Grace Thompson
Preparing for death as a Catholic involves spiritual and practical considerations. Spiritual writers and Catholic doctrine agree that a righteous life is the only adequate preparation for death. This includes living each day as if it were your last, reconciling with God, and cultivating a relationship with God and Jesus. Practically, Catholics should prepare by calling a priest, settling earthly affairs, and making their wishes for end-of-life care known through advance directives. The Sacrament of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick are important spiritual sacraments for Catholics nearing death.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Spiritual preparation | Should include the sacraments, such as the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick |
| Holy Eucharist as viaticum | |
| Meditation on heaven | |
| Love of God and neighbour | |
| Practical preparation | Advance directives, such as living wills and Physicians' Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLSTs) |
| Calling a priest | |
| Confession | |
| Winding up earthly affairs, such as the disposition of temporalities, payment of debts, and satisfaction of burdens of restitution | |
| Reconciliation with estranged family members |
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What You'll Learn
Live a righteous life
Spiritual writers agree that the only adequate preparation for death is a righteous life. This means that one must live each day of their life as though it were their last. Thomas à Kempis, the 15th-century author of "The Imitation of Christ", noted, "Happy is the man who keeps the hour of death always in mind, and daily prepares for it."
Living a righteous life involves renouncing sin and turning to God, who gives life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the Truth, and the Life." It is important to strive for holiness and happiness and to be in a state of grace and have a good relationship with God. This can be achieved through constant thoughts of gaining heaven and meditation on what heaven is. Saint Paul provides a glimpse of the glory of Heaven in his inspiring words: "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him."
Living a righteous life also involves loving God and loving one's neighbour. Saint John of the Cross teaches that "In the twilight of our existence, we will be judged on love." It is important to aim for a more intense and burning love each day and to desire to love what God loves—the salvation of immortal souls.
In addition to spiritual preparation, it is important to take care of practical matters, such as the disposition of temporalities, payment of debts, and satisfaction of burdens of restitution. It is also important to call a priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick, which is now administered to anyone with a serious or chronic illness, not just those near death.
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Make use of the Sacrament of Reconciliation
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is an important step in preparing for death. It is a sacrament in which the priest, as an agent of God, forgives sins committed after baptism when the sinner is genuinely remorseful, confesses them, and is willing to make amends.
The first step in preparing for death is receiving the patient's confession and granting sacramental absolution. This sacrament reunites the soul with God and restores sanctifying grace. It is important to note that even before Christ, penance was the only way for people outside the Church to have their sins forgiven.
Before going to confession, one should examine their conscience by comparing their life to the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the example of Christ. This examination can be facilitated by various resources, including mobile phone apps. During confession, the penitent begins by making the Sign of the Cross with the priest and saying, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [state the duration] since my last confession."
The Sacrament of Reconciliation not only forgives mortal and venial sins but also wipes out the eternal punishment due to mortal sins and reduces the temporal punishment, which is the debt of satisfaction owed to God even after sins are forgiven. This sacrament ensures that the soul is prepared to stand confidently before its Judge and is an indispensable step in helping the soul qualify for its departure from the body.
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Receive the Holy Eucharist as viaticum
Viaticum is a term used in the Catholic Church for the Holy Eucharist (or Holy Communion) administered to a person who is dying. The word comes from the Latin "via", meaning "way", and can be translated as "provision for a journey".
The Catechism of the Council of Trent describes the Eucharist as:
> [T]he spiritual bread by which we are supported in our mortal pilgrimage, [and which] prepares for us a passage to eternal glory and happiness.
The Catholic Church teaches that the Eucharist should be received as viaticum when a person is in danger of death. If the dying person cannot take solid food, the Eucharist may be administered as wine alone, as the Church holds that Christ exists wholly in both the consecrated bread and wine.
The sacrament of Extreme Unction (or Anointing of the Sick) is often given before viaticum, and the priest will usually begin by sprinkling holy water on the sick person and those present. If the person has not already confessed, the priest will ask others to leave the room and hear their confession, before administering the Eucharist.
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Settle your affairs
Preparing for death as a Catholic involves spiritual preparation and the sacraments, as well as practical considerations.
From a practical perspective, it is important to settle your affairs, so that you can leave this world with an "undivided attention" for the afterlife. This includes the disposition of temporalities, payment of debts, and satisfaction of burdens of restitution.
It is also important to make adequate preparations for end-of-life care. This includes letting caregivers know your wishes and preferences, which can be done through "advance directives" such as living wills or Physicians' Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLSTs). These documents outline what you want and don't want in terms of end-of-life care and will "speak" for you if you become incapacitated.
In addition to practical matters, spiritual preparation is of utmost importance for Catholics. This includes receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which is important for all the faithful throughout their lives and is seen as particularly important spiritual medicine for those nearing death. The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, formerly known as extreme unction, is also administered to those who are seriously ill, elderly, or in danger of death. It can be repeated if the person recovers and then becomes ill again.
The constant thought of gaining heaven and meditating on what heaven is can help one prepare for a holy and happy death. Saint Paul offers a glimpse of heaven with these words: "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him."
Ultimately, the best way to prepare for death is to live each day as if it were your last, striving to live a righteous life and cultivating a good relationship with God.
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Pray and meditate on death
Prayer and meditation are essential aspects of Catholic preparation for death. For Catholics, preparing for death involves more than passively submitting to religious rites; it involves conscious and deliberate prayer, the formation of a special temper of the soul, and acceptance of sacramental help.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent teaches that the Holy Eucharist, or "the Viaticum", is a vital part of preparation for death. The Eucharist is "the spiritual bread by which we are supported in our mortal pilgrimage, as also because it prepares for us a passage to eternal glory and happiness."
The following prayers are recommended for reciting with a dying person, alternating with times of silence:
- Our Father
- Hail Mary
- Glory Be
- The Lord's Prayer
- The Hail Mary
- The Divine Mercy Prayer
- The Glory Be
- The Our Father
These prayers may also be recited after death and in the hours that follow:
- Saints of God, come to his/her aid!
- Come to meet him/her, Angels of the Lord!
- Receive his/her soul and present him/her to God the Most High.
- May Christ, who called you, take you to himself; may Angels lead you to Abraham's side.
- Give him/her eternal rest, O Lord, and may your light shine on him/her forever.
- All-powerful and merciful God, we commend to you N., your servant. In your mercy and love, blot out the sins he/she has committed through human