CNN reports that His Holiness has been given the last rites.
It’s actually not called last rites anymore (maybe too many people saying, “What?!?!? I’m dying?”). It’s called Extreme Unction, and it’s for people who are quite sick.
For a bonus, Extreme Unction is one of the sacraments that can be administered by any Christian (you don’t have to be a priest or even Catholic!). I don’t remember if any of the other sacraments can be administered by a non-priest. In fact, I can’t even remember all the sacraments. (CCD must be wearing off!)
Nope – it’s baptism that could conceivably be performed by anyone with the proper form and intention, according to Catholic theology. Extreme unction can only be done by a priest. See the Baltimore Catechism, Q. 975. And from the Catholic Encyclopedia, “The priestly Order is required for the valid administration of Penance and Extreme Unction.”
MPSIMS comment: How deliciously ironic is the juxtaposition of the content of the OP with the chosen board name of the Doper who made it! 
To Campion: We may have to shag Tom~ in here for a definitive reading, but I was under the perhaps-mistaken impression that:
[list=A][li]Last Rites does not equate to Extreme Unction, but is a combination of EU, Viaticum communion, and Confession (to the extent possible)/Absolution: three sacraments in one rite.[/li][li]Extreme Unction was the old name for the specific sacrament of anointing of the mortally ill, and is now referenced as Anointing of the Sick.[/li][li]It takes a priest to perform the sacrament, owing to the fact that it entails a priestly blessing.[/li][*]There are things a layman can do, including Baptism in emergency, administering of Communion from already-consecrated hosts, and hearing of confession in the absence of a priest (but a layman may not absolve; there’s a formula for lay use substituted that assures the penitent of God’s forgiveness). But sacramental anointing is not AFAIK among them.[/list]
I thought it had always been called Extreme Unction. That’s what it was called when I was at school in the 70s and my father was taught the same name in the 40s.
Baptism is the sacrament that can be administered by anybody, even a non-Christian, if he has the correct intention and uses the correct sacramental form.
That didn’t even occur to me! Now I feel an especial responsibility for seeing the Good Shepherd to the afterlife.
Plus I may finally get points in the Death Pool.
Anyway, regardless of what the sacrament is called, there was a much larger than normal congregation at this morning’s mass, almost entirely (I’m pretty sure) because of the precariousness of the Pope’s health.
It’s official. CCD has left no mark on me.
And yes, Polycarp, the Doper Name comes from the House I was in as a child in Catholic school. Perhaps I ought to change that now?
Cunctator: I work near the cathedral and noticed more people than usual heading that direction at lunch. I think you’re right about the reason.
In 1981…after the assassination attempt.
Once, in 1960, for 20 minutes.
The name was changed in 1972.
Re sacrament adminsitration by other than priests:
During my mariage prep course, we were taught that marriage is the only sacramanent that is not regularly administered by the priest, as it is the married couple who perform the sacrament, and the priest is there to witness. As such, my wife and I were subsequently invited to stand at the altar during the consecration, eucharistic prayer, and even participate in the elevation, as co-celebrants. As a long time altar server, it was the only time I have ever been there, and it was quite amazing / humbling (not to mention a bit intimidating)
I believe ordained deacons can perform baptisms. I did not know about emergency baptisms, though.
Re last rites / sacrament of the sick
In my catechism class in private catholic grade school in the 70’s, and later in high schol, we were taught that, although it had previously been reserved for the dying, anyone even moderately sick could receive it. My mom got it before having her gall-bladder taken out. She said it was better than the morphine they gave her after the operation…
Polycarp is correct regarding the minister of the Sacrament for the Sick:
You are also correct that only priests can absolve sins, but since confession only has a liturgical meaning within the context of the Sacrament of Reconciliation there would be no sacramental point to confessing to a layperson. Given the seriousness with which the Church takes the Seal of the Confessional, any quasi-liturgical prayer for a layperson to use in such a circumstance would be very suspect. Do you have a cite as to this practice?
I was told it several months ago on another board, by one of the three people I hold in equal respect with Tom~ regarding the minutiae of Catholic history, theology, and practice. I’ve asked for a cite or a correction from one of them, and will post it when I get it.
The Holy Father has had a heart attack now. I don’t think it can be long until the end now.
Interestingly, none of the Catholic news services I’ve seen have even mentioned the annointing, concentrating exclusively on the medical news. My guess is that some reporter picked up the information that he had received the Sacrament of the Sick (which would be pretty standard in this situation, although I’d have thought he would have received it back when he was first hospitalized and it is not generally administered more than once per illness) and translated that in his own mind to “last rites.”
*Polycarp is correct that the last rites include three separate rites (although I, personally, would tend to keep “last rites” lowercase, as a general description of three separate acts). The Sacrament of the Sick has been administered to any person suffering either serious (not necessarily life threatening) or chronic illness ever since the new rubrics were published in 1972. The old name, Extreme Unction, literally meant the final annointing and the church has not viewed the sacrament in that manner in over 30 years.
Side note on confessing to lay person: I would guess that if it eases a person’s psychological state to confess their sins to another person if no priest is available, I cannot see the church having any problem with that, but I have never heard of any official stance on such a non-sacramental practice. The church has long maintained that God forgives any truly repentant person, regardless whether they have been able to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so there has never been any impetus to create a “confession lite” ritual.
Side note on baptism: the church recognizes baptisms administered even by pagans if they are carried out in a spirit of good will and follow the prescribed form of the sacrament.
MSNBC has a blurb that says the Vatican says the Pope’s condition is “very serious.”
Given the usual tone of their accounts of his declining condition the last couple of months (“Oh hey, he’s fine, really; it’s just a little ol’ tracheotomy, nothing to worry about,”) the fact that they’re calling this “very serious” probably means someone’s ruffling through the junk drawer hunting for that Pope-Hammer right about now.
OK. Now Reuters has reported that the pope was given the Viaticum.
The Vatican has announced that he suffered cardiocirculatory collapse but is now awake and calm.
And my scholarly Catholics on the other board confirm this (not that I have any doubts about what Tom says, but I had said I’d try to get the answer). There’s nothing wrong, according to Catholic practice, with confessing to whoever, but there’s nothing sacramental or anything close to it in the absence of a priest, just as Tom said here.