Anointing of the Sick

He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two…They anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. (Mark 6:7, 13)

The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick gives strength and support and can be administered to anyone struggling with an illness.


On Monday, Oct. 2, we hosted a Healing Mass for those in need of healing physically, spiritually or emotionally where the Anointing of the Sick was offered during Mass.

How do I schedule Anointing of the Sick?

To arrange to receive the Anointing of the Sick from one of the priests at the Blue Hills Collaborative either for yourself or a loved one, please call the Collaborative offices at 857.342.9500 during normal business hours. Outside of business hours, please call the rectory at 617.364.9500. Please do not use the online form for this purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

  • Who May Receive Anointing of the Sick?

    In the Catholic Church, Extreme Unction or the Last Rites is the anointing at the time of death. Since the Second Vatican Council, this sacrament is now called the Anointing of the Sick and has been broadened to offer healing and comfort in times of illness that may not lead to immediate death. Speaking about a wider implementation of this sacrament, Pope Paul VI advocated for “a wider availability of the sacrament and to extend it—within reasonable limits—even beyond cases of mortal illness."


    Unlike the traditional understanding of the Last Rites, the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is, ideally, to be administered in a communal celebration.


    The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that when the sick are anointed they should be "assisted by their pastor and the whole ecclesial community, which is invited to surround the sick in a special way through their prayers and fraternal attention" (1516). "Like all the sacraments the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration…It is very fitting to celebrate it within the Eucharist" (1517).

  • What constitutes a serious illness?

    The determination of a serious illness is left to those involved including the family members of someone who is sick, the priest and, if necessary, a doctor. If there is any doubt about whether someone is seriously ill, the priest may anoint. 

  • Can this Sacrament be repeated and how often?

    The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that, "the Anointing of the Sick is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickkness or old age, the fitting time for him or her to receive the sacrament has certainly arrived" (1514). If a person who receives anointing recovers their health, they can in the case of another serious illness receive the sacrament again. A person can also be anointed at progressive stages of the same illness. 

  • What are the graces of the Anointing of the Sick?

    The healing that occurs in this sacrament of anointing is not necessarily physical healing. While we believe that physical healing can occur through the great power of God, the grace that is infused through this special sacrament is the reminder of the eternal presence of God in our human suffering.


    When the priest blessing the oil of anointing, he asks God to "send the power of your Holy Spirit, the Consoler, into this precious oil. Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it; heal them in body, in soul and in spirit, and deliver them from every affliction" (Pastoral Care of the Sick, #123).


    "The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament" (CCC 1531).