Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick celebrated at Saint Patrick Parish

Courtesy photo

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Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory confers the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to parishioner Mary Dawson. Courtesy photo

By Anthony Martinez

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

SALT LAKE CITY — The faithful gathered at Saint Patrick Parish in Salt Lake City on Feb. 11 for World Day for the Sick. The Celebration of the Eucharist with conferral of Anointing of the Sick was offered to the sick and elderly. Father Lourduraj Gally Gregory, pastor, mentioned that Feb. 11 also is the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, who is Fr. Gally’s patron saint; his pastor in India named him at the request of his parents.

The World Day of the Sick was instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1992 as "a special time of prayer and sharing one’s sufferings for the good of the Church and of reminding us to see in our sick brothers and sisters the face of Christ who, by suffering, dying and rising, achieved the salvation of humankind."

In times of illness and in suffering people are brought closer to Christ, Fr. Gally said. "Suffering is a vocation; it is a call to share with Jesus, to be a Simon of Cyrene to Him in carrying His cross. Such people have great peace and great love in their hearts, and rather than wallowing in self-pity, they show a constant concern for others."

Fr. Gally went on to compare suffering to sickness: "If [our sickness] leads to anger, bitterness or resentment, then we should ask God to take it away, because it is not from him."

He closed his homily with, "it is a privilege to celebrate this Mass of Healing together. In each other, we see the suffering Christ who is our hope."

Anthony Martinez is the Youth Ministry Director at Saint Patrick Catholic Church.