Strengthened in suffering

James 5:14 says: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”

The sacrament of the anointing of the sick invokes the Lord's healing for those who are suffering. If the person is in danger of death, it also prepares them for the journey home.

Any Catholic who is going through a serious illness, preparing for surgery, or struggling with the effects of old age can receive the sacrament.