Anointing of the Sick
Part 4 The Ritual:  Pastoral Care of the Sick

Chapter 45 Celebration of Viaticum

Preliminary Questions

Bibliography

Theology

To Think About

Preliminary Questions

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Bibliography

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Theology

The sacrament for the sick = anointing;

The sacrament for the dying = viaticum. Note: This is still not understood by everyone. September 8, 1993 I received from the NCCB/USCC Secretariat for Hispanic Affairs an advertisement for "bilingual materials that explain and discuss the Sacraments" which read: "We want to baptize our baby / Queremos Bautizar a neustro Bebe ... Let’s talk about marriage / Hablemos del matrimonio ... Anointing: food for the journey / Unción: sacramento para el camino."

Note the canons -- viaticum is the duty of the pastor.

Mass or no Mass -- Ordinarily with Eucharist (Mass)

Note what this says about how sick you have to be to be dying.

What does this say about the way Americans "speak" about death?

Avoid emphasis on presence in bread apart from the Word and Community

Ecumenical considerations ...

Community dimensions ...

Liturgical Year: On Holy Saturday only the dying can receive Holy Communion (i.e. no Holy Communion except Viaticum on Holy Saturday). (cf NCCB Committee on the Liturgy Newsletter, XXIX March, 1993, p 12.)

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© Copyright: Tom Richstatter, Franciscan Province of St. John the Baptist, Cincinnati Ohio, Order of Friars Minor. All Rights Reserved.  This page was created by Fr. Thomas Richstatter, O.F.M.  Every effort has been, and is being made, to acknowledge sources when the ideas are not my own.  Any failure to comply with the United States Copyright Act (Title 17, United States Code) will be corrected immediately should I become aware of it.  This site was updated on 09/20/07 .  Your comments on this site are welcome at webmaster2@tomrichstatter.org.