Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron included an Anointing of the Sick ritual at Mass last weekend to help ease the suffering of those who are ill.

“Today at Mass, I offered Anointing of the Sick to congregants experiencing illness and advanced age,” Vigneron said in a Feb. 5 tweet. “Let us give thanks to God that through this sacrament, all who suffer can be united to Christ's Passion, forgiven of their sins and strengthened to face their difficulties.” 

BeginningCatholic.com describes the Anointing of the Sick, also known as Last Rites in the Catholic Church, as a sacrament that is given to people who are very ill, on the verge of death, who have been injured or are elderly. The Anointing of the Sick is intended to provide consolation and strength to the patient, as well as to forgive sins and restore spiritual health. The Anointing of the Sick is a powerful manifestation of God's healing power and the Church's solidarity for the sick and suffering. 

The sacrament is usually administered by a priest and involves the anointing of the person's forehead and hands with oil, called the Oil of the Sick, accompanied by prayers. The oil used in the Anointing of the Sick is olive oil that has been consecrated by the bishop and is seen as a symbol of God's healing power. The recipient of the sacrament is also encouraged to participate in confession and receive the sacrament of Penance beforehand, unless they are too ill to do so.

The Church provides this sacrament to any baptized person over the age of reason who is facing death due to illness or old age. However, it is not necessary to be on the verge of death to receive it. It is ideal to summon the priest as soon as possible in the event of a serious illness in order to ensure the ill person's conscious involvement; however, a terminally ill or unconscious person may also receive the sacrament, according to the Diocese of Fargo. The sacrament may be repeated again if circumstances allow.