Anointing of the Sick

Alright, so I am going to get all religious on this blog..... which I promise not to do on a regular basis because I loathe it when people try to force religion upon us. That being said, I must say that I truly love being a Catholic and as I grow older the many beautiful facets of the faith become more obvious to me.

In my opinion, one of the most amazing Catholic sacraments is the Anointing of the Sick. Fortunately, I have never been sick enough or about to undergo major surgery that an anointing was necessary. However, as some of you know, my grandmother (my mom's mother) in Cleveland has been very sick for a long time at this point. A few days ago she developed an infection that has spread throughout her body and was admitted to the hospital. Upon admittance it was discovered that she also has a blockage in her abdomen which requires surgery. Clearly, in her state, surgery is not an option and after speaking to Mom a few moments ago at they are giving her hours to live instead of days.

My grandmother is and always has been a devout Catholic. In fact, she and my grandfather our some of the most devout Catholics I have ever known. I know that when my grandfather passed it was great comfort to my grandmother that he received the Anointing of the Sick prior to his death. Now, my grandmother has received the anointing as well. Even more special for her is that her brother, Father Mitchell (aka Tutti), was able to administer the anointing.

Even without communication I can guarantee everyone reading this that my grandmother was able to feel some peace after her anointing because God's grace was made present in her life and brought to the forefront of her vision at that moment despite her continuous pain and struggle for the last several years.

If you are interested in more information about this particular sacrament there is a great explanation to be found here:

http://www.catholic.com/library/Anointing_of_the_Sick.asp

It truly is difficult to put into words how amazing I believe this sacrament is. I will keep everyone out there posted on my grandma's status.