Dissertation II. On the Ministration of Extreme Unction

I. The ministering person. 1. Every priest, and only a priest, validly administers Extreme Unction (canon 938, § 1). This is of faith from the Council of Trent.¹ It can, moreover, as is clear from the Tradition and practice of the Church, be ministered both by one and by several priests.² But if several minister the sacrament, each should take care that he himself pronounce the respective form for the matter applied by himself. In the Latin Church it must be ministered by one alone.

But if the minister fails while ministering, and another is immediately present, the latter should continue where the other stopped. If a longer delay, for example a quarter of an hour, has intervened, the other should repeat conditionally the anointings performed by the first, namely because of doubt whether the union which perhaps is required between the particular anointings is present; then he should complete the others (St. Alphonsus, VI, 724).

Note. A priest cannot validly confer Extreme Unction on himself, as is deduced from the constant tradition and usage of the Church (n. 21).

2. The Ordinary and the parish priest of the place in which the sick person is staying licitly minister this sacrament; for that reason they are called the ordinary ministers of Extreme Unction. Besides, in a case of necessity, and likewise with the permission, either given or reasonably presumed, of the same parish priest or local Ordinary, any other priest can minister this sacrament (canon 938, § 2). In addition, the prescriptions of canons 397, 3°, and 514, §§ 1-3, remain firm; see these in the treatise on the Holy Eucharist, n. 164.

¹ Session 14, De sacramento extremae unctionis, canon 4.

² In the Greek Church Extreme Unction is conferred by seven, or at least by three, priests (Papp-Szilagyi, Enchiridion iuris ecclesiastici orientalis, p. 2, § 81). Cf. Sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide, March 23, 1844 (Collectio, n. 818).

II. Obligation of ministering. 1. The ordinary minister is bound: 1. from justice and under grave obligation to minister Extreme Unction to subjects who ask for it, and indeed in good time; 2. under grave obligation to use prudent diligence so that subjects who are negligent about salvation may be warned in good time (St. Alphonsus, VI, 714, 729; cf. canon 939). As to the extent to which the ordinary minister is bound even with danger to life, see the treatise on the Sacraments in general, n. 34. Besides, these words apply to him before others: "With every zeal and diligence care must be taken that the sick receive it while they are fully in possession of themselves" (canon 944).

2. Any priest in a case of necessity is bound from charity to procure Extreme Unction for a sick person (canon 939). A case of necessity as taken here is already present if the ordinary minister is lacking and there is danger in delay. But the obligation in itself is light; accidentally it is grave if either the reason of grave scandal is added, or the sick person is probably in the state of mortal sin and will not be saved securely enough by confession, for example because he is deprived of the senses. That is, for receiving Extreme Unction fruitfully, attrition suffices, while for confession accusation is also required (St. Alphonsus, VI, 729).

3. Those who from charity or piety are bound to provide for the salvation of the sick person are likewise, in themselves, bound under light obligation to take care that the sick person receive Extreme Unction; under grave obligation in the case in which other priests are bound under grave obligation to minister it, as was explained under 2.

III. Things to be observed in ministering. 1. The Oil of Extreme Unction should be carried to the sick in the simple manner prescribed by the Roman Ritual,¹ not solemnly with surplice and lights,² unless the Holy Eucharist is carried at the same time. But if the latter is not carried at the same time, the minister, for example the sacristan, or the priest himself, should carry the surplice with him.

2. In the ministration itself, the following are prescribed under grave obligation: 1. sacred vestments, namely surplice and stole; to omit either is quite probably only venial; 2. the prayers assigned by the Ritual for the priest. Urgent necessity excuses from the foregoing.

3. It is prescribed under light obligation that a minister be used, and that he be male. If a male is lacking, a woman seems able to answer.

4. A lighted candle seems to be only of counsel, unless the priest needs it, since it is said to be lit "so that it may provide light to the one anointing." Likewise it seems to be counsel rather than a true precept that those standing by recite the Penitential Psalms and the Litanies. Finally, it is not established that it is prescribed under sin that, contrary to ancient custom, Extreme Unction be ministered after Viaticum (St. Alphonsus, VI, 716, 726-728).

¹ Title V, cap. 1, n. 13, and cap. 2, n. 2.

² Sacred Congregation of Rites, January 23, 1606, n. 106.