Sacraments of Healing
Sacraments of Healing
The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of
the paralytic and restored him to bodily health, has willed his Church to continue, in the
power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own
members.
Central to the healing ministry of Jesus are his call to repentance and
reconciliation, and his compassionate acts of healing. Even before his birth he was
named “Jesus” because his mission was to save his people from their sins (cf. Mt 1:21).
He began his ministry preaching: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). He
identified himself by his work: “the blind recover their sight, cripples walk, lepers are
cured, and deaf hear, dead men are raised to life, and the poor have the Good News
preached to them” (Mt. 11:5).
The Risen Christ entrusted his ministry of healing and reconciliation to his Church in the
apostles. Thus, Peter began preaching the Good News with: “You must reform and be
baptized… in the name of Jesus Christ, that your sins may be forgiven, then you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
Filipinos are known all over the world for their many healing ways and especially for their
deep personal relationships. Thus, both Sacraments of Healing: Reconciliation and
Anointing of the Sick touch something deeply rooted in our culture. The Filipino’s
deeply-felt desire for God’s forgiveness, and for spiritual healing and reconciliation,
is clearly manifested through various prayers and charismatic groups, and in social
service activities. Spiritual counseling, almsgiving for the people caught in natural
disasters, fasting for spiritual favors, and many perduring devotional healing and
penitential practices, all have shown remarkable growth in recent years.
Unfortunately, superstition and ignorance impede the full flowing of these Christian
values. Simple, good-willed people “feel” reconciled with God through a once-a-year
devotional procession, or fulfilling some personal panata. “Healing” is often sought
through the various “faith healers,” miraculous statues, pilgrimages to sites of alleged
apparitions, and the like. Thus the urgent need for an adequate catechesis in both these
sacraments of healing – a truly inculturated catechesis that can draw on the valuable
elements of our “Filipino Folk Catholicism” in bringing the truth and value of Christ’s
healing to the Filipino Catholic of today. We shall take up the specific context and
exposition of Reconciliation first, followed by our exposition of Anointing.
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I. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
A. Introduction:
There has been a sharp, dramatic decline in the number of Catholics regularly going
to “Confession,” as the Sacrament of Reconciliation is commonly called. Pope John
Paul II recognized that “the Sacrament of Penance is in crisis” (RP 28). May reasons
are offered: the loss of a “sense of sign” and personal guilt; a wide-spread confusion
over what is morally right and wrong; or a deep dissatisfaction with impersonal routine
confessions that failed to bring about any authentic spiritual conversion.
Forgiveness has been one of the characteristics of Jesus as he has been expressing
it since his public ministry. Such act brings about healing and sense of satisfaction on
the person as he or she now reconciled with God or with other or even to himself.
A long period of satisfaction before Penance was given from a book and
reconciliation with the community. then performed by the penitent.
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A. Meaning of Penance/Reconciliation:
Different names bring out particular dimensions of the Sacrament. “Confession” the
importance of acknowledging our sins while asking for God’s forgiving grace.
“Sacrament of Penance” emphasizes rather the whole process of conversion,
including contrition, repentance and satisfaction, which the penitent enters into, both
personally and as a member of the Church community. “Sacrament of
Reconciliation” brings out the inner relationship between being reconciled with God
and being reconciled with our neighbor. This link is stressed by Christ in his Sermon on
the Mount: “go first to be reconciled with your brother, then come and offer your gift” to
God (Mt. 5:24; cf. CCC 1423)
It is therefore, correct to say that, based on the dogma of our Church, “the Church
has received from Christ the power of remitting sins committed after”. This must be
illustrated in giving of “keys” (Mt. 16:9) and the transferal of power to forgive sin to the
Church. (Jn. 20:21).
Furthermore, we can also say that penance or reconciliation involves a moral virtue
which further includes the will to turn away inwardly from sin and to render atonement to
God for it. Hence, external manifestations of the virtue should include (a)confession of
sins, etc. (b) performance of penitential works of every kind such as prayer, fasting, etc.
and (c) the acceptance of the penitent to bear all trials “sent” by God to him or her.
- God who in His infinite mercy grants forgiveness and reconciles to Himself and
to one another in this sacrament celebrated in the context of His Word in
Scripture;
- Continued personal conversion and heartfelt repentance for sins against God
and neighbor, supported by the charity, good example and prayers of the whole
community.
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a. God Who Forgives/Reconciles
Many poorly catechized Filipino Catholics are still plagued by fears, superstitious
taboos, and irrational guilt feelings, based on an un-Christian view of vengeful God.
