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Pastoral Care of the Sick

Virgin Mary and Jesus Statue

About the Sacrament

In the Letter of Saint James, he instructs the Christian community to send for the presbyters (priests) to anoint and pray over those who become ill. The Catholic Church continues this practice to the present day through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, formerly called Extreme Unction. During his earthly ministry, Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, cured lepers, and gave sight to the blind. In his sacrifice on the Cross, Christ won for us eternal life and healing from all our sins. He continues to pour forth his healing love upon his people in the Anointing of the Sick. Through this sacrament, those suffering from serious illness or those close to death receive the grace to unite their sufferings to those of Christ and to persevere in accepting God's will for their lives. In some circumstances, the sacrament also brings physical healing. For information about receiving this sacrament before surgery, click here. For information about a home visit for someone who is seriously ill, click here. For information about the hospital ministry at Presbyterian, Children's Hospital, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, click here. 

Schedule a Visit

For those who are homebound, a priest or Extraordinary minister will be happy to visit the home for prayer and to bring Holy Communion. For information about having a priest or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion visit you or a loved one, click here.

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Organizing the Calendar
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Funerals

For faithful Christians, death means that "life is changed, not ended" (Preface I for Masses for the Dead).
 

As family and friends mourn the loss of a loved one, the Church's funeral rituals are a powerful source of grace and peace. To schedule a Funeral at Saint Francis de Sales Church, please contact the rectory here. 

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