In celebration of the World Day of the Sick on February 11, 2022, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick for Catholics and Blessing for non-Catholics occurred at Sacred Heart Mercy Health Care Center in Alma, Michigan from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on February 24, 2022. Patients who attended received Novena Prayer cards to Our Lady of Lourdes, small silver Crucifixes [Pope Saint John Paul II type] which were blessed by Father Paul Werley, C.O., the RSM Motherhouse chaplain with attached to a card was the definition of a sacramental. Cookies were made by Sister Maria Pacis, RSM, and the novices for this event.
Patients were divided into two different times – 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm were for the Anointing of the Sick for Catholics, and 2:30 and 3:30 were scheduled for the blessings for non- Catholics.
Fr Paul chose this blessing:
“O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who did cure the kinswoman of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; Who are able to put aside every malady and infirmity, do You Yourself, the same Lord, grant aid to this Your servant N. and cure him (her) of every sickness of which he (she) is grieved; lift him (her) up from his (her) bed of pain, and send down upon him (her) Your great ✠ mercy, and if it be Your Will, give to him (her) health and a complete recovery; for You are the Physician of our souls and bodies, and to You do we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.”[i]
After the reception of either the Anointing of the Sick or a blessing, Fr. Paul gave a blessed Crucifix to each person before they left the chapel. After leaving the chapel, some left the clinic with cookies, and some remained to enjoy their cookies with other patients whom they had just met.
Crucifix, Pope Saint John Paul II pastoral cross
Many of the patients expressed that they were deeply moved by this experience of prayer and blessing, some to the point of tears. Many of the patients are suffering with cancer or a chronic illness.
God blessed both clinic staff and patients in this precious event. We thank God for the presence and ministry of our chaplain and pray that the effects of today’s graces will continue to heal those most in need. We plan to have a similar event for the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick in 2023.
[i] “In Times of Sickness and Operations.” Saints Constantine & Helen Orthodox Christian Church. Accessed March 4, 2022. https://www.orthodoxcheyenne.org/prayers/in-times-of-sickness-and-operations.
Posted for the World Day of the Sick 2022
February 11, 2022
