EXTREME UNCTION 



195 



nurses, who should see to it that the priest is called 

 before it is too late. To leave a Catholic die 

 without the Sacrament of Extreme Unction is 

 often a mortal sin. 15 The duty of calling the priest 

 and administering Extreme Unction arises also 

 when the patient, after having at least partially 

 recovered his health, again falls dangerously ill. 16 



Extreme Unction should be administered whenever 

 there is actual danger of death. Here, if anywhere, 

 the principle applies: "In extremis extrema sunt ten- 

 tanda." However, care must be taken not to administer 

 the Sacrament prematurely, because it can be received but 

 once (semel tantum) in the course of the same illness, 

 *. e., the same danger of death. 



The anointments must be given according to the Ritual. 

 In urgent necessity one anointment (on the forehead), 

 with the abbreviated formula, is sufficient, though if the 

 patient live long enough, the omitted anointments 

 must be supplied. 17 The anointment of the loins is now 

 always omitted. 18 The anointment of the feet may be 

 omitted for any reasonable cause. 19 



Holy Communion, which should be given to the sick 



15 Cat. Rom., P. II, c. 6, qu. 9: 



". . . gravissime peccant, qui illud 

 tempus aegroti ungendi observare 

 Solent, quum iam omni salutis spe 

 amissd, vita et sensibus carere in- 

 cipiat; constat enim, ad uberiorem 

 sacramenti gratiam percipiendam 

 plurimum valere, si aegrotus, quum 

 in eo adhuc Integra mens et ratio 

 viget, fidemque et religiosam animi 

 voluntatem afferre potest, sacro oleo 

 liniatur." 



16 Cfr. John XI, 3; Cone. Trident, 



Sess. XIV, De Extr. Unci., c. 3.— 

 Cat. Rom., P. II, c. 6, qu. 9, 11. — 

 Rit. Rom., tit. s, c. 1, n. 14: "In 

 eadem infirmitate hoc sacramentum 

 iterari non debet, nisi diuturna sit; 

 ut si, quum infirmus convaluerit, 

 iterum in periculum mortis incidat." 

 — Cfr. J. Kern, S.J., De Sacr. Extr. 

 Unctionis, pp. 331 sqq. 



17 Codex Iuris Can., can. 947, § 1. 



18 Codex Iuris Can., can. 947, § 2. 



19 Codex Iuris Can., can. 947, § 3. 



