"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ."
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1499)

This sacrament is available to the sick and the home bound upon request. Please call the Parish Center at (908) 234-1265.

"Any treatment of the liturgical tradition of anointing should begin with the New Testament evidence for this rite. There are two indications: the apostolic ministry of healing (Mark 6:13) and the presbyteral rite of healing (James 5:14-15). The text in Mark reads: 'So (the Twelve) set off to preach repentance; and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them'. This action of anointing appears to have a Palestinian custom of a medicinal-exorcistic nature taken over by the followers of Jesus. In this anointing with oil the Church sees the prefigurement of the sacramental anointing of the sick. The more important New Testament evidence is found in the Epistle of James. Beginning with 5:13, the unifying theme of prayer is applied to three existential situations of a Christian. The suffering Christian is to pray. The cheerful Christian is to praise God. 'If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven'". (Michael J. Taylor. Sacraments. Alba House Publishing: New York; 1981, 226-227.)