Jesus came to liberate us from such fears and guilt anxieties by revealing to us the
“GOOD NEWS” that God is our loving Father who loves us in His divine Son-made-
man. Thus the Christian is sorry for sin and repentant before the Triune God of Love
who through salvation history continues to draw sinners to true repentance (R Pen.1).
The Father has shown forth His mercy by reconciling the world to Himself I
Christ, and by making peace for all things on earth and in heaven by the blood of Christ
on the Cross (cf. 2 Cor5:18f; Col 1:20).
Christ, the Son of God-made-man, lived among us in order to free us from the
slavery of sin, and call us out of darkness into his own wonderful light (cf. 1 Pt. 2:9).
After his Resurrection, Christ breathed upon the apostles and said: “Receive the
Holy Spirit. If you forgive men’s sins, they are forgiven them; If you hold them bound,
they are held bound” (Jn 20:22f).
This Christian image of the Triune God is clearly presented in the new Rite of
Penance. The ultimate purpose of the sacrament is that we should love God deeply and
commit ourselves completely to Him: to the Father who “first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19), to
Christ who gave himself up for us (cf. Gal 2:20; Eph 5:25), and to the Holy Spirit who
has been poured out on us abundantly” (cf. Ti 3:6, RP 5).
b. Profession of Faith. Thus, to confess our sins in the sacrament of Penance is really
to profess our Catholic Faith. By “going to Confession,” we explicitly affirm our FAITH
convictions that:
a. we are sinners;
b. we need the mercy of God our Father who sent His Son to save us and the
Holy Spirit to dwell within us;
c. God’s mercy, always available to us, comes through:
Christ, the “Primordial Sacrament” of God’s mercy;
The Church, the “Fundamental Sacrament” of Christ;
The priest, representing both Christ and the Church.
d. God calls us to conversion, that is, to be truly sorry for our sins, to “make
up” for our sins and the sins of others, and to do better with the help of his
Grace.
e. The closer intimacy with Christ and re-integration in the Church community
effected in confession finds a natural completion in the Eucharistic
celebration.
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reconciled and reconciling. Thus, the Christian community in every Eucharistic
celebration prays as Christ the Lord taught his disciples: “Forgive us our sins as we
forgive those who sin against us” (Mt 6:12).
Our Catholic Church needs forgiveness because she is not an elite group of the
“saved,” but like Chris her Head receives both sinners and the just. Hence she “is at the
same time holy and always in need of purification, (and) constantly pursues repentance
and renewal” (RP 3, quoting LG8). Our parish communities, then, are called to give
living and concrete witness of reconciliation, bringing peace to people’s minds, reducing
tensions, overcoming divisions, and healing the wounds her members have inflicted
upon one another. “We must try to be united in what is essential for Christian Faith and
life, in accordance with the ancient maxim: In what is doubtful, freedom, in what is
necessary, unity; in all things, charity” (RP 9).
But the Church not only calls sinners to repentance by preaching the Word of
God. She also intercedes for them and helps penitents to acknowledge and confess
their sins, and so obtain the mercy of God who alone forgives sins. For it is “to the whole
Church ,as to a priestly people, that the Lord entrusted the ministry of effecting
reconciliation in various ways” (RP 8).. Thus, the Church herself becomes the
instrument of conversion and absolution of her penitents through the ministry entrusted
by Christ to the apostles and their successors” (Ibid).
The Sacrament of Penance must be put against the wider, horizon of the
Christian virtue of penance, and within the whole process of conversion. “Going to
confession” must be linked explicitly to the many others means the Church uses to bring
about reconciliation, particularly the Sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, and non-
sacramental penitential services and devotions.
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But among Filipinos, perhaps the most common form of reconciliation is found in
our daily acts of sympathy, kindness, persevering, patience, and works of mercy.
Especially helpful are our ordinary acts of loving service, which “covers a multitude of
sins” (1 Pt 4:8). Even simply admitting one’s own faults is a practical form of
repentance. Fraternal correction of others, when truly motivated by love, can be a real
act of love and reconciliation. For as St. James tells us: ‘The person who brings a
sinner back from his way will saved his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins”
(Jas 5:20).
