General Resources

• Saint Paul VI’s Apostolic Constitution on the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, November 30, 1972: Sacram Unctione Infirmorum
• The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 2000 Instruction on Prayers for Healing
• Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum.

 →This book contains the liturgical rites approved for use in Canada that are pertinent to the care of the sick (visits to the sick, Communion of the Sick, Anointing of the Sick) and the rites pertinent to the pastoral care of the dying (celebration of Viaticum, Commendation of the Dying, prayers for the dead, Rite of Penance, Anointing and Viaticum, the Rite of Christian Initiation of the Dying). To order the book, please contact the Office of Formation for Discipleship 

→To order the book, please contact the Office of Formation for Discipleship  formation@archtoronto.org or by calling 416-934-3400 ext. 523.

• A Book of Blessings

→Published by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, this book contains blessings that can be used for the sick (for all the sick, when visiting a sick person, before and after surgery, and the chronically ill) as well as blessings for the dying, the dead, and those who are mourning.

→To order the book, please contact the Office of Formation for Discipleship at formation@archtoronto.org or by calling 416-934-3400 ext. 523.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1499-1532
• Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Anointing of the Sick: 313-320

Canonical References

The following are Canons that pertain to the Sacrament of Anointing. If you have further questions please contact the Office of Spiritual Affairs.

Canons on Sacraments generally:

Canon 843 

• Sacred ministers cannot deny the sacraments to those who seek them at appropriate times, are properly disposed, and are not prohibited by law from receiving them.
• Pastors of souls and other members of the Christian faithful, according to their respective ecclesiastical function, have the duty to take care that those who seek the sacraments are prepared to receive them by proper evangelization and catechetical instruction, attentive to the norms issued by competent authority.

Canon 847 

• In administering the sacraments in which holy oils must be used, the minister must use oils pressed from olives or other plants and, without prejudice to the prescript of can. 999, n. 2, consecrated or blessed recently by a bishop; he is not to use old oils unless it is necessary.
• The pastor is to obtain the holy oils from his own bishop and is to preserve them diligently with proper care.

Canons on the Sacrament of Anointing specifically: 

Canon 998 

• The anointing of the sick, by which the Church commends the faithful who are dangerously ill to the suffering and glorified Lord in order that he relieve and save them, is conferred by anointing them with oil and pronouncing the words prescribed in the liturgical books.

Canon 999
In addition to a bishop, the following can bless the oil to be used in the anointing of the sick:

• those equivalent to a diocesan bishop by law;
• any presbyter in a case of necessity, but only in the actual celebration of the sacrament.

Canon 1003 

• Every priest and a priest alone validly administers the anointing of the sick.
• All priests to whom the care of souls has been entrusted have the duty and right of administering the anointing of the sick for the faithful entrusted to their pastoral office. For a reasonable cause, any other priest can administer this sacrament with at least the presumed consent of the priest mentioned above.
• Any priest is permitted to carry blessed oil with him so that he is able to administer the sacrament of the anointing of the sick in a case of necessity.

Canon 1004 

• The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.
• This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or if the condition becomes more grave during the same illness.

Canon 1005 
This sacrament is to be administered in a case of doubt whether the sick person has attained the use of reason, is dangerously ill, or is dead.

Canon 1007 
The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin.