You may or may not have seen in the bulletin, a notice which says that I am going to start offering the Sacrament of the Anointing at least quarterly; and initially, I'm going to try doing it monthly.  This Sacrament bestows the blessings of healing, peace, and courage to those who are ill or whose health has deteriorated due to age.  The Sacrament was formally known as "Extreme Unction" and used to be given only to the dying as a preparation for a person passing from this life to the Lord.  With the Advent of Vatican II, the Church broadened the reception of the Sacrament of Anointing to those with serious or chronic illness of mind, body, and/or spirit.  The tricky category (especially in the Village) is the elderly whose health is getting fragile due to age.  Rather than set an age minimum on who can receive this Sacrament, I will instead, read the prayer that is said after an elderly person is anointed in hopes that this indicates by its wording who among the elderly should approach this sacrament.  I would ask you, in the Mass setting of administering the sacrament, that you receive it (if you qualify for it) no more than 4 times a year.  The next anointing will happen this coming First Friday during the 9:00 a.m. Mass.

The prayer I spoke of goes as follows:

God of mercy,
Look kindly on your servant
Who has grown weak under the burden of years.

In this holy anointing
He/she asks for healing in body and soul.

Fill him/her with the strength of your Holy Spirit.
Keep him/her firm in faith and serene in hope,
So that he/she may give us all
an example of patience
And joyfully witness to the power of your love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Remember, the influence of a sacrament on us starts with God's power but also includes a faith-filled disposition in the recipient!