8661 North 76th Place, Milwaukee, WI 53223 | A Northwest Milwaukee Catholic Parish

Anointing of the Sick

If there is a person in your family who is ill, chronically sick, growing weaker or disabled, he or she should receive the Sacrament of the Sick. In hospitals, a chaplain may be requested. If a family calls a priest, it is a great support for the sick person to have his or her family and friends present for the sacrament. To consult a priest about the need for the Sacrament of the Sick, please call the parish office. (Or, if the individual is at the hospital, you may want to contact the hospital chaplain’s office.) A suitable time will be arranged with a priest.

If families feel there is no need for the sacrament to be celebrated at home, in a nursing home or in the hospital, they are encouraged to bring the sick person to the communal celebration of the sacrament of the sick, which takes place monthly at alternating weekend Masses. Watch the bulletin for announcements.

When Someone is Sick or Hospitalized

If you or a loved one are hospitalized, in a nursing home, or homebound and would like to be visited and/or receive Communion, please call the parish office. Due to the HIPAA privacy laws, we can no longer call institutions and receive a list of parishioners who are patients or residents. We would like to be able to offer pastoral care to all our parishioners who are in need.

You are also welcome to take Communion home with you for a loved one who is homebound or hospitalized. If you do, a special container, called a pyx, should be used to carry the Eucharist in a dignified way. We have a supply of pyxes in the sacristy for parishioners to borrow. If you are in need of one, simply come to the sacristy before Mass and ask for one. There are also prayer books there that can be used when you share Eucharist with someone.

When Someone is Dying

While the Sacrament of Anointing and Pastoral Care of the Sick place emphasis on the Lord’s compassion and forgiveness during the struggle against illness, Viaticum and the ministry to the dying places emphasis on trust in the Lord’s promise of eternal life.

The reception of Eucharist by the dying person and his or her family and the prayers for the commendation of the dying make up the Sacrament of Viaticum. This ritual is provided by the Church for spiritual comfort of the Christian who is close to death. The ordinary minister of Viaticum is the priest, deacon or other lay pastoral minister delegated by the parish for the care of the dying.

 


Health Care Planning

In March 2014, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference published a form aimed at helping individuals convey their desires regarding health care decision-making in a manner that aligns with Catholic principles. It was designed as an addendum to the State of Wisconsin's Power of Attorney for Health Care (POAHC) document. You can access this form by clicking here.