With our own parents getting older and friends passing away expectantly, I was fortunate enough to come across the following:
Why it is important to call for a priest early on to administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to a loved one who is near death?
Here are some of the most important reasons :
1. The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick takes away all mortal and venial sins, even if the person is unconscious. To hear the person's last confession and to provide them with the Viaticum ( Holy Eucharist ), prepares them for their journey to Our Lord. In addition, the apostolic pardon takes away any temporal punishment(purgatory time) that remains for the soul. Apostolic Pardon: (to be given by a priest only): " By the authority granted me by the Holy See, I hereby grant you full pardon and remission of all your sins: In the Name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
2. The devil at the time of death tempts the soul to despair by accusing it of its sins. Among other reasons, Our Lord instituted the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to drive him away at this time.
3. To restore the dying person to health. Although this is not a primary reason for the last sacrament, God sometimes allows a dying person to become fully recovered after receiving this sacrament, when the healing of the body is of spiritual benefit to the soul.
4. To save the soul of a person who is estranged from God by being in an unrepentant state of mortal sin. I have personal knowledge of such a case where a priest was called in to administer the last sacrament,where the dying person became repentant as a result of prayers from his family, especially the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
5.To give the dying person the courage and strength to withstand their sufferings, knowing that they are fully prepared to meet Our Divine Savior. If a person is unconscious or apparently dead, should you call the priest?Yes ! The priest will administer a conditional anointing which will take away all mortal and venial sins, and if he gives the apostolic pardon, all purgatory time will be removed. Theologians differ as to when exactly the soul departs. Many teach that the soul remains for several hours in the vicinity of its body and can be conditionally anointed and given the apostolic pardon during this time.
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