5.20. Isn’t the Anointing of the Sick still valid in the Novus Ordo since oil is used and prayers are said?
Extreme Unction, also known as the Last Rites, is a true sacrament instituted by Christ to strengthen the soul of a baptized Catholic in danger of death, forgive sins, and prepare the person for eternity. For it to be valid, it requires valid matter (olive oil blessed by a bishop), correct form, and a validly ordained priest with the intention to do what the Church does. The rite includes specific anointings on the five senses and prayers for the remission of sins.
After Vatican II, the sacrament was radically revised and renamed “Anointing of the Sick”, shifting its focus from the preparation for death to a vague prayer for “healing.” The form was changed, the matter altered, the intention obscured, and the ministers are often invalidly ordained. In many cases, the sacrament is administered to healthy people or even non-Catholics, invalidating or sacrilegiously misusing it. Below is a detailed comparison between the true sacrament of Extreme Unction and the Novus Ordo version, showing why the latter must be avoided.
| Category | Traditional Extreme Unction (Pre-1965) | Novus Ordo “Anointing of the Sick” | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name of the Sacrament | Extreme Unction (Last Anointing) | Anointing of the Sick | Renaming downplays its role as a preparation for death; changes perception and theological focus |
| Recipient | Catholics in **proximate danger of death** due to illness or old age | Anyone who is “seriously ill” or even elderly; sometimes administered routinely | Sacrament is only valid when person is in danger of death; applying it to the merely sick is illicit and risks invalidity |
| Form (Words) | “Through this holy anointing and His most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive thee whatever sins thou hast committed by sight/hearing/etc.” (each sense individually) | “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” (said once) | The new form removes reference to sin and individual senses; omits essential theology of sacramental remission of sin—raises serious doubt about validity |
| Matter (Oil) | **Olive oil** blessed by a valid bishop on Maundy Thursday | Any vegetable oil, often blessed by “priests” or in bulk by bishops of dubious validity | Only olive oil is valid matter (per traditional teaching). Use of other oils or invalid ministers renders the sacrament doubtful or invalid |
| Minister | Validly ordained priest with the power to forgive sins | Often “priests” ordained in the **1968 rite** or even lay ministers in hospitals | If the minister is not a valid priest, the sacrament is invalid. Post-1968 “ordination” is gravely doubtful |
| Number of Anointings | Anointings on **five senses**: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands/feet | One or two anointings (e.g. forehead and hands) | Omits traditional sacramental signs. Weakens symbolic and theological integrity of the rite |
| Confession / Viaticum | Normally preceded by **Confession and followed by Viaticum** (Last Communion) | Often administered without Confession; Viaticum optional or omitted | Administering Extreme Unction without Confession (when possible) is sacrilegious and renders the soul unprepared for death |
| Intent | To strengthen the soul, forgive sins, and prepare for death | Focuses on physical healing or emotional comfort | If intention is not to remit sin and aid salvation, but merely to console, the sacrament is invalid |
| Theology | Teaches the need for repentance, confession, and spiritual fortitude | Emphasizes healing, community, and “feeling better” | Distorts the meaning of suffering and obscures the finality of death; deviates from Catholic doctrine |
| Fruits | Remission of sin, peace of soul, spiritual strength at death | No spiritual change; casual attitude toward death and sin | The fruits of grace are missing when the sacrament is doubtfully administered |
| Validity | Certain when administered by a valid priest with correct form, matter, and intent | Doubtful or invalid in most post-Vatican II cases | Due to changes in form, matter, and invalid clergy, Novus Ordo anointings cannot be trusted and must be avoided |
Summary:
The Sacrament of Extreme Unction is meant to prepare the soul for eternal judgment by remitting sin, strengthening the will, and providing grace for the final agony. The Novus Ordo version, now called “Anointing of the Sick,” has altered the essential form, uses questionable matter, and is administered by invalidly ordained clergy with a worldly, therapeutic intention.
As a result, most Novus Ordo anointings are invalid or gravely doubtful, and souls die without the grace of the Last Rites, in danger of being unprepared for judgment. Faithful Catholics must seek out valid traditional priests, who use the true Roman Rite and uphold the Catholic teaching on death and judgment.