ANOINTING OF THE SICK: A Healing Hand in Times of Trouble

But whenever he receives the Anointing of the Sick in his Rensselaer home, he gets a dose of inner strength and experiences physical and spiritual comfort.

"It does a lot of good if you believe, and I believe that God will help me," said Mr. Bernard, a homebound parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church in Rensselaer. "I'm 82 years old and still going strong."

Failing health

He certainly met those criteria four years ago, when heart problems forced him into St. Peter's Hospital in Albany and convinced doctors that he didn't have much longer to live. His weight had dropped to 95 pounds by the time he received the Anointing of the Sick for the first time from Rev. Adam Forno, pastor of St. John's.

They talked and prayed during that hospital visit, with Father Forno anointing Mr. Bernard's forehead and the palms of his hands, and giving him Communion. His condition improved so much that he soon left the hospital.

Soul and body

"Three months later, Father Forno asked if I wanted to be anointed again, and I said, 'Sure,'" Mr. Bernard said. Since his hospital stay, he has been anointed once or twice a year, usually during Advent, Lent or summer.

During a typical visit, Father Forno spends the first 20 minutes chatting with Mr. Bernard about what's new since they last spoke. "I ask him how he's doing, the joys since I last saw him, and I access his worries and concerns," he said. "I anoint someone when I see a change in health or if they need it."

Key moments

"Father sings also, and he's very good at what he does," Mr. Bernard said. "He always brings the music, and it creates a mood."

One of the key moments in the sacrament is the imposition of hands, an ancient tradition that Father Forno explains to those present. The gesture indicates that Mr. Bernard is the object of the Church's prayer of faith, and is a sign of blessing as the Church prays for his health and strength.

This laying on of hands in the Anointing of the Sick is primarily the priest's role, but Father Forno doesn't exclude family members if they're present. "I invite people to follow my modeling," he said. "Nobody's a passive observer in the sacrament."

Renewed

Father Forno anoints Mr. Bernard's forehead and palms of his hands, and he breaks the bread of Communion with him before concluding his visit, which lasts about an hour.

All this makes a difference to Mr. Bernard, who often is weak and easily gets tired but feels rejuvenated after Father Forno anoints him.

"I believe when he does that, God is going to be with you and help you," Mr. Bernard said. "It gives you a feeling of peace and fullness, and you feel very good spiritually."

Final contact

"It's very important. He's a very holy man, a very faithful and devout Catholic," the priest said. "When I walk out, he always says, 'Thank you so much," and I say, 'I hope that was consoling and helpful for you.'"

Being homebound doesn't keep Mr. Bernard away from St. John's all year; his granddaughter, Amy, brings him to Mass on Christmas, Easter and Ascension Thursday. Most of the time, however, his contact with the parish and Church is through Father Forno's visits and the Anointing of the Sick. Mr. Bernard recommends the sacrament to anyone seeking physical and spiritual healing.

"I would advise anybody that's sick to have it done," he said.

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