Continuous Rite of Penance, Anointing and Viaticum
In the light of verbal indications given to several episcopal Conferences, texts in this rite affected by the new translation of the Roman Missal into English are appended and indicated by the abbreviation ‘NTRM’. Users are requested to consult their local Ordinary, or abide by guidelines issued by him, in determining which text to use.
An (L) indicates that a text is also provided in Latin, after the English.
1. Introductory Rites
i) Greeting
ii) Instruction
2. Liturgy of Penance
i) Sacrament of Penance (L)
ii) Penitential Rite
iii) Apostolic Pardon (L)
iv) Baptismal Profession of Faith
v) Litany
[3. Liturgy of Confirmation (L)]
4. Liturgy of Anointing
i) Laying on of Hands
ii) Prayer over the Oil (L)
iii) Anointing (L)
iv) [Prayer after Anointing]
5. Liturgy of Viaticum
i) The Lord’s Prayer
ii) Communion as Viaticum (L)
iii) Prayer after Communion
6. Concluding Rites
i) Blessing (L)
ii) Sign of Peace
INTRODUCTORY RITES
GREETING
The priest greets the sick person and the others present. One of the following may be used
A. The peace of the Lord be with you always.
B. Peace be with you (this house) and with all who live here
C. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
D. The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
℟. And also with you. [NTRM: And with your spirit.]
If Communion as Viaticum is celebrated during the rite, the priest then places the Blessed Sacrament on the table, and all join in adoration.
INSTRUCTION
If the occasion requires, the priest speaks to the sick person about the celebration of the sacraments.
Depending on the circumstances, he reads a brief gospel text or an instruction to invite the sick person to repentance and the love of God.
A Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
B John 6:40
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him (on) the last day.”
C The priest may use the following instruction, or one better adapted to the sick person’s condition:
Beloved in Christ, the Lord Jesus is with us at all times, warming our hearts with his sacramental grace. Through his priests he forgives the sins of the repentant; he strengthens the sick through holy anointing; to all who watch for his coming, he gives the food of his Body and Blood to sustain them on their last journey, confirming their hope of eternal life. Our brother/sister has asked to receive these three sacraments: let us help him/her with our love and our prayers.
LITURGY OF PENANCE
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
If the sick person so wishes, the sacrament of penance is celebrated; in case of necessity, the confession may be generic.
The priest extends his hands over the penitent’s head (or at least extends his right hand) and says:
God, the Father of mercies,
through the death and reconciliation of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and poured out the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God grant you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, +
and of the Holy Spirit.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Deus, Pater misericordiárum,
qui per mortem et resurrectiónem Fílii sui
mundum sibi reconciliávit
et Spíritum Sanctum effúdit in remissiónem peccatórum,
per ministérium Ecclésiæ indulgéntiam tibi tríbuat et pacem.
Et ego te absólvo a peccátis tuis
in nómine Patris et Fílii + et Spíritus Sancti.
℟. Amen.]
If there is no celebration of the sacrament of penance, the penitential rite takes place as usual. The priest invites the sick person and all present to join in the penitential rite using these or similar words:
A
My brothers and sisters,
let us turn with confidence to the Lord
and ask his forgiveness for all our sins.
B
My brothers and sisters,
to prepare ourselves for this celebration,
let us call to mind our sins.
After a brief period of silence, the penitential rite continues with one of the following.
A All say:
I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault
(They strike their breast.)
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
[NTRM:
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
And, striking their breast, they say:
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
Then they continue:
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.]
B
By your paschal mystery you have won for us salvation:
Lord have mercy.
℟. Lord, have mercy.
You renew among us now the wonders of your passion:
Christ have mercy.
℟. Christ, have mercy.
When we receive your body, you share with us your paschal sacrifice:
Lord have mercy.
℟. Lord, have mercy.
The priest concludes the penitential rite with the following:
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and being us to everlasting life.
℟. Amen.
APOSTOLIC PARDON
At the conclusion of the sacrament of penance or the penitential rite, the priest may give the apostolic pardon for the dying using one of the following
A
Through the holy mysteries of our redemption,
may almighty God release you
from all punishments in this life
and in the life to come.
