Q. 1. When I was younger, I learned that there was seven Sacraments, one of them being the Sacrament of Extreme Unction. Why is it that the Church no longer speaks of that Sacrament?

A. 1. Prior to Vatican II, the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, also known as the "Last Rite" was reserved for the patient who had reached the point of death. Naturally, not everyone was psychologically prepared to appear before their Creator and some were alarmed when receiving this Sacrament.

Since Vatican II, the Catholic Church has recognized that when Jesus sent out His disciples to heal the sick, this command was not limited to the dying. To reflect this fact, the Catholic Church changed the name of the Sacrament of "Extreme Unction" to the "Anointing of the Sick." Now anyone who is suffering from serious illness is welcomed to receive this Sacrament in the hope of receiving the Lord's grace of healing.