Treatise: On Extreme Unction

685. Extreme Unction is the fifth sacrament. - Just as in bodily life, besides the remedy which heals from lethal sickness, another is required which perfectly restores health and totally gives back strength; so in spiritual life, besides Penance, which frees from the disease of lethal sin, another sacramental remedy is required which perfectly heals and takes away all the remnants of sin. This is the sacrament of Extreme Unction, which accordingly is as it were the complement of Penance, and stands to it almost as Confirmation stands to Baptism; indeed "it is the last and in a certain way consummative sacrament of the whole spiritual healing, by which man is prepared as it were for receiving glory; whence it is also called extreme unction." Thus St. Thomas, c. Gent. IV, 73.

The name, therefore, is taken from the fact that it is the last anointing in life, which after all others must be administered to the sick who are in danger of life. It is also called holy oil (heilig Oliesel), oil of the sick, sacrament of those departing; in Greek euchelaion, that is, prayer with oil, hagion elaion, or holy oil.

686. Extreme Unction is defined: A sacrament of the New Law, in which, through the anointing of blessed oil and the prayer of the priest, relief of soul and body is conferred upon adult sick persons in danger of life; or, that which is given to the sick for the salvation of soul and body.

In this definition are indicated 1) the matter: anointing with blessed oil; 2) the form: prayer; 3) the minister: a priest; 4) the subject: an adult sick person in danger of life; 5) the effect: relief conferring unto the salvation of soul and body.

687. Division of the treatise. - The treatise is divided into four questions:

1. On the sacrament of Extreme Unction itself: a) on its institution; b) on its constitutive parts, or on matter and form.

2. On the effects of Extreme Unction.

3. On the minister of Extreme Unction.

4. On the subject of Extreme Unction.

There is added an appendix on the apostolic blessing to be imparted to the dying.

1. On Extreme Unction there can usefully be consulted: St. Thomas, in Suppl., q. 29-33, with the commentators, among whom is Billuart; among dogmatic theologians: Billot, Hugon, Tanquerey, Van Noort-Verhaar; Heimbucher, Die H. Oelung; Schmitz, De Effectibus extremae unctionis; Kern, De Sacramento Extremae Unctionis; Chardon, Histoire des Sacrements; Bord, L'Extreme-Onction; Ruch and Godefroy, in Dict. de Theol.; de Guibert, in Dict. Apol.; Theologia Mechliniensis, De Extrema Unctione, under the care of Gougnard; A. Janssens, Het H. Oliesel; Cappello, Tractatus canonico-moralis de Sacramentis, II, p. 11; and the moral manuals known to all.