spirit?<br /><br />While Canon 737 and Canon 738 of the Eastern Code of Canon Law refer to "grave illness", do you believe that Eastern Bishops & Priests are wrong in administering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to those who have serious psychological illnesses, emotional illnesses, or spiritual illnesses, rather than being restricted to bodily illnesses?<br /><br />If the theology of the sacraments is understood differently in other cases between the East and the West, could it not rightly be understood differently in this case as well? For example, in the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Churches, transubstantiation is not understood to take place when the Priest says Christ's words of institution as in the celebration of the Latin Rite Mass, but rather when the Priest says the epiclesis.<br /><br />Finally, your comment to Fr. Andrew, the Byzantine Catholic Priest above, reads in a very disrespectful tone. Why would you treat a Brother Priest with disrespect, Father Ryan?<br /><br /><br />In Christ's Love,<br /><br />ConstantineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-77627769213658814572014-09-20T13:11:25.729-07:002014-09-20T13:11:25.729-07:00Elizabeth,
In cases of real doubt about the seriou...Elizabeth,<br />In cases of real doubt about the seriousness of an illness, when it seems probable or at least very possible that an illness could be life threatening, anointing should be given. However, it is not given on account of a surgery, but because there is real reason to think the illness has put a man into danger of death.<br /><br />Setting aside the case from the past, I will simply state that you must consider whether or not, right now with the information you currently have, you have reason to believe you have cancer. If yes, it is time for anointing. If not, then it is not yet time.<br /><br />As to the tone of my comments -- I am more concerned to write clearly and concisely than to make people feel good. Yet, I do care very much for all who ask questions. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-40061010472141296012014-09-20T12:42:12.509-07:002014-09-20T12:42:12.509-07:00I am having surgery to determine if the symptoms I...I am having surgery to determine if the symptoms I am experiencing are cancer. If the surgery determines that it is cancer, I would have had a serious illness before the surgery. But I would not have known I had the serious illness at the time of surgery. Would anointing be appropriate before the surgery? I had surgery a few years ago to remove a mass in my abdomen. At the time of surgery, it was not known if it was cancer or not. My priest recommended the Anointing of the Sick. It turns out the mass was benign, but an artery was severed during the surgery, resulting in near death and a long ICU stay. I was so grateful I had received the sacrament before the surgery. But was it appropriate under what I am understanding above? I hope you do answers my questions, but please do with some pastoral kindness. Admittedly, I am very saddened to read the hostile tone in many of your responses above. ElizabethAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-19339156729651817482012-02-07T12:11:15.642-08:002012-02-07T12:11:15.642-08:00Rev. Father Kolitsos,
I'm well aware of the pr...Rev. Father Kolitsos,<br />I'm well aware of the practice in the East ... I suspect that you are ignorant of your own Canon Law ... which states:<br /><br />----------------<br />Canon 737<br />1. By the sacramental anointing of the sick with prayers of a priest, the Christian faithful who are gravely ill and sincerely contrite receive grace, by which, strengthened by the hope of eternal reward and absolved from sins, they are disposed to correct their lives and are helped in patiently enduring their infirmity and suffering. <br /><br /><br />and Canon 738<br />The Christian faithful freely receive anointing of the sick whenever they are gravely ill; pastors of souls and persons who are close to the sick are to see to it that they are supported by this sacrament at an opportune time.<br /><br />---------------<br /><br />Your own canons require that the individual be "gravely ill".<br />Further, they must be above the age of reason so as to be "sincerely contrite".<br /><br />Your problem is with your own Church ... not with me.Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-28391052542701304402012-02-07T12:06:28.872-08:002012-02-07T12:06:28.872-08:00Dear Father,
I am a Byzantine Catholic pries...Dear Father, <br /><br /> I am a Byzantine Catholic priest and I am surprised that you are not aware that in the Byzantine Church we administer the Sacrament of Anointing the Sick, Holy Unction, on every Great Wednesday of Holy Week, to every Catholic, spiritually disposed, who presents himself for the Sacrament. It has and is an ancient tradition of the Eastern Catholic Church. Our theologies and canons differ from the Latin Church on this Sacrament as they do for the Sacrament of Marriage.<br />God Bless you and your readers.<br /> +In ChristFr. Andrew Kolitsosnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-6459356180659821032011-08-02T14:10:49.370-07:002011-08-02T14:10:49.370-07:00I volunteer in a hospital where Annointing is offe...I volunteer in a hospital where Annointing is offered on a regular basis (once a month and on the feast days of saints whose lives involved treating sick people).