Article — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Article II. On The Matter And Form Of Extreme Unction
571. 1. The valid remote matter is: a) olive oil, b) blessed by a bishop, and c) specially blessed as the oil of the sick. The first part of this proposition is certain, the second most probable, the third more true.
a) For St. James said: "Anointing him with oil," and by the usage of the Church olive oil is understood under the name of oil.
b) From the words of the Council of Florence cited above it is evident that the oil is to be blessed by a bishop. This episcopal blessing indeed appears to be necessary for the validity of the sacrament. Therefore the Holy Office declared the contrary opinion rash and proximate to error,14 and declared oil blessed by a priest to be matter unfit for confecting the sacrament of Extreme Unction. Hence, not even in necessity can a priest administer this sacrament with oil blessed by himself, when it is a question of a dying person deprived of his senses who previously gave no sign of sorrow and consequently could be absolved only very doubtfully. Thus the Holy Office, May 15, 1878.15
Nevertheless, by delegation of the Supreme Pontiff (whether express or tacit), even a simple priest can bless the oil.16 Certain missionaries in distant regions obtain the express delegation of the Supreme Pontiff; but all priests of the united Greek rite, who according to the most ancient discipline are accustomed to bless the oil for administering Extreme Unction, have tacit delegation.
c) The oil is not only to be blessed by a bishop, but is also to be blessed specially in order to this sacrament, or as the oil of the sick. Thus the more common and more true opinion.17 Hence, outside a case of urgent necessity, this sacrament cannot licitly be administered with the oil of catechumens or with chrism, since these are doubtful matter. Cf. above, n. 154, 4.
14 Holy Office, January 13, 1611, under Paul V (Denz., n. 1628), and September 14, 1842 (Collect. de Prop. Fide, n. 956).
15 Collect. de Prop. Fide, n. 1494.
16 Benedict XIV, Bull Etsi pastoralis, May 26, 1742, and De syn. dioec., l. 8, c. 1, n. 4; Code of Canon Law, c. 945.
17 St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 709; cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 945.
572. 2. The licit remote matter in ordinary cases is oil blessed a) in the same year and b) by the bishop of the diocese.
Each year, on Thursday in the Supper of the Lord, the oil of the sick is to be blessed by the bishop. The individual churches must burn the old oil in the lamp burning before the Most Holy Sacrament and procure for themselves new blessed oil; this precept indeed appears to be grave.18 If during the year the oil begins to run short and other blessed oil cannot be obtained, it is lawful to mix in unblessed oil, and this several times, but always in a smaller quantity than that which remained.19 The oil of the sick is to be blessed by the bishop of the diocese (and, when the see is vacant, by a neighboring bishop). But all priests (even exempt regulars) must use oil blessed by the bishop of the place; this precept indeed appears to some authors to be grave.20
The Roman Catechism21 thus describes the fittingness of this matter: "This matter most aptly signifies that which is effected inwardly in the soul by the power of the sacrament; for just as oil is of great benefit for mitigating the pains of the body, so the power of the sacrament lessens the sadness and pain of the soul. Oil, moreover, restores health, brings cheerfulness, and supplies nourishment, as it were, to light; and furthermore it is most suited for restoring the strength of a wearied body. All these things declare what is effected in the sick person by divine power through the administration of this sacrament."
Place of reservation. The oil of the sick is to be diligently kept in a clean and becomingly adorned place, in a vessel of silver or tin; nor is it to be retained at home except because of necessity or another reasonable cause, with the permission of the Ordinary.22
18 St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 708.
19 Roman Ritual, tit. 5, c. 1, n. 3.
20 Cf. Holy Office, January 10, 1850.
21 P. 2, c. 6, q. 5.
573. 3. The proximate matter of this sacrament is the application of the remote matter, that is, the anointing of the sick person made with blessed oil.
Whether several anointings are required for the validity of the sacrament, or whether one (on the forehead) suffices, was formerly controverted. The older theologians, such as St. Thomas,23 St. Bonaventure,24 and several others cited by St. Alphonsus,25 affirm that several anointings are necessary, because, although no mention is made of several anointings in the words of St. James, nevertheless this is gathered from the constant usage of the Church. Almost all modern authors deny the necessity of several anointings: a) because even in one anointing made on the forehead the whole signification of the sacrament is had, since on the forehead or in the head all the external and internal senses are united; and then b) because a most diverse practice has always existed in the Church concerning this matter. Thus, from the diverse Rituals re-edited and collected by Martène,26 it is evident that anointings were made on the neck, on the throat, between the shoulder blades, on the crown of the head, on the forehead, on the cheeks, on the temples, on the breast, on the navel, on the head alone, on the chin, and so forth. In a case of necessity, one anointing on the forehead indeed suffices with the form: "Through this holy anointing may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned. Amen." But when the danger has ceased, the individual anointings are to be supplied,27 and indeed not conditionally, but absolutely.
According to the discipline in force, the anointing of the loins is always to be omitted, but the anointing of the feet can be omitted for any reasonable cause.28
24 In 4, dist. 23, a. 2, q. 3.
25 Loc. cit., n. 710.
26 De antiq. Eccl. rit., l. 1, c. 7.
27 Code of Canon Law, c. 947, § 1.
28 Ibid., §§ 2 and 3.
574. The manner of making the anointings. The anointings are to be made: a) with the right thumb; b) in the form of a cross; c) on each organ (if it is present), beginning with the right; d) with the order of the senses prescribed in the Ritual and the other rubrics observed.
As to a). Outside a case of grave necessity, the anointings are not to be made with another finger or with an instrument.29 A necessity of using an instrument, for example, a brush, can be present if, for example, the sick person is suffering from plague or another very contagious disease. The instrument is to be burned after use.