A genuine “Christian sense of sin” is the opposite of a “guilt complex.” Its source and
point of reference is God, not ourselves. Since Filipinos are so person-minded, we
only really recognize the “shadow of sin” in our lives when it is contrasted directly to the
Person of Jesus Christ, our personal Savior, the true Light coming into the world, the
Light which enlightens everyone and offers the “light of life” (Jn 1:9; 8:12)
Frequently, the more we “talk about” sin, the less we really grasp its reality. In fact
just the way we talk about sin manifests sinful attitudes. For example, some speak of sin
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in a way that passes the blame on to others and denies our own responsibility, or in a
way that stirs up irrational guilt anxieties in ourselves and in others. Others picture sin
as only breaking some impersonal law rather than as violating our basic relationships of
respect and love with our fellow persons and with God. Still others cynically view sin as
more powerful than Christ’s redeeming grace. In brief, our talking about sin can be sinful
when we fail utterly to grasp its true evil in our very selves, standing before God and the
community, and thus lack all repentance, purpose of amendment, and any desire to
share the Good News of conversion in Christ.
c. Descriptions of Sin
Sin is variously described as breaking God’s law, or our love relationship with
Him and others, or as going against one’s conscience and the like. While expressing
some aspect of sin, all these descriptions remain abstract notions in the head, with little
power to portray sin’s reality. As John Paul II wrote: “It is not possible to deal with sin
and conversion only in abstract terms” (RP 13). But what, then, is sin in the concrete,
specifically in relation to the Sacrament of Reconciliation?
Dimensions of Sin
a. Reality
All moral reality is made up of the objective nature of the act/attitude, the intention
of the agent, and the circumstances. Sin as a moral reality is an attitude, an action or
failure to act, or a power or force that leads us into evil. Sin separates us from,
alienates us from, i.e., makes us strangers (aliens) from… what? From our true selves
(intra-personal), our neighbors (inter-personal), the larger community (societal), and
God, the ground and source of all three. (cf. NCDP 259-63)
Real sin hurts us and our loved ones. Real sin is no joke; contrary to how it is
often portrayed in movies, TV, paperbacks, and comic books, sin is not glamorous at
all. Just the opposite – it really destroys, injures, dishonors, perverts, poisons, corrupts.
Yet sin often has a compulsive aspect to it. We seem to be “caught in it” and
“addicted,” like an illness that weakens us and keeps us in the dark, with its own kind of
pain.
The real sin, then, is not just a chance slip, or a momentary mistaken act that
happened unnoticed. Real sin has roots that involve the objective moral order and our
fundamental moral stance, that is, how we view what is good and what is evil for all,
and our commitment to d other good.
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b. Structure
Sin, taken strictly, is always personal. But in a larger sense we speak of social
and structural sin. These are distinguished by their proper structures and remedies.
Personal sin is never just “private,” with no effect on anyone else. Rather, just
as all “persons” are relational, always affecting others and the community in everything
they do, and likewise being affected by what others do, so personal sin is neither
committed nor overcome in “private.” The grace of personal conversion and repentance
always involves a community of dimension.
Social sin refers to the negative moral attitudes and acts or failure to act that are
common to a community or particular society. Its remedy is to change what is negative
or lacking in the community’s moral acts or attitudes into what is positive and graced.
Therefore, since sin is never just a private, individualistic mistake, but always
injures the community, it should not be confessed as some kind of superficial slip.
Rather, we must go after the root causes of sin in our lives, like selfishness and pride,
and with God’s grace perseveringly work against them.
The celebration of this sacrament involves a quasi-matter (in other words, semi
matter) elements because it does not have any visible materials being used, but
elements of sorrow, confession, and atonement of one’s sins.
This can be illustrated more in considering three constitutive outward signs namely:
i. Contrition:
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punishment through the person has the intention of
gaining reward of heaven.
ii. Confession:
iii. Satisfaction:
Being so, it involves the atonement of the sins one has committed
and some kind temporal “punishment” imposed to one’s self.
c.2. Form:
iv. Absolution
It does not only indicate forgiveness of sins, but it also effects it. This
must be done orally by a validly consecrated minister.
E.
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The Effects of Penance/Reconciliation:
Looking things in the eyes of faith, we believe that the Sacrament of
Penance/Reconciliation would effect.
This means that we are assured that we can again receive any “goods” or grace
from God.
This implies that there is an unconditional and “final” forgiveness of God during
that time when the asking of forgiveness is done very sincerely.
F. The Recipient:
G. The Minister/s:
Since Christ entrusted to his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who
are their successors, and priests, the bishops’ collaborators by virtue of the sacrament of
Holy Orders, have the power to forgive all sins “in the name of the Father, and of the
son, of the Holy Spirit.”
The priest must encourage the faithful to come to the sacrament of Penance, and
must make themselves available to celebrate this sacrament each time Christians
reasonable ask for it.
The new Rite of Penance offers three different rites of Reconciliation. Besides
revising the traditional rite “of individual Penitents,” it added the rites “of Several
Penitents with individual Confession and Absolution,” and “of Several Penitents with
General Confession and Absolution,” as well as sample Penitential Services (cf. CCC
1480-84). The Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession now appears more
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communal and less individualistic, more liturgical and less legalistic, more focused on
the ongoing conversion process and less simply the confession of sins and absolution.
