From the list of Questions asked of the Chairman of the Litugical Commission, I was interested to read the Chair’s answer to a question from Rev. Sister Rosemary, CHN, re the apparent restriction on who may administer the Sacrament of Anointing. The Bishop of Wakefield stated categorically that Canon B37 “is clear in speaking of that ministry being undertaken by a priest. There is no canonical basis for other ministers to anoint.” I am surprised that the C.of E. has not opened up this ministry – anointing of the sick – to be administered by suitably commissioned persons (e.g. deacons,… Read more »
Father Neil Shave
14 years ago
In relation to the RC procedure, Rhidian Jones in his book The canon law of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, highlights c.1003 s.1 where it says that the sacrament can only be administered by a presbyter. In relation to the question about other authorized persons anointing, the question would be whether the words and prayers that accompanied the anointing formed part of the sacrament. The other interesting thing to note, is that the consecration of the oils doesn’t seem to be a sacrament in itself. The name of the sacrament is Holy Unction, so the “sacramental… Read more »
From the list of Questions asked of the Chairman of the Litugical Commission, I was interested to read the Chair’s answer to a question from Rev. Sister Rosemary, CHN, re the apparent restriction on who may administer the Sacrament of Anointing. The Bishop of Wakefield stated categorically that Canon B37 “is clear in speaking of that ministry being undertaken by a priest. There is no canonical basis for other ministers to anoint.” I am surprised that the C.of E. has not opened up this ministry – anointing of the sick – to be administered by suitably commissioned persons (e.g. deacons,… Read more »
In relation to the RC procedure, Rhidian Jones in his book The canon law of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England, highlights c.1003 s.1 where it says that the sacrament can only be administered by a presbyter. In relation to the question about other authorized persons anointing, the question would be whether the words and prayers that accompanied the anointing formed part of the sacrament. The other interesting thing to note, is that the consecration of the oils doesn’t seem to be a sacrament in itself. The name of the sacrament is Holy Unction, so the “sacramental… Read more »