Case LII: Rite of Extreme Unction, When Several Persons Are to Receive It at the Same Time

The Ritual provides the rite by which several children or adults may be baptized at one time. It contains, however, no explicit instruction for the case that Extreme Unction is to be administered simultaneously to two or more patients, occupying one and the same room, a case which sometimes occurs in hospitals and during epidemics. The renowned author of the Sacrae Liturgicae Praxis, De Herdt, treats this case in Vol. I. (Pars. VI. No. 24. II.) in his work, and Hartmann, in his Repertorium Rituum (§186, n. 3) states: “If several persons at the same time are to receive Extreme Unction, all prayers without accompanying ceremonies are to be spoken in the plurality, but those to which are joined ceremonies are to be said individually.”

In justification of this procedure De Herdt refers to the baptismal rite, and claims that what the Ritual allows in administering Baptism to several at the same time, cannot be unallowable in administering Extreme Unction, and here also should the rule apply: that prayers which are not joined with actions are to be said only once, but actions with their accompanying prayers are to be repeated over each person, this all the more because a continued repetition of the long prayers would not only be a hard task for the priest, but also irritating to the patients in the room. About changing into the plural form of prayers to be said only once De Herdt remarks: At least if this change can conveniently be made; otherwise words spoken in the singular are understood as applying separately to each person.

Concerning the various ceremonies, or actions, to which De Herdt no further refers, the prescribed anointings are, of course, to be given each patient separately. Besides these the Ritual for Extreme Unction prescribes only three other actiones: 1. The presenting of the crucifix to be devoutly kissed by the patient: He presents the Cross to the sick person to be devoutly kissed (Rit. Rom.). Wherever so prescribed during the ceremony it must be handed to each patient separately. 2. The blessings over the patient, accompanying certain prayers and bestowed with the priest’s right hand (in some dioceses with the crucifix). These blessings may be given, according to the universal usage of the Church, without doubt in the plural form sub uno to all recipients simultaneously. 3. Finally, the Ritual prescribes the laying on of hands. Such laying on of hands is also prescribed in the baptismal rite, particularly in the one for the Baptism of adults. For the baptismal rite the Roman Ritual ordains explicitly: The priest lays his hand upon the Elect, or, if there are several, upon each one.—And the prayer is to be said in the plural number; and again: if there are several, he lays his hand upon the head of each one and says the same Exorcism in the plural number and the appropriate gender. If we follow the baptismal rite as guidance for our subject, then in Extreme Unction the prescribed imposition of hands is to be made super singulos, super capita singulorum, but the accompanying prayers are to be said in numero plurali just once, over all. Since, however, the first imposition of hands stands in close relation to the sacramental anointing and form, and the accompanying prayer, extinguatur in te, etc., being very brief, it would recommend itself to repeat the prayer for each individual patient.

All other prayers of Extreme Unction may be said once, in the plurality, if several patients receive it at the same time, and thus the sacred function will be greatly simplified. This applies all the more to the prayers said while giving holy Communion to the sick, if this Sacrament is administered at the same time.

Regarding the Benedictio Generalis in articulo mortis S. Bened. XIV. praescripta, usually bestowed after Extreme Unction, the following decision of the S. Cong. Indulg. of July 10, 1884, may serve for guidance: To the doubt: Whether, in imparting the Apostolic Blessing with a plenary indulgence at the point of death, the practice may be tolerated whereby several dying persons together are once admonished, in the plural number and the proper gender, concerning those things which Benedict XIV (Pia Mater) prescribes as preliminaries, and the prayers and orations designated by that Constitution are said, while the formula of the Blessing itself, which begins, ‘May the Lord N. J. Ch.,’ etc., as far as the words, ‘I grant thee in the Name of the Father,’ etc. Amen, is pronounced in the singular over each person? It judged that the answer should be: Yes. According to this decision, therefore, the exhortations and prayers, but not the actual absolution: Dominus noster Jesus Christus, Filius Dei vivi, etc., may be said once for several patients, while the absolution itself, to be lawful and valid, must be repeated over each individual, as seems plain from the wording and sense of above decision.

John Schwienbacher, C.SS.R.