As to b). Thus according to the precept of the Ritual, which nevertheless does not appear to oblige under grave sin. Consequently, if it is difficult to form a cross, it suffices to perform the anointing by a simple touch.
As to c). There appears to exist a grave precept of the Church to anoint both organs of the senses, unless some necessity excuses, for example, great difficulty in turning the sick person.30 The hands, which in other sick persons must be anointed on the inside, are to be anointed on the outside in priests, since their hands were already anointed on the inside in ordination.
As to d). It is not indeed of the necessity of the sacrament to observe the order among the anointings of the parts, but theologians almost commonly teach (with some denying it) that an inversion of the order is gravely illicit if it is done without a grave cause.31
If someone lacks some organ, he is to be anointed on the neighboring part; but if he lacks some sense, as, for example, those blind from birth, nevertheless the organ of that sense is to be anointed. Formerly seven anointings were prescribed, namely, as the Council of Florence says, following the exposition of St. Thomas:32 "On the eyes on account of sight, on the ears on account of hearing, on the nostrils on account of smell, on the mouth on account of taste or speech, on the hands on account of touch, on the feet on account of walking, on the loins on account of the pleasure prevailing there." But today the seventh anointing is always to be omitted; the sixth, however, can be omitted for any reasonable cause, as has already been said.
The prayers prescribed in the Ritual, both after and before the anointing, of themselves oblige under grave sin (unless necessity excuses); the litanies and penitential psalms, however, are not prescribed, but are commended.
In ancient times Extreme Unction was administered before Holy Viaticum, and it is still done thus in the rite of the Friars Preachers; but according to the Roman rite now in force, this sacrament is conferred after Viaticum.
29 Sacred Congregation of Rites, May 9, 1857; August 31, 1872; July 12, 1901; Code of Canon Law, c. 947, § 4.
30 Cf. Lehmkuhl, Theol. mor. II, n. 720.
31 Cf. St. Alphonsus, Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 710.
575. 4. The form of Extreme Unction in the Latin Church is: "Through this holy anointing and His most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned (through sight, hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch, walking). Amen." If the priest doubts whether the person to be anointed still lives, let him say: "If you are alive, through this holy anointing," and so forth.33
The Greek form is this: "Holy Father, physician of souls and bodies, who sent Your Only-begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, healing every disease and delivering us from death, heal also Your servant N. from the infirmity of body which holds him, and give him life through the grace of Your Christ, through the intercessions of ... (the names of saints are recited) and of all the saints. Amen."34
In the form of Extreme Unction, only those words are essential which express the act of anointing and the effect of the sacrament, namely, the health of soul and body. Therefore in the form of the Latin Church only these words are essential: "Through this anointing may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned."35
According to the discipline in force, in a case of necessity the form prescribed by the Holy Office on April 25, 1906, is to be employed: "Through this holy anointing may the Lord forgive you whatever you have sinned. Amen." But when the sacrament has been conferred by one anointing under this form, afterward, when the danger has ceased, the individual anointings are to be supplied, and this not conditionally but absolutely.36 This indeed is prescribed by the Church, not because otherwise the validity of the sacrament would be doubtful, but for the greater benefit of the sick person and for greater reverence toward the sacrament.
The deprecative form. Theologians dispute greatly whether the form of Extreme Unction must necessarily be deprecative or can be indicative. Many have taught that an indicative form is valid, for example, Durandus, Tournely, Juénin, and, among modern authors, Christian Pesch,37 who confidently says: "Therefore, with these three sacraments [the Eucharist, Penance, Matrimony] excepted, in all the other sacraments the form is deprecative according to its sense in the same manner as in Extreme Unction; nor can any solid argument be brought forward why in Extreme Unction the form ought to be more deprecative than in the other sacraments." Therefore, according to this author, the form of Extreme Unction is no more deprecative according to its sense than, for example, the form of Baptism. St. Thomas,38 Blessed Albert,39 St. Bonaventure,40 the Roman Catechism,41 and very many theologians of the first rank cited by St. Alphonsus42 deservedly reject this opinion; St. Alphonsus himself also calls the opinion of St. Thomas the more true and more common. The reason, however, is had from the very words of St. James: "And let them pray over him, anointing him with oil ... and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man." Nor do the various ancient forms which appear to have been pronounced in the indicative manner stand in the way, because: a) it is by no means evident that all the ancient forms were valid; b) in those words which are found in all the forms cited (the legitimate ones), "that you may be able," since they are optative, a prayer or wish is included, so that the sense is: I anoint you, praying to God that you may be able, and so forth.43
33 Roman Ritual, tit. 5, c. 1, n. 14. If the priest doubts whether the person to be anointed (being deprived of his senses) is baptized, or whether he has the intention of receiving the sacrament, let him add mentally the condition: "if you are capable"; but let him never add the condition: "if you are rightly disposed."
34 Goar, Euchol., p. 417. Martène reviews many other ancient forms, De antiq. Eccl. rit., l. 1, c. 7, a. 4.
35 Cf. Billuart, De extr. unct., a. 3, first question.
36 Holy Office, March 9, 1917 (Acta Apost. Sed. IX, 178); Code of Canon Law, c. 947, § 1.
37 Prael. dogm. VII, n. 533.
39 In 4, dist. 23, a. 4, q. 2.
40 In 4, dist. 23, a. 1, q. 4.
41 P. 2, c. 6, qq. 6 and 7.
42 Theol. mor., l. 6, n. 711.
43 Cf. St. Alphonsus, loc. cit., and Benedict XIV, De syn. dioec., l. 8, c. 2, toward the end.