The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-19
EXTREME JUNCTION..
Just what That Sacrament OF the
Catholic Church IL.
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
Not many Protestants, it is safe to say.
have q very clear idea of what Is meant
when 1t is said the Pope had the sacrament
of extreme JUNCTION administered to him.
They have confused idea that IL is some
thing connected with religion, and that has
to do with the dying; but just what II Is and
how ii is administered how many can tellg
What proportion OF the 10000 school teachers
now in Boston could pass a satisfactory ex-
animation on this point? One in fifty, per-
haps, could give the essential idea, one in
twenty-five might make a fair guess at II,
but to the great majority, we suspect, IL
would have no intelligent meaning.
Unction, it should be noted, in the Roman
Catholic sense, is divine institution found
ed by Christ himself. 1t Is practiced gener-
ally in dedicating persons to Gods service,
or in consecrating things to holy and re-
ligious uses According 10 Bishop Keane, its
usage includes the amounting of candidates
at continuation, OF priests at ordlnauon anu
of various articles consecCated to divine
worship. Extreme JUNCTION Is special sacra-
ment reserved for cases in extremis Tor
the very sick or dying. Ii Is one OF the sew
en- holy sacraments of the church and is be-
lieved capable OF giving supernatural AID
to the passing soul and to impart forgive
ness of sins. Whenever possible, and time
will admit of it. preparation Tor death is
made as follows: First, confession must be
made as an expression of penitence and con-
triton for sin. Then the Lords supper, or as
must be received 10 signify the acceptance
Of Christs sacrifice, and, last OF all, divine
comfort is given and all stains OF sin are
removed by the sacrament Of extreme unc-
ton.
Any priest of the Catholic Church can adj
minister this rite, and it is the privilege or
any child of that communion, however
humble or sinful, to receive il. In the case
of Leo, the rite was administered by hlgh
dignitary of the church, Monsignor Pineri,
the Pope's private confessor, and was made
impressive by the presence of the cardinals
in their sumptuous robes of office; but the
Catholic chaplain on the battlefield may
perform the same Office for the wounded pri-
vate who goes on the same journey ana VINO
needs the same light TO comfort him.
In performing this service, the officiating
priest recites a number of liturgical pray
ers and then proceeds TO the amounting with
the holy oil. Dipping his thumb in the con-
secrated vessel, he makes the sign OF the
cross upon the eyes, the ears, the nose, the
mouth. the hanes and the feet. AS he
touches the. eyes he says: Through this
holy JUNCTION, and His most tender mercy,
may the Lord pardon thee whatever sins
thou hast committed by seeing. Amen
Making the same sign upon the ears, the
nostrils the mouth. the hands and the feet.
he repeats the formula respecting the hear
ing the smelling. the tasting, the touching
and the walking. The oil used In extreme
JUNCTION must be blessed and consecrated by
bishop, a ceremony which Is annually
performed with the assistance OF many
priests. and which is attended with great
solernnity