Wednesday Liturgy: Follow-up: Healing Masses

ROME, JULY 21, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.


Related to our July 7 piece on healing Masses, a priest reader from Australia asked: "When a rather large number of people are to be anointed -- say, 100 or more -- during Mass, must the priest(s) lay hands individually on each sick person, or is it sufficient to hold out hands extended over the crowd before saying the prayer of thanksgiving over the oil, and then anointing each person individually?"

Both the ritual for Anointing within Mass and the Ceremonial of Bishops (No. 653) state that the proper order for this ritual is: litany; laying on of hands; blessing of oil or prayer of thanksgiving over the oil; anointing; concluding prayer. It is also permitted to have the litany after the anointing.

Regarding the laying on of hands, the Ceremonial of Bishops says: "The bishop and the presbyters who are to take part in the anointing lay hands in silence on some of the sick."

Therefore it would appear that the procedure for a large number of faithful would be for the priest(s) to lay hands on a representation of those who are to receive the sacrament. It is not required that they lay hands on all of them.