In the Church's Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, through the ministry of the priest, it is Jesus who touches the sick to heal them from sin – and sometimes even from physical ailment. His cures were signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The core message of his healing tells us of his plan to conquer sin and death by his dying and rising.

The Rite of Anointing tells us there is no need to wait until a person is at the point of death to receive the Sacrament. A careful judgment about the serious nature of the illness is sufficient.

When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is that, if it is God's will, the person be physically healed of illness. But even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit's gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.

RECEIVING THE SACRAMENT OF THE SICK

• This sacrament extends the healing power of Christ and the prayer of the Christian community to one who is ill. It is offered to those whose faith is tested and perhaps weakened by serious illness, surgery, or old age. Through the anointing with sacred oil, the person can be given strength, hope, and spiritual healing.
  
  This sacrament is offered as a communal celebration within Mass during the year and on Thursday before First Friday. . Individuals are welcome to call the parish office for specific needs.  When to be anointed:
   

  Question:

  May I be anointed every time there is the anointing of the sick at Mass or just one time?

  Answer:

  The Catechism of the Catholic Church:

  If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the Anointing of the Sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly whose frailty becomes more pronounced (1515).

  This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes gravely ill or if the condition becomes more grave during the same illness (can. 1004 §2).

  If you have been anointed and are no longer ill, then you should not be anointed again. If, however, you were anointed and there are ongoing sufferings and issues, then you may be anointed again periodically.