Sacraments
Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick
Through the sacraments of healing, the whole person is reconciled to God and the Church. These are both repeatable sacraments.
Penance and Reconciliation
This sacrament has been called the Sacrament of Conversion, Confession, Penance, Forgiveness, and Reconciliation. Sin damages our relationship with God and damages our communion with the Church. Our journey back to God begins with a conversion of heart. This is followed liturgically by confession of sins to a priest, the forgiveness of our sins, a penance to make some amends for sin, and reconciliation with God and the Church. For those who commit grave or mortal sin, this sacrament is necessary for being reconciled to God and the Church. It may be celebrated individually, communally, or in extreme circumstances, with general absolution.
Anointing of the Sick
This sacrament takes place as the community gathers in faith to pray over and lay hands on those who are sick, because the Church, like Christ, desires the health of the whole human person. It is for those who are seriously ill, suffering from the difficulties of old age, or in danger of death. No longer called extreme unction or “last rites”, it is intended to provide wholeness of body and mind and soul and spirit, in the wider context of the pastoral care of the sick. While the sacrament of anointing itself can only be done by a priest, the other rites of pastoral care – prayer, visits by members of the community, the reception of Communion celebration the parish setting – are the work of the parish community. It may take place in a home, in a hospital, or in a church.
