“May the Lord Who frees you from sin save you and raise you up. Amen!”
Sickness is part of the fallen human condition. It reminds us that we are not in absolute control of our lives, and that we are finite creatures. Thankfully, when Jesus walked the earth, he revealed to us that God has profound concern for man’s afflictions. Although Jesus did not heal all people of their physical sicknesses, he did heal many. Even more, Jesus made a way for all people to be healed of their greatest affliction: sin and death. He also instructed his disciples to continue his healing ministry, through the “laying on of hands” and “anointing with oil” (see Mark 6:12-13 and 16:17-18; see also James 5:14-15).
Just as Jesus did not heal everyone on earth, not everyone who receives the anointing of the sick will be healed of their physical ailments. And yet those who have “the required dispositions” (i.e. faith in the power of Christ at work in the Sacrament, and no serious unconfessed sin) will receive some kind of healing, such as peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age, or the grace of uniting one’s sufferings to the Cross of Christ.
Please keep in mind the following regarding requests for Anointing of the Sick:
- If you or a loved one know ahead of time that you are going to have major surgery or medical treatment, please do not wait until you are in the hospital to receive an anointing. Anointing of the sick is no longer only “Last Rites.”
- To receive the Anointing of the Sick, simply ask the priest in person, email him, or call the parish office to set up a meeting time.
- It is good and beneficial, but not absolutely required, to receive the Sacrament of Penance during the anointing.
- If you or a loved one experience a medical emergency, please either ask the hospital chaplain for the priest on call, or call Queens Parish and ask to receive an anointing.
Regarding Communion for the Sick:
At Queens, we are blessed to have a group of committed, well-trained parishioners who assist the priests by faithfully taking Holy Communion to the hospital and area nursing homes multiple days each week. To receive Communion at Allegiance Hospital, you must tell the admitting personnel that you are a Catholic at Queens when you register. If you would like to be visited with Communion at home or in a local care facility, or to request a visit from a priest, please call the parish office. We are also happy to add the sick to our parish prayer list upon request.