Basically, the revised Rite focuses on the necessity of the “inner conversion of heart”
which goes deeper than a change in external behavior.
These emphasis respond well to what was lacking in the “routine confessions” of
the past. “Confession” is now better integrated with the other means the Church offers
for reconciliation. The whole developmental process of on-going conversion with its
essential communitarian dimensions now appears more clearly, while the legalistic idea
of sin is overcome by the insistent demand for a real change of heart against sin in its
true evil, including its social dimensions.
The focus of the sacrament is on neither penance nor confession as such. Rather,
the sacrament of reconciliation stresses the need for the sinner to be healed of sin so
that true reconciliation can take place with God and neighbor.
The stress has been on making the sacrament a real sign of healing. There is a
space in the new liturgy of reconciliation for the declaration of God’s healing word.
Confession rooms have been introduced to create a feeling of warmth and welcome
and are especially helpful if a person wishes to confess face-to-face. Throughout,
the priest is to create a friendly, encouraging, prayerful atmosphere so that the sinner
experiences the healing touch of Jesus Christ who makes him or her whole again,
reconciled with God and the Christian community. Provision is even made today for
communal celebrations of this reconciling peace of Jesus (with the individual
confession of sins) to undescore the need to be reunited in love with both God and
the community.
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II. SACRAMENT OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK.
a. Introduction
The healing power of Jesus Christ is not only expressed in the sacrament of
penance, but in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
While some people think that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is only
applicable to those who are in danger of death, but we want to make it clear at this point
that this sacrament is applicable to all those who are sick who are also disposed and
willing to receive Christ’s healing power to both their body and spirit even if they are not
in danger of death.
It is in this sacrament that the Church wants to accompany the sick person in that
situation that the temptation of rejecting God is possible.
Looking at our human experiences, we can say that illness and sufferings have
always been among the gravest problems confronted in human life. In illness, man
experiences his powerlessness, his limitations and his finitude. Every illness can make
us glimpse death.
Thus, it is being said that “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 to the Passion and death of Christ.”
A. Meaning of Anointing
Considering its nature and general concepts, it is a true sacrament flowing from
the ministry of Jesus Christ which is perform is, through, and by the Church to comment
to those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Jesus so that by her prayer, she may
support and save them in the light of the passion and death of Jesus Christ.
B. Background
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a. O.T. Implications:
The man of the Old Testament lives his sickness, and it is of God, Master of life
and death, that he implores healing. Illness becomes a way to conversion’ God’s
forgiveness initiates the healing. It is the experience of Israel that illness is a
mysteriously linked to sin and evil, and that faithfulness to God according to his law
restores life.
Jesus came to redeem us from all evil and thus inaugurate the “Kingdom of
God.” By forgiving sin and healing the sick and infirm, Jesus showed that God has
visited his people (Lk. 7:16) and the “Reign of God is at hand” (Mk. 1:15). Below are
some of the healing ministry of Jesus:
Cleansing the lepers (Lk. 17:12-19)
Giving sight to the blind (Mk. 10: 46-52)
Healing the deaf/mute (Mk. 7:31-37)
The cure of the Paralytic (Mk. 2:3-12)
The cure of the deformed man (Mk. 3:1-6)
Woman in hemorrhage (Mk. 5:45-34)
In healing, Jesus did not perform some sort of divine magic, nor did he intend to
take the place of all doctors and nurses by wiping out all sickness. He healed only a
very small percentage of the sick in Israel.
Concretely, these healings involved faith in Jesus, and following Him in loving
obedience to God the Father. Jesus healing ministry must ultimately be grounded in his
own life of suffering, dying, and rising from the dead, whereby he transformed the whole
meaning of sickness and death.
If we turn ourselves to the Sacred Scriptures, there are so many instances which
could tell that Christ invites his disciples to follow him by taking up their cross in their
turn. By following him they acquire a new outlook on illness and the sick. He makes
them share in his ministry of compassion and healing. So, “they went off, preaching the
need of repentance. They expelled many demons, anointed the sick with oil, and
worked many cures” (Mk. 6:12-13)
The risen Lord renews this mission “In the name… they will lay their hands on
the sick, and they will recover” and confirms it through the sings that the Church
performs by invoking his name. These signs demonstrate in a special way that Jesus is
truly “God who saves”.
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grace is sufficient for you, for the power is make perfect in weakness,” and that the
suffering to be endured can mean that “ in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s
afflictions for the sake of his Body, that is, the Church.”
