|
|
Is anyone among you suffering? |
When the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick was called Extreme Unction and administered only as the last of the "last rites," it had come to be seen as a sign of impending death, and as such, was not always as welcomed as it should have been. The rites of the sacrament were revised in 1972 (Sacram Unctionem Infirmorum) so that they were brought into conformity with the ancient practice of the Church when the sick were anointed more commonly to supply the grace needed to those who were struggling with serious illness. This sacrament consists of the priest placing his hands on the patient and anointing him or her with blessed oil while praying a short prayer.
At Holy Family Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Anointing is every other month at the Healing Mass and every month at the Padre Pio Mass. If you are seriously ill, anticipating surgery, or weakened by advanced age, please take advantage of the scheduled celebrations. A family member may also call the Parish Office (335-2385) on your behalf and arrange for a priest to administer the sacrament to you at home or in the hospital. |
To find out more about what the Bible says
about the Seven Sacraments,
go here.
a word about burial and cremation...
In 1963, the Vatican explicitly allowed cremation as long as it didn't suggest a denial of faith about resurrection. As Catholics, we believe in the resurrection of the body-- you say you believe this every time you say the Creed during Mass or during the Rosary prayers. Because of this, a body cremated after death needs to be treated in the same way that a body not cremated after death is treated: it must be buried.
A current trend has expanded from keeping a loved one's ashes at home to using body parts such as teeth and skin in jewelry and home decor. Ashes and bone fragments cannot be scattered in the air, over land, or in the sea; they cannot be divided up among family members or friends; they cannot be kept at home or placed in lockets or other mementos. Ashes must be stored in a burial container and placed, as soon as possible, in a sacred, Church-approved location, such as a cemetery, where they can be either buried in the ground or placed in a niche. Remember, "the dead body isn't the private property of relatives, but rather a son of God who is part of the people of God" (Cardinal Gerhard Mueller). Faithful Catholics believe in the resurrection of the body and must do everything to avoid appearing pantheistic or being a proponent of naturalism or nihilism.
Click here to see the official instructions released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
A current trend has expanded from keeping a loved one's ashes at home to using body parts such as teeth and skin in jewelry and home decor. Ashes and bone fragments cannot be scattered in the air, over land, or in the sea; they cannot be divided up among family members or friends; they cannot be kept at home or placed in lockets or other mementos. Ashes must be stored in a burial container and placed, as soon as possible, in a sacred, Church-approved location, such as a cemetery, where they can be either buried in the ground or placed in a niche. Remember, "the dead body isn't the private property of relatives, but rather a son of God who is part of the people of God" (Cardinal Gerhard Mueller). Faithful Catholics believe in the resurrection of the body and must do everything to avoid appearing pantheistic or being a proponent of naturalism or nihilism.
Click here to see the official instructions released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.