HOW TO REQUEST - WHY and HOW

First, don't panic. God gets there faster and before any priest can!

Before scrolling down for contact infomation, the following brief introduction will help you and your loved ones prepare for this important Sacrament.
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Commonly called Last Rites, or the Anointing of the Sick, this sacrament of the Church prepares those who are weakened by physical sickness or the advancement of years signaling the possible end of a Christian's earthly journey.

The final sacraments allow a baptized Christian to ready their soul for death and their body for its final resurrection on the Last Day. 

Last Rites should never be seen as a "ticket to heaven". Instead, through this sacrament, the Church offers a baptized Christian, according to the circumstances of their sickness, the timely opportunity: 

• to hear the consoling words of Christ
• to be assured of God's mercy and consolation
• to repent of their sins 
• to see their own body as a Temple of the Holy Spirit
• to unite their own suffering with Christ's sacrifice
• to renew their faith in the resurrection of the body
• to receive, if possible, Holy Communion as food for the journey
• to prepare to meet Christ face to face without fear.  

WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE IS IN A HOSPITAL 

Every major hospital is served by a Catholic chaplain who is assigned to respond to families and loved ones who request the Anointing of the Sick. Usually, hospital personnel, such as our local Tri-City Medical Center, will contact directly the appropriate priest on duty.

The extensive list of priest chaplains and contact numbers serving the major regional hospitals are listed here.

WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE IS AT HOME

Because many Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass outside their immediate parish district, it is often difficult for the priest they are most familiar with to always attend to their request to make a timely visit.  

However, even if you do not attend the local church, the parish district in which your loved one is residing will respond to a request for the Final Sacraments.

FINDING YOUR LOCAL PARISH AREA TO CONTACT

Here in the Tri-City area, the following parishes and their general districts are listed. Click on the parish name for contact information. Each parish typically has phone call options when calling outside of regular office hours.