“Heal the Sick” The Church has received this charge from the Lord and strives to
carry out by taking care of the sick as well as by accompanying them with her prayer of
intercession. She believes in the life-giving presence of Christ, the physician of souls
and bodies. This presence is particularly active through the sacraments, and in an
altogether special way through the Eucharist, the bread that gives eternal life and that
St. Paul suggests it connected with bodily health.
However, the apostolic Church has its own rite for the sick, attested to by St.
James: “Is any among you sick?” Let his call for the elders (presbyters) of the Church
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer
of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed
sins, he will be forgiven.” Tradition has recognized in this rite one of the seven
sacraments.
1. Matter:
This is clearly stated in Can. 999 which states: “The oil to be used in the
anointing of the sick can be blessed not only by a Bishop but also by: (1) those who are
in law equivalent to the diocesan Bishop; (2) in case of necessity, any priest but only in
the actual celebration of the sacrament.”
2. Form:
“The form consists in the prayer of the prayer for the sick person which
accompanies the anointing” (De fide).
“According to James 5:14, the form must be a prayer for the sick person, which
unambiguously determines the anointing as a religious act. The deprecative for is most
suitable for this purpose, but the formerly current indicative and imperative forms can
signify a deprecative meaning through the intention of the priest.”
The first grace of this sacrament is one of strengthening, peace and courage to
overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old
age. This grace is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who renews trust and faith in God, and
strengthens against temptation to discouragement and anguish in the face of death.
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By the grace of this sacrament the sick person receives the strength and the gift
of uniting himself more closely to Christ’s passion.
Base on the basic dogma of our Church, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the
effects (a) salvation of the soul and (b) healing of the body.
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Passion. Suffering, a consequence of original sin, acquires a new
meaning; it becomes a participation in the saving work of Jesus.
While we do not wish that the sick person who will receive the sacrament
will die after he or she receives the said sacrament, we primarily pray that
by the power of the loving and healing grace of Christ, the sick person will
be in the state of grace if ever he or she will die after his or her reception.
It is also part of our Christian faith that the sacrament is necessary for the
sick person to receive because we believe or shall we say, we hope that
upon reception of the sacrament, the sick person may receive both
physical healing, both just that which of spiritual nature.
f. The Recipient
Let us refer to the following Canon provisions for more clarity or specific
explanation of this topic.
Can. 1004: The anointing of the sick can be administered to any member of the
faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in
danger of death by reason of illness or old age.
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Can. 1005: If there is any doubt as to whether the sick person has reached the
age of reason, or is dangerously ill, or is dead, this sacrament is to
be administered.
Can. 1006: This sacrament is to be administered to the sick who, when they
were in possession of their faculties, at least implicitly asked for it.
Can 1007: The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who
obstinately persist in a manifestly grave sin.
If a sick person who received this anointing recovers his health, he can in
the case of another grave illness receive this sacrament again. If during
the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious, the
sacrament may be repeated. It is fitting to receive the anointing of the
sick just prior to a serious operation. The same holds for the elderly
whose frailty becomes more pronounced. Finally, the sick children may
be anointed if they have use of reason to be comforted by this sacrament.
Old people may be anointed if they are in weak condition although no
dangerous illness is present.
The faithful asks for the anointing and, as soon as the time for the
anointing comes, to receive it with complete faith and devotions, not
misusing this sacrament by putting it off” Lawler/Wuerl: 197:326).
g. The Minister/s:
Let us again cite a provision in the Code of Canon Law to know who really is/are the
minister/s of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
Can. 1003: Every priest, but only priest, can validly administer the anointing of
the sick.
All priest to whom has been committed the care of souls, have the
obligation and the right to administer the anointing of the sick to
those of the faithful entrusted to their pastoral care. For a
reasonable cause, any other priest may administer this sacrament if
he has the consent, at least presumed, of the aforementioned priest.
Any priest may carry the holy oil with him, so that in case of
necessity he can administer the sacrament of anointing of the sick.
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h. Viaticum: The Last Sacrament of a (Catholic) Christian:
In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Church offers those who are about to
leave this life the Eucharist as viaticum. Communion in the body and blood of Christ,
received at this moment of “passing over” to the Father, has a particular significance and
importance. It is the seed of eternal life and the power or resurrection, according to the
words of the Lord: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will
raise him up at the last day.” The sacrament of Christ once dead and now risen, from
this world to the Father.
Thus, just as the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist from a unity
called “the sacraments of Christian initiation,” so too it can be said that Penance. The
Anointing of the Sick and the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland” or the
sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage.
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