Unfortunately, there are still some misconceptions among the faithful about the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.  Some still call it “Extreme Unction” and assume it is only intended for those who are dying.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives us a clearer understanding of this sacrament by stating that “the Anointing of the Sick ‘is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived.’  If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced.” (CCC 1514-1515)

The Catechism then goes on to list the effects of Anointing of the Sick (CCC 1532):

• the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
• the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
• the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
• the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
• the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

So basically, anyone is eligible for this sacrament if they are seriously ill or reaching the end of their life (such as the elderly), or in a situation where there is a risk of death, such as a serious operation.  If a person recovers but becomes seriously ill again, or if their illness becomes worse, they may receive this sacrament more than once.  Note that the Catechism stresses that the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is for “the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.” (CCC 1527)

Another common misconception is that if you are suffering with any kind of illness, including a common cold or a chronic condition such as asthma or arthritis, you can receive Anointing of the Sick.  To answer this misconception, let’s look again at the Catechism: “The Anointing of the Sick completes our conformity to the death and Resurrection of Christ, just as Baptism began it. It completes the holy anointings that mark the whole Christian life: that of Baptism which sealed the new life in us, and that of Confirmation which strengthened us for the combat of this life. This last anointing fortifies the end of our earthly life like a solid rampart for the final struggles before entering the Father’s house” (CCC 1523, emphasis mine).  Since the sacrament is meant to fortify us at the end of our earthly life, then it would be inappropriate to confer this on someone who does not have a serious illness and/or is not facing a potentially life-threatening procedure such as surgery.  The Church gives us other sacraments of healing, such as the Eucharist and Confession, to help fortify us in our daily life struggles.

A third misconception (but not as common) is that a person who has already died can receive Anointing of the Sick.  However, all the sacraments are a means to confer the sacramental and sanctifying grace of God upon a living person, and in particular, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is meant to help prepare a person for his journey after death.   Once a person has died, he is no longer able to receive this grace.  “Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ. … Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven – through a purification or immediately – or immediate and everlasting damnation” (CCC 1021-1022). While it is recommended and encouraged to say prayers for the deceased, it is not proper to administer the Sacrament of Anointing to a dead person.