<br /><br />I know that I for several years treated Anointing as a "blessing" that could be received as often as I wanted. Actually, it is more like the Sacrament of Confirmation in that it may be only received once (per incident of a serious illness).<br /><br />After reading Father's post, and aection 1515 of the CCC, I see his point.<br /><br />1515; "If during the same illness the person's condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated."<br /><br />Thus, long term high blood pressure and heart problems that are stabilized with medication would not be considered a justification for repeating the sacrament unless they greatly worsened.<br /><br />Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Father.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08332138030182107580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-85058886064295968262011-08-02T11:59:42.661-07:002011-08-02T11:59:42.661-07:00Reading the comments of the doctor and nurse, who ...Reading the comments of the doctor and nurse, who make the argument that all surgeries contain the risk of death, made me think that this cannot be the basis for when the Sacrament is administered, <i>as Father Reginaldus has repeatedly stated</i>.<br /><br />People are at risk of death when they fly on an airplane, aren't they? We are in even more risk of death when we get into an automobile. Should we receive Anointing of the Sick every time we get into a car? Of course not.<br /><br />Father made it quite clear, I thought, in his article that it is the <i>reason</i> for the surgery that determines whether the Sacrament is necessary. Not the risk involved.<br /><br />In fact, Father begins with the reason for the Sacrament, which is <i>spiritual</i> healing. I assume this is because despair can set in, giving the Enemy a chance to tempt one into blaspheming the Holy Spirit. I will have to look that up in CCC.<br /><br />Thank you, Father, for an excellent article. I will now read the others.Nick from Detroitnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-43847580840241406892011-07-13T07:32:08.597-07:002011-07-13T07:32:08.597-07:00Correction:
An RN has pointed out to me that "...Correction:<br />An RN has pointed out to me that "general anesthesia" is a more specific process than most non-medical persons realize.<br />Apparently, "general anesthesia" is different from anesthesia which is administered through an IV and which puts the person to sleep. By "general anesthesia", the medical world refers to the use of a breathing tube/respirator etc.<br /><br />Now, I had not said anything at all about "general anesthesia" ... until my comment on July 12 6:59pm.<br />Obviously, what most non-medical persons call "anesthesia" is used quite frequently -- however, medical persons call this "IV sedation" and it is used frequently (for very minor surgeries).<br /><br />In any case, the point of the article is that no anesthesia, no matter how dangerous, can be the cause of Anointing of the Sick. It is the sickness (or age) which is the cause of the sacrament, and the surgery is only the occasion. <br /><br />If there is a serious illness -- and this could (in certain circumstances) include broken bones and other such maladies -- or if the person is feeble and in danger of death due to old age, then the sacrament of Anointing should be given.<br /><br />If the illness is not such that the individual is in danger of death and his health is not "seriously impaired" -- then Anointing is not appropriate, even if he is going into surgery (and even if this surgery involves sedation).Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-52225937951060610732011-07-12T18:59:13.610-07:002011-07-12T18:59:13.610-07:00momor,
First, you speak about how any surgery whic...momor,<br />First, you speak about how any surgery which involved anesthesia is a dangerous surgery ... this is irrelevant to the question. The Church is very clear: Only serious illness or old-age can be cause for Anointing of the Sick.<br />[example: Lethal injection, which is 100% fatal, is not cause for Anointing -- until, I suppose, after the poison has been given]<br /><br />Second, you state, "Rationally speaking any illness that requires a dangerous surgery IS a dangerous illness" -- fine and good, but you seem to define "dangerous surgery" as any surgery using general anesthesia ...<br />I know of cases where people have used general anesthesia to remove a tooth ... hardly a "serious illness"!<br /><br />In fact, it is quite clear that general anesthesia is not really thought by the medical world to necessarily make a surgery a "serious surgery". It is simply not that case that such surgeries are only done when the illness is so serious as to put the individual in danger of death.<br />Remove of tonsils (for example) is sometimes done with general anesthesia (at least, it used to be this way) ... this hardly a "serious illness".<br /><br /><br />Let me be clear: I am not so much debating what constitutes serious surgery ... what I am talking about is the fact that the surgery cannot be the cause of the Anointing, it has to be a "serious illness" which "seriously impairs health" and which puts the individual "in danger of death."<br />It is the sacrament of the SICK, and sickness (not surgery) is the cause of Anointing.<br /><br />In any case, tomorrow an article will be posted on what constitutes a "serious illness".<br /><br />Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-8149287816276216722011-07-12T17:45:16.863-07:002011-07-12T17:45:16.863-07:00Father,
As an RN I agree with anonymous physician ...Father,<br />As an RN I agree with anonymous physician that I think you do not have a full understanding of surgical risk and I want to expound on that a little.<br /><br />There is no surgery that involves general anesthesia and cutting of blood vessels that is not a potentially life threatening surgery, even tonsillectomies to use your example. In medicine, we speak of risk/benefit and most surgeries have a mortality statistic. A low risk of mortality, such as 2%, is a population statistic and not to be confused with it's seriousness for an individual. If you are one of the 2% it's 100% fatal! Very often there is no way to predict who will die, therefore every case must be considered serious.<br /><br />To use another example you say that in the case of the woman having a C-section, her pregnancy, not the surgery is sufficient reason to receive the sacrament. Not really true if you use the same logic you've used elsewhere. Pregnancy, first of all, is not an illness although complications can arise. But, it is the danger of the C-section, not her pregnancy per se, that makes it serious and puts her in possible danger of death from hemmorhage. To complicate matters medically even further, many repeat C-sections are not even absolute requirements, but are precautionary choices after weighing risks/benefits. So potentially we can have a woman electively choosing to undergo a life endangering surgery for a condition that is not an illness. <br /><br />Rationally speaking any illness that requires a dangerous surgery IS a dangerous illness - the neccessity of the surgical cure makes it so! I think your underlying point about abuse of the sacrament is good to make. But I think splitting such subjective hairs about serious illness vs serious surgery has rather muddied things more than clarified them. <br /><br />With all due respect,<br />momorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-28783943910541457892011-07-08T08:43:27.591-07:002011-07-08T08:43:27.591-07:00dcs,
It seems that the Apostolic Pardon is not so ...dcs,<br />It seems that the Apostolic Pardon is not so directly associated with sickness or old age, but is more connected with death itself.<br /><br />The Handbook of Indulgences (#28) states: "Priests who minister the sacraments to the Christian faithful who are in a life-and-death situation should not neglect to impart to them the apostolic blessing, with its attached indulgence."<br /><br />So, my thought is that it should be given to a person about to be executed (not months before, but rather close to the time and day of execution -- perhaps even a day or two beforehand, if necessary).<br /><br />Also, it is to be noted that the Church herself extends the indulgence attached to the Apostolic Pardon to all the faithful who, with the proper dispositions, are unable to receive the blessing from a priest, but who desire this indulgence and have "regularly prayed in some way during their lifetime".<br />So that is great news! +<br /><br />[likewise, Viaticum would be appropriate, together with a good confession (of course)]Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-19477339609317964142011-07-08T08:25:24.780-07:002011-07-08T08:25:24.780-07:00Anonymous (4:30pm),
The key to answering your ques...Anonymous (4:30pm),<br />The key to answering your question is in the first six words of your comment:<br />"I had a SERIOUS blood clot" ...<br /><br />The cause for Anointing was the blood clot (and, perhaps, also the enlargement of the prostate), the occasion of the Anointing was the surgery.<br /><br />It sounds to me like you made the correct decision. +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-8341860766587102642011-07-08T08:23:26.119-07:002011-07-08T08:23:26.119-07:00Ken,
Based on your description, I do not think tha...Ken,<br />Based on your description, I do not think that this is a proper use of Anointing of the Sick.<br />In particular, the idea that "we are all sick from daily sin" is being used to justify Anointing is quite troubling.<br /><br />Anointing of the Sick requires the person to be physically sick -- the physical sickness (and perhaps the physical healing) is the sacramental sign which effects the spiritual healing of the spiritual sickness.<br /><br />Thus, unless everyone (or most everyone) at that Saturday Mass is "seriously" ill and has "begun to be in danger of death", they should not be receiving Anointing.<br /><br />Moreover, even for those who are seriously ill (or who have become seriously feeble due to old age), Anointing is to be repeated only upon the significance worsening of the condition.<br />So, if a person receives Anointing once for a serious illness, they should not receive Anointing a second time, until the illness worsens and their health becomes significantly more compromised.<br />[hence, the idea of receiving Anointing once a month (as on a scheduled basis) does not seem to make a lot of sense (at least, not in most cases)]<br /><br />Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-50346211118589912242011-07-08T05:04:04.296-07:002011-07-08T05:04:04.296-07:00Dear Fr. Reginaldus,
Would it not be appropriate ...Dear Fr. Reginaldus,<br /><br />Would it not be appropriate for one who is facing the death penalty to receive the other rites associated with dying, such as the Apostolic Pardon?dcshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18424510747759223459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-37051337026591165022011-07-07T18:59:31.050-07:002011-07-07T18:59:31.050-07:00Before open-heart surgery my pastor suggested anoi...Before open-heart surgery my pastor suggested anointment and I agreed.<br />After 3 bypasses the surgeon started to close my chest, when the heart stopped. Shocking was not effective, so he opened me up again and massaged my heart by hand with good results. He then applied a fourth bypass, resulting in 8 hours in surgery instead of the routine 4 and went to ICU in critical condition.<br />Had it not been for the great skill of the surgeon and possibly the anointing, I would not be writing this, 8 years after the fact.Frank N.- Canadanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-58590513358829531272011-07-07T16:30:46.391-07:002011-07-07T16:30:46.391-07:00I had a serious blood clot two years ago that was ...I had a serious blood clot two years ago that was life threatening. I survived but remain on Coumadin blood thinner for the rest of my life. On June 24th, 2011 I had prostate surgery for an enlarged prostate which was necessary so that I could urinate as it had gone to full retention and made it necessary that I wear a catheter for two months awaiting the surgery. The concern with this operation was that I would need to be removed from my blood thinning medication which meant that during the surgery or afterwards I could get another life threatening blood clot. Prior to the surgery I received the Annointing of the Sick sacrament. Did I qualify for that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-64330384611619703972011-07-07T16:23:50.861-07:002011-07-07T16:23:50.861-07:00Our Church does an Anointing of the sick the first...Our Church does an Anointing of the sick the first Saturday of the month and I see most of the members present is anointed by the Priest. I beleive ths reason for this is the Priest tells all that if you are sick from an illness or sick form sin you should be anointed. We are all sick from daily sin. Is this the correct response?Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-53698644797382343492011-07-07T14:50:17.534-07:002011-07-07T14:50:17.534-07:00Anonymous (9:29am),
In the future, please use a ps...Anonymous (9:29am),<br />In the future, please use a pseudonym (at least at the end of your comment) -- I ask this both on the main page and also in the comment box itself, just above where you leave your comment.<br /><br />Regarding your question ... the quote from the Catechism needs to be interpreted in light of the clear teaching of the Church in both Canon Law and the Instruction promulgated by Pius VI. The Catechism is meant for catechesis, not for solving all the questions of theology... <br />[and the Catechism quote does not contradict the other documents, it only speaks more generally and with a specifically catechetical view]<br /><br />Regarding the danger of anesthesia ... I fear that you have completely missed the whole point of the article.<br /><br />IT IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER THE SURGERY IS SERIOUS ... the question is whether the illness that leads to the surgery is serious.<br /><br />IT IS NOT ABOUT DANGER OF DEATH ... it is about SICKNESS (or old age) that puts one in danger of death.<br /><br />Regarding the biblical passage ... "Is ANY man sick among you etc." ... to that I simply respond, "Is any man SICK among you etc."<br /><br /><br /><br />Finally, please understand, I do not intend to limit what the Holy Father (and the Church) means by "serious illness" or "danger of death" ... the article isn't even about what counts as "serious"! Rather, the whole point is to say that "serious surgery" is not the same as "serious illness" and therefore is not a cause for Anointing.<br /><br />I am very open to taking a wide view of what counts as "serious illness" or "old age" ... what I am not open to is the claim that the Sacrament of the Sick can be given to people for surgery or war or the death penalty (i.e. that it can be given to people for any other reason than serious sickness [or old age]).<br /><br />Put simply ... it is the Sacrament of the Sick, not the "sacrament of those about to undergo surgery" nor the "sacrament of those about to die (i.e. from any cause)".<br />The sacrament is for sick people, and it is given for sickness.<br />Surgery is a good occasion for Anointing, in the sense that (if a person is seriously sick) we had better make sure that they get Anointed before undergoing a life-threatening surgery -- not on account of the surgery itself, but on account of the sickness.<br /><br />I hope this clarifies my point (and the Church's teaching). Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-73356595226206618142011-07-07T14:35:21.463-07:002011-07-07T14:35:21.463-07:00Mary,
