Asking for the Anointing of the Sick

The useful time to ask about the Anointing of the Sick is when a serious illness is diagnosed, an operation is approaching, or old age brings increasing frailty. It is not necessary to wait for the last hours of life. Asking earlier gives the patient time to speak, take part and, if wanted, receive confession and Holy Communion as well.

When to ask

Canon law says the sacrament may be given to a Catholic who has reached the use of reason and begins to be in danger because of sickness or old age. The Archdiocese of Southwark applies that to serious illness, the immediate prospect of surgery and significant old age, and says expressly that there is no need to wait until someone is at the point of death.

The same person may receive it more than once. The law provides for another anointing after recovery followed by a new grave illness, or when the danger becomes more grave during the same illness. A parish may also hold a communal celebration for suitably prepared people, under the diocesan bishop’s rules.

If you are unsure whether the illness is serious enough, ask the priest. The law directs that the sacrament be administered where there is doubt about whether the person is dangerously ill. Family and friends are asked to help the sick receive it at the appropriate time; they are not expected to make the priest’s judgement themselves.

Start with the parish when you can

At home, in a care home, or before planned admission to hospital, contact the person’s parish. Give the person’s name, location and condition, say whether the request is urgent, and leave a number that will be answered. If an operation is planned, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales recommends arranging Anointing and Reconciliation with the parish priest before going into hospital where possible.

Only a priest can administer the sacrament. A deacon, religious sister or brother, lay chaplain, or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion may provide pastoral care, pray with the patient or bring Communion, but cannot anoint or hear a confession. That distinction matters when making the request: say that the patient wants a Roman Catholic priest, rather than asking only for a chaplain.

You can find contact details through our directory of churches or the diocese pages. Outside parish office hours, check the parish website or newsletter for its emergency number. Ordinary administrative messages and urgent requests often use different numbers.

In hospital

Tell a nurse or another member of the ward staff that the patient wants a Roman Catholic priest, or call the hospital switchboard and ask for chaplaincy. Do not assume the hospital has recorded a person’s religion or that the Catholic chaplain knows they have been admitted.

Local arrangements vary. Royal Papworth Hospital, for example, tells callers to specify whether a Roman Catholic or generic chaplain is required and routes urgent out-of-hours requests through the switchboard. This is an example of the request to make, not a national phone number. Use the contact details for the hospital where the patient is being treated.

In Scotland, NHS inform says each health board and hospice provides a spiritual care service. Healthcare chaplains serve people of all faiths and none, and the spiritual care team can help contact someone from the patient’s own religious tradition. Again, ask specifically for a Catholic priest where Anointing or confession is wanted.

If the situation is urgent, say so clearly. Give the ward, bay or room if known, whether the patient can communicate, and whether the family has already contacted the parish.

If the person cannot speak

Loss of consciousness does not by itself rule out Anointing. Canon law says it is to be given to sick Catholics who at least implicitly asked for it while they had the use of their faculties. It also tells a priest to administer it where there is doubt whether the person has died.

Tell the priest what you know: that the person is Catholic, whether they practised the faith or had spoken about receiving the sacraments, and whether they have already been anointed during this illness. The priest decides how the law applies. Family members should request the visit promptly rather than waiting for certainty they cannot obtain.

What happens during the visit

The priest prays over the sick person and anoints them with the Oil of the Sick. The Bishops’ Conference’s guidance for NHS managers describes the usual anointing of the head and hands. In necessity, canon law permits a single anointing on the forehead or another part of the body while the full sacramental formula is said.

Anointing is often accompanied by confession and Holy Communion when the patient is able to receive them. These are distinct sacraments. The conference guidance notes that Communion can be brought by a priest, deacon or authorised lay minister, while confession and Anointing require a priest.

The sacrament is for the sick person. Relatives can be present and pray if the patient and clinical circumstances allow, but there is no paperwork, fee or minimum number of people required for the visit.

A short checklist

Contact the parish before a planned operation or while the person can still take part. In hospital, ask the ward or switchboard for chaplaincy and specify a Roman Catholic priest. Give the patient’s full name and exact location, explain whether it is urgent, and make sure staff have the patient’s consent where they can give it. If the person cannot communicate, tell the priest what is known about their Catholic faith and wishes.

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