Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament that is given to those who are seriously ill. It may also include confession and the reception of Holy Communion. In situations of danger of death, the priest gives a general absolution in apostolic form. However, the pastoral care of the sick offered by the parish is broader than the sacrament of Anointing.
Aging, illness, and dying are the greatest and most spiritually demanding battles of human life. It is then that God’s care and closeness are also at their strongest. The priests of our parish strive to always be ready to support the sick in the “good fight of faith” (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7).
Anyone who longs for the light and interpretation of faith in the difficult events of their own life can request spiritual support. In addition, all baptized christians can, in urgent situations of danger of death, request the sacramental assistance of the catholic Church, in which case the priest considers what is the best option on a case-by-case basis.
For catholic christians, our parish strives to offer close pastoral care to the best of its ability even in milder cases of illness, i.e., whenever illness prevents participation in Sunday Mass. In such cases, one should contact the priests and arrange a visit at home or in the hospital during the week. Priests are usually allowed everywhere in the hospital, even outside of official visiting hours. When the number of sick in our parish is large, the parishpriest may send lay people as distributors of Holy Communion with special permission.