While (for the most part) Anointing should n...Mary,<br />While (for the most part) Anointing should not be given before a surgery for tonsils, it should most certainly be given in the case of a hemorrhage after the surgery. <br /><br />I think the most important line in your comment is this: "I just feel that anything the church (through Jesus Christ) has to offer to strengthen our faith, will, mind, and soul is to be given and used."<br /><br />I completely agree! And the Sacraments should be used according to the mind of the Church, according to the purpose for which Christ instituted them!<br /><br />Hence, for post-abortative women (as per your example), the proper sacrament is not Anointing (which would do them NO GOOD), but Confession (indeed, multiple confessions, together with counseling).<br />[this is simply one example]<br /><br />What I have written above is not my own opinion, but the very clear teaching of the Church -- from Canon Law, the Instruction of Paul VI, and (though not quite so directly) from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.<br />We simply must follow the mind of the Church in these matters -- for she reveals to us the will of Christ our Savior.<br /><br />Peace! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-60256778702324997772011-07-07T14:28:51.286-07:002011-07-07T14:28:51.286-07:00Jenny,
Depending on the circumstance, I would thin...Jenny,<br />Depending on the circumstance, I would think that a pregnancy that required a c-section could qualify as a "serious" condition (i.e. as a serious illness) -- certainly the pregnancy would be extremely dangerous to health without the surgical operation.<br />Therefore, though I am not a doctor, I would think that the condition (independent of the question of the seriousness of the surgery) may warrant the Sacrament of Anointing.<br /><br />However, I must point out that Anointing of the Sick cannot be for your pre-born children ... for two reasons.<br />1) They are not yet baptized and therefore cannot receive any grace through the sacrament of Anointing.<br />2) Anointing is for those who have committed actual sins (it is a sort of 'second part' to confession) ... as your children had not committed any actual sins, they had no need for the graces of Anointing of the Sick. [in other words, it is a good thing that they cannot receive Anointing; because it means that they are free of actual sin ... and they will be washed of original sin in their baptism]<br /><br />So, if you are going to receive Anointing before a c-section, be sure of a couple points:<br />1) The Anointing is not for the surgery itself, but for the "serious" complications associated with the pregnancy. [the surgery is a good occasion, but not the actual cause, of Anointing]<br />2) The Anointing is not for your child, but for you.<br />3) If there is a real doubt as to whether the condition is serious enough to warrant Anointing ... the Church instructs us to err on the side of receiving the Sacrament.<br />4) Finally, consultation with both a doctor and a priest can help with this.<br /><br /><br />I hope that this helps. You obviously have a great desire to learn the faith and a great openness to the Church's teaching authority ... this will most certainly serve you well!<br /><br />Blessings to you, in Christ our Savior! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-10006129686628305662011-07-07T09:29:12.058-07:002011-07-07T09:29:12.058-07:00Hello,
I do not understand how you take "it i...Hello,<br />I do not understand how you take "it is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation" to mean that one should not receive Anointing prior to a serious surgery? I understand that you make the distinction between the underlying cause of the surgery and the surgery itself, but as a physician, I have to tell you that we DO see any surgery and anesthesia as potentially life-threatening. I am not sure who you have talked to who told you not. General anesthesia ALWAYS carries the risk of death. Now, that may not mean that people should receive the Anointing, but I find the CCC to read pretty openly there, and that you are the one defining what they say based on the Holy Father's comments, where you again seem to be the one to define what "seriously ill" means and doesn't mean. Even the biblical quote, "Is ANY man sick among you etc" seems pretty wide open to me. I look forward to hearing your response, and appreciate the blog and your insights!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-7239382654805534892011-07-07T05:47:10.017-07:002011-07-07T05:47:10.017-07:00Thank you, Father. As a canon lawyer, I only paid ...Thank you, Father. As a canon lawyer, I only paid attention to the Code :-). I agree 100% that this Sacrament has been widely abused. Even I, as a healthy 29 year-old, once got in a line for what I thought would be a blessing of some sort and walked away with the oil of the sick on my head and hands. On the other hand, people can "go in" for what is supposed to be minor, commonplace surgery (e.g., gall bladder removal) and it turns into something truly life-threatening. Such happened to my mother not long ago.<br /><br />Without question, greater discretion should be used in the administration of this Sacrament. I appreciate your efforts to give guidance as to how to go about doing that.<br /><br />Dandans0622https://www.blogger.com/profile/15086514516763721204noreply@blogger.com