[pinochet]

>>>>In practice, any adult Catholic male - married or unmarried - can, if called to the order of deacon, perform the role that Presbyterian pastors are called to perform

In the absence of a priest or deacon, any lay Catholic has the right to baptise a dying man, and offer him his last rights. I have heard of many cases in hospitals and in battlefields, where ordinary Catholics received dying people into the Catholic Church.

[pinochet]

Oops. I meant “last rites”.

[markomalley]

In the absence of a priest or deacon, any lay Catholic has the right to baptise a dying man, and offer him his last rights.

Baptism: yes

Last Rites (i.e., Extreme Unction; i.e., Annointing of the Sick): no. Only priests and bishops can minister that sacrament.

[cothrige]

In the absence of a priest or deacon, any lay Catholic has the right to baptise a dying man

Actually anyone can baptise in cases of necessity, even if they are not Catholic, or Christian in any way. I have to admit that I have always been a bit baffled by this fact.