The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, like the Sacrament of Penance (Confession), is a sacrament of healing. It is administered to those who are in life-threatening danger due to acute sickness or injury, or because of some serious chronic conditions (including physical or mental illness), or in old age. Proximate danger of death is not required: “it is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as anyone of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived” (CCC, no. 1512). This sacrament, like Eucharist and Reconciliation, may be repeated many times, such as when a new illness develops, a chronic condition relapses, or the infirmity of advanced age further deteriorates.

The Letter of Saint James describes the communal celebration of this sacrament during Apostolic times:

Are any among you sick? They should call for the presbyters of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. (James 5:14–16)

As a person nears death, the Church provides a many rites and prayers that can help them and their family and friends. Christians should strive to make these helpful ministrations of the Church available to their dying brothers and sisters, and the dying themselves should request them. However, they must be celebrated in faith and not used superstitiously. (For example, despite a once-common misconception, one is not damned if one does not receive these ministrations, nor is one's salvation assured if one does.)

Towards death, it is salutary for some or all of the following rites to be celebrated, even repeatedly:

• Sacrament of Penance

• Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

• Viaticum (Holy Communion administered to someone who is dying)

• Commendation of the Dying (a series of prayers offered in the presence of someone who is dying to help strengthen, encourage, and console them)

• Prayers for the Dead (a series of prayers offered in the presence of the deceased person immediately after death to pray for their soul and to help strengthen, encourage, and console their family and friends)

The “Last Rites” include Viaticum (Holy Communion for the dying), the Commendation of the Dying, and the Prayers for the Dead. However, since the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick was formerly only administered to the dying and was called Extreme Unction (meaning “final anointing”), it was often informally referred to as the Last Rites. Unfortunately, this misconception may hinder those who are not at the point of death but who are seriously sick and could benefit from the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.