Sacrament known as 'anointing of the sick' not just for gravely ill. From: Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) | Date: April 1, 2005 | COPYRIGHT 2005 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Margaret Ramirez

Apr. 1--If Pope John Paul II received the Roman Catholic sacrament known as "the anointing of the sick" late Thursday night, as some media reported, the ritual would be another signal of his failing health. Yet, revised church teaching means receiving the blessed oil does not necessarily mean the Holy Father is at the point of death.

The sacrament began as a ritual of healing with origins in the Gospel of Mark when Jesus summoned his d...