May he open to you the gates of paradise
and welcome you to everlasting joy.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Per sancrosáncta humánæ reparatiónis mystéria,
remíttat tibi omnípotens Deus
omnes præséntis et futúræ vitæ pœnas,
paradísi portas apériat
et ad gáudia te sempitérna perdúcat.
℟. Amen.]
B
By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me,
I grant you a full pardon
and the remission of all your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, +
and of the Holy Spirit.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Ego facultáte mihi ab Apostólica Sede tribúta,
indulgéntiam plenáriam et remissiónem ómnium peccatórum
tibi concédo,
in nómine Patris, et Fílii, + et Spíritus Sancti.
℟. Amen.]
BAPTISMAL PROFESSION OF FAITH
If the condition of the sick person permits, the baptismal profession of faith follows. The priest igves a brief introduction and then asks the following questions
N., do you believe in God, the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth?
℟. I do.
Do you believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was born of the Virgin Mary
was crucified, died, and was buried,
rose from the dead,
ascended into heaven
and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
℟. I do.
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting?
℟. I do.
The priest may sprinkle the sick person with holy water after the renewal of the baptismal profession of faith.
LITANY
The litany may be adapted to express the intentions of the sick person and of those present. The sick person, if able, and all present respond. One of the following may be used:
A
You bore our weakness and carried our sorrows:
Lord, have mercy.
℟. Lord, have mercy.
You felt compassion for the crowd,
and went about doing good and healing the sick:
Christ, have mercy.
℟. Christ, have mercy.
You commanded your apostles
to lay their hands on the sick in your name:
Lord, have mercy.
℟. Lord, have mercy.
B
Let us pray, dear friends, for our brother/sister N., whom the Lord at this hour is refreshing with the sacraments.
That the Lord may look on our brother/sister
and see in him/her the face of his own suffering Son, we pray:
℟. Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Lord may help N.
in this moment of trial, we pray:
℟. Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Lord may watch over N.,
and keep him/her ever in his love, we pray:
℟. Lord, hear our prayer.
That the Lord may give N. strength and peace, we pray:
℟. Lord, hear our prayer.
Go to the Anointing
LITURGY OF CONFIRMATION
It is highly appropriate that the initiation of every baptized be completed by the sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist. If the sacrament of Confirmation is celebrated in the same rite, the priest continues as indicated in “Christian Initiation for the Dying”. In such a case, the laying on of hands which belongs to the anointing of the sick is omitted.
The priest may begin with an instruction in these or similar words
My dear brother/sister, born again in Christ by baptism, you have become members of Christ and of his priestly people. Now you are to share in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit among us, the Spirit sent by the Lord upon his apostles at Pentecost and given by them and their successors to the baptized.
All pray in silence for a short time. The priest lays hands upon the candidate and says:
All-powerful God, Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you freed your son (daughter) from sin
and gave him (her) new life.
Send your Holy Spirit upon him (her)
to be his (her) helper and guide.
Give him (her) the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of judgment and courage,
the spirit of knowledge and reverence.
Fill him (her) with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. ℟. Amen.
The minister then dips his right thumb in the chrism and makes the sign of the cross on the forehead of the one to be confirmed, as he says:
N., be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Deus omnípotens, Pater Dómini nostri Iesu Christi,
qui hunc fámulum tuos rigenerásti
ex aqua et Spíritu Sancto,
liberans eum a peccáto,
tu, Domine, immítte in eum Spíritum Sanctum Paráclitum;
da eis spíritum sapiéntiae et intelléctus,
spíritum consílii et fortitúdinis,
spíritum scientiae et pietátis;
adimple eum spíritu timóris tui.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟. Amen.
N., áccipe signáculum Doni Spíritus Sancti.
℟. Amen.]
Peace be with you
℟. And also with you. [NTRM: And with your spirit.]
In a case of necessity, it is enough to anoint with chrism, while saying the words N., be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit. If possible, the priest should first lay hands upon the sick person with the prayer All-powerful God, Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ
LITURGY OF ANOINTING
In silence, the priest then lays his hands on the head of the sick person.
PRAYER OVER THE OIL
In some situations the priest may bless the oil himself. Otherwise, he says a prayer of thanksgiving over oil already blessed.
