Article — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Article II. On the Form of Extreme Unction
- The form of Extreme Unction is this: Through this holy anointing and His most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned through sight (the eye having been anointed, and so concerning the others). This is established from the Council of Trent, session 14, chapter On Extreme Unction, and from the Roman Ritual. The form is to be repeated integrally for each part to be anointed, expressing the member which is then anointed, namely, through sight when anointing the eyes, through hearing in the anointing of the ears, etc.
- Questions. - QUESTION 1. For the validity of the Sacrament, is the expression of each sense required, namely, THROUGH SIGHT, THROUGH HEARING, etc.?
Reply. It is disputed. Some deny it because it is not found in the form of the Greeks, which nevertheless is admitted by the Church as valid. Others affirm it because through one anointing and the form corresponding to it there are remitted not the remnants of sins of every kind, but only of those which were committed through that sense. Since, therefore, the matter is doubtful, the expression of the sense must be employed under grave sin. - Billuart.
QUESTION 2. Which words are essential to the form?
Reply. They are the following: Through this anointing, may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned, with the word expressing the sense, that is, through sight, etc.
QUESTION 3. Does one form suffice for all the senses for validity, if the individual senses are distinctly expressed and anointed?
Reply. It is disputed. Some affirm it because this form is virtually multiple and is equivalent to several particular forms, and thus specially signifies the effect of each particular form. Others, however, deny it, because, since the partial matters, namely, the anointings, are distinct, particular forms must also correspond to each.
Nevertheless, when necessity urges, this general form is to be recommended: Through this holy anointing and His most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned through the senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. But the senses are to be anointed while they are being expressed. If time remains, however, the anointings are to be repeated conditionally with the form proper to each, and the other omitted prayers are to be added, as prescribed in the Ritual. - St. Ligorius, no. 710.