Posted on 06/28/2009 4:27:55 AM PDT by NYer
The chapel in the rural Penn Township countryside, just outside of Saxonburg and the home to Shelbourne Assisted Living facility, is the setting as Carole Thompson of Middlesex escorts her wheelchair-bound mother, Mary Terek, 86, into the light-filled room.
Her pastor, the Rev. Al Semler of Holy Sepulcher Roman Catholic Church, Middlesex, greets her warmly.
Terek smiles as Semler begins the rite now known as the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.
Rev. Semler grew up in West Deer in the pre-Vatican II era when the sacrament was known, forbodingly to some, as "The Last Rites" or "Extreme Unction."
Roman Catholics are being asked to view the sacrament, once thought only to be a death-bed ritual, in a new light. The educational process is ongoing, though changes, illustrated in one way this morning in the prayerful exchange between Semler and Terek, came decades ago during the historic Vatican II sessions of the 1960s.
"I remember when I was young and you would be frightened when you saw the priest coming because that generally meant you were near death," Semler says. "The church wanted to get away from that and not have it be a scary time, but a time of need to give a person a real idea of the real strength of the Lord."
Not only isn't it necessary to be on one's death bed to receive that strength, but faithful are encouraged to take advantage of other opportunities to receive the sacrament, such as requesting anointing prior to surgery and at communal celebrations offered in church.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
My pastor administered this sacrament in the hospital prior to my surgery 2 years ago. It should be an essential aspect of preparing for surgery.
i wish they still had the f ull anointing of all the senses and facultuies as in the more traditional ritual - forehead, eyes, nose lips, chest, hands and feet. why in the world did they cut it down to minimum? it’s not like the faithful were protesting in the streets, saying ‘hey hey, ho ho, all this blessing’s gotta go’
i do deeply appreciate the wider availability. i’ve been anointed before all my surgeries, AMDG
“...it’s not like the faithful were protesting in the streets, saying ‘hey hey, ho ho, all this blessing’s gotta go’”
This reminds me a few weeks ago my wife (who is now 7 months + 1 week pregnant with our first child, and at our age probably only) and I were talking with our priest and I asked him if he could bless our baby Deborah. He did the blessing and then he taught me that parents can bless their own children and not only that but the more you bless your children the more it comes back onto you.
Now at home i am known as “Mr Bless”.
Congratulations to you and your wife for your baby Deborah!
Very few in the media know anything at all about Catholic practices and should not write anything about them.
Thanks for mentioning that. We came into the CC in 2005; I was not aware of this full anointing. “What was it like before Vat II” is always a question for me.
BEAUTIFUL, AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF oops caps ..of somthing i read in a book called ‘mother and infant,’ subtitled ‘the moral theology of embodied self-giving in motherhood’ a doctoral dissertation by a priest rev. william virtue -— great name btw
says that at least by i think the 4th month, if you - dad or mom -— put your hands cozily on mom’s pg abdomen, the baby will often actually move over and try to snuggle up under the hands. attracted to warmth and touch. this is so delightful, hey
happiness to you and yours, mr. blessing
I agree. I’ve had the anointing prior to my many surgeries. It certainly helped get me through them and the recovery period afterward.
Ditto mine, five years ago, before my heart surgery. I am still here and in much better shape, in more ways than one.
My wife has had this sacrament on several occasions. I know it has been a source of great strength for our family. I hope people will take advantage of it as often as needed.
**Not only isn’t it necessary to be on one’s death bed to receive that strength, but faithful are encouraged to take advantage of other opportunities to receive the sacrament, such as requesting anointing prior to surgery and at communal celebrations offered in church.**
I have done this!
Did you see these two threads?
Perhaps with the changes all that annointing will come back. What I experienced was head and hands.
Blessing babies in the womb! Wonderful.
Our world has completely de-humanized infants-in-utero buying the PETA lie, “A rat is a frog is a dog is a boy.”
Equating one embryo with another is just demonic.
Thank you very much for the well wishes. And all the pings and links and posts. I am always learning so much it is amazing!
As you all know, I am Roman Catholic but attend a Maronite (Eastern) Catholic Church, which traces its origins to Antioch where Peter served as bishop before proceeding to Rome. Of all the Catholic Churches, the Maronite Church retains the rich Jewish heritage of our ancestors.
That said, one of those traditions is modeled after the Presentation in the Temple, whereby the parents of a newborn wait 30 days before bringing the new child to the church. On the closest Sunday, the pastor meets the parents at the church doors and bestows a blessing on the child, welcoming him/her to their faith community. Today, the parents of a new child, born on the same day as tax-chick's youngest, arrived at the church. Our Maronite pastor is in DC for 2 months studying Canon law. In his absence, we had a retired RC priest who was not aware of this tradition.
The presentation is normally done just before Mass but the parents arrived late. Father, seeing the babe in his mother's arms waited until just before the gifts were brought up to the altar. He called the parents forward and bestowed a most beautiful blessing on their precious newborn. On one of the walls behind the altar, if you can picture it, is a fresco of Joseph and Mary presenting the Baby Jesus in the Temple. Set against that backdrop, it was so moving to join together as a community and welcome Anthony Albert into our faith community.
Today was Fr. Vaughan's last Sunday with us. Abouna returns next Sunday, taking a weekend reprieve from his studies. For the remainder of July, we will have Fr. Ryan. Fr. Ryan is 87 years old! He's a pint sized treasure - a classic priest - filled with faith and devotion. Fr. Vaughan, before ending the Mass today, commended us all and thanked us for the welcome we have extended to him over the past few weeks. He kept commenting on how impressed he was with our deep faith and devotion and looks forward to helping out again in the future. He concluded the Mass by singing a song in tribute to Sts. Peter and Paul.
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