Go to Blessing of Oil
THANKSGIVING OVER BLESSED OIL
If the oil is already blessed, the priest says the following prayer of thanksgiving over it
Praise to you, God, the almighty Father.
You sent your Son to live among us
and bring us salvation.
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
Praise to you, God the only-begotten Son.
You humbled yourself to share in our humanity
and you heal our infirmities,
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
Praise to you God, the Holy Spirit, the Consoler.
Your unfailing power gives us strength
in our bodily weakness.
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
God of mercy,
ease the sufferings and comfort the weakness of your servant, N.,
whom the Church anoints with this holy oil.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
Or:
BLESSING OF OIL
When the priest blesses the oil during the rite, he uses the following blessing:
Bless, + Lord, your gift of oil
and our brother/sister N.
that it may bring him/her relief
[Latin:
Bénedic, + Dómine, hanc Ólei creatúram
et ipsum étiam infírmum (ipsam étiam infírmam)
qui (quæ) hoc leniménto perúngitur.]
Go to Anointing
Or:
God of all consolation,
you chose and sent your Son to heal the world.
Graciously listen to our prayer of faith:
send the power of the Holy Spirit, the Consoler,
into this precious oil, this soothing ointment,
this rich gift, this fruit of the earth.
Bless this oil + and sanctify it for our use.
Make this oil a remedy for all who are anointed with it;
heal them in body, in soul, and in spirit,
and deliver them from every affliction.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
℟. Amen.
Go to the Anointing
[Latin:
Deus, totíus consolatiónis Pater,
qui per Fílium tuum infirmántium languóribus medéri voluísti,
oratióni fídei adésto propítius:
emítte, quæsumus, Spíritum tuum Sanctum Paráclitum
de cælis in hanc pinguédinem Ólei,
quam de víridi ligno prodúcere dignátus es
ad refectiónem córporis,
ut tua sancta benedictióne +
sit omni, qui hoc unguénto perúngitur,
tutámen córporis, ánimæ ac spíritus
ad evacuándos omnes dolóres, omnes infirmitátes,
omnem ægritúdinem.
Sit Óleum tuum sanctum, Dómine, nobis a te benédictum
in nómine Dómini nostri Iesu Christi.
Qui tecum vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.
℟. Amen.
Go to the Anointing
Or:
Praise to you, God, the almighty Father.
You sent your Son to live among us
and bring us salvation.
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
Praise to you, God the only-begotten Son.
You humbled yourself to share in our humanity
and you heal our infirmities,
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
Praise to you God, the Holy Spirit, the Consoler.
Your unfailing power gives us strength
in our bodily weakness.
℟. Blessed be God who heals us in Christ.
Almighty God,
come to our aid and sanctify this oil
which has been set apart for healing your people.
May the prayer of faith and the anointing with oil
free them from every affliction.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Adésto, Domine, propítius,
et hoc óleum,
fidelium tuorum curándis angoribus praepáratum
tua benedictióne sanctífica,
ut, fidei oratióne intercedénte,
quotquot eo ungántur,
ab omni qua detinéntur infirmitáte liberéntur.
Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟. Amen.]
ANOINTING
The priest anoints the sick person with blessed oil.
First, he anoints the forehead, saying
Through this holy anointing
may the Lord in his love and mercy
help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Per istam sanctam Unctiónem
et suam piíssimam misericórdiam,
ádiuvet te Dóminus grátia Spíritus Sancti.
℟. Amen.]
Then he anoints the hands, saying:
May the Lord who frees you from sin
save you and raise you up.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
ut a peccátis liberátum (liberátam)
te salvet atque propítius állevet.
℟. Amen.]
The sacramental form is said only once, for the anointing of the forehead and hands, and is not repeated.
Depending upon the culture and traditions of the place, as well as the condition of the sick person, the priest may also anoint additional parts of the body, for example, the area of pain or injury. He does not repeat the sacramental form.
PRAYER AFTER ANOINTING
The priest says one of the following prayers
A
Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer of the world,
you have shouldered the burden of our weakness
and borne our sufferings in your passion and death.
