Bishop William Goh: "Accepting illness to be united to Christ"

In suffering, you must not give up hope and resign yourself to illness. "In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, the Church shows mercy and compassion for the afflicted." The Archbishop encourages Catholics to receive the sacred act in time. "With confession and the Anointing of the sick you are sure of the Lord's grace of salvation, for the body and for the soul." 

Singapore (AsiaNews) - In his most recent pastoral letter, Archbishop William Goh recalls the faithful of Singapore to understanding the importance of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

In a community of 380,000 people served by a few priests, it is sometimes difficult to find a priest who celebrates the Sacrament for a person who is dying or is in critical condition. For this reason, Msgr. Goh encourages local Catholics to receive the Sacrament in time, so that they do not need a priest at the last moment.

In suffering, you must not give up hope and resign yourself to illness. "Rather - says Msgr. Goh - we should make ourselves available for healing. " After recalling the importance of prayer during adversity, the Archbishop invites "the acceptance of the illness as a means of being purified in love and of being united with Christ in His suffering so that we can meet God in depth."

The pastor recalls that "the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is the primary means by which the Church shows her mercy and compassion to the afflicted." Recourse to it "is also a wonderful occasion where the community can support the sick person." Bishop Goh finally appeals to the faithful, so that they each day prepare spiritually for suffering and death by celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation regularly and, if in serious illness, ask the priests of their parishes to receive the Anointing. In this way, "you are sure of the grace of God's salvation, for the body and for the soul."

• Singapore
• catholic church
• illness
• goh
• reconciliation
• muslims
• anointing of the sick