Hear this prayer for our sick brother/sister N.
whom you have redeemed.
Strengthen his/her hope of salvation
and sustain him/her in body and soul,
for you live and reign for ever and ever.
℟. Amen.
B In advanced age
God of mercy,
look kindly on your servant
who has grown weak under the burden of years.
In this holy anointing
he/she asks for healing in body and soul.
Fill him/her with the strength of your Holy Spirit.
Keep him/her firm in faith
and serene in hope,
so that he/she may give us all an example of patience
and joyfully witness to the power of your love.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. ℟. Amen.
LITURGY OF VIATICUM
THE LORD’S PRAYER
The priest introduces the Lord’s Prayer in these or similar words
A Jesus taught us to call God our Father, and so we have the courage to say:
B And now let us pray with confidence as Christ our Lord commanded:
All say:
Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
COMMUNION AS VIATICUM
The sick person and all present may receive Communion under both kinds. When the priest gives Communion to the sick person, he uses the form for Viaticum.
The priest genuflects, takes the Eucharistic Bread, raises it slightly and facing those present says:
A
Jesus Christ is the food for our journey;
he calls us to the heavenly table.
B
This is the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Happy are those who are called to his supper.
The sick person and all who are to receive communion say
Lord, I am not worthy to receive you,
but only say the word and I shall be healed.
[NTRM: Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
℟. Lord, I am not worthy
that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word
and my soul shall be healed.]
The priest goes to the sick person and, showing the Blessed Sacrament, says:
The Body of Christ [Latin: Corpus Christi]
The sick person answers: Amen.
Then the priest says: The Blood of Christ [Latin: Sanguis Christi]
The sick person answers: Amen.
Immediately, or after giving Communion to the sick person, the priest adds
May the Lord Jesus Christ protect you
and lead you to eternal life. ℟. Amen.
[Ipse te custódiat et perdúcat in vitam ætérnam. ℟. Amen.]
Others present who wish to receive Communion then do so in the usual way.
After the conclusion of the rite, the priest cleanses the vessel as usual.
SILENT PRAYER
Then a period of silence may be observed
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
The priest says a concluding prayer. One of the following may be used
Let us pray
Pause for silent prayer, if this has not preceded
A
Father,
your Son, Jesus Christ,
is our way, our truth, and our life.
Look with compassion on your servant N.
who has trusted in your promises.
You have refreshed him/her
with the Body and Blood of your Son:
May he/she enter your kingdom in peace
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
B
God of peace
you offer eternal healing to those who believe in you;
you have refreshed your servant N.
with food and drink from heaven:
lead him/her safely into the kingdom of light.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
℟. Amen.
CONCLUDING RITES
BLESSING
The priest blesses the sick person, and others present, using one of the following blessings. If however, any of the Blessed Sacrament remains, he may bless the sick person by making the sign of the cross with the Blessed Sacrament, in silence.
A
May the Lord be with you to protect you.
℟. Amen.
May he guide you and give you strength.
℟. Amen.
May he watch over you, keep you in his care, and bless you with his peace.
℟. Amen.
May almighty God bless you,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.
℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Dóminus Iesus Christus apud te sit ut te deféndat.
℟. Amen.
Ante te sit ut te dedúcat, post te sit ut te múniat.
R. Amen.
Te respíciat, te consérvet atque te benedícat.
℟. Amen.
Et vos omnes, qui hic simul adéstis,
benedícat omnípotens Deus,
Pater, et Fílius, + et Spíritus Sanctus. ℟. Amen.]
Go to the Sign of Peace
B
May the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come upon you and remain with you for ever. ℟. Amen.
[Latin:
Benedíctio Dei omnipoténtis,
Patris + et Fílii et Spíritus Sancti,
descéndat super vos, et máneat semper.
℟. Amen.]
SIGN OF PEACE
The priest and the others present may then give the sick person the sign of peace.
If the person recovers somewhat, the priest or other minister may continue to give further pastoral care, bringing Viaticum frequently, and using other prayers and blessings from the rite of visiting the sick.
When death has occurred, prayers may be offered for the dead person and for the family and friends. These are given in nos. 221-222. This may be done in any suitable place, including a hospital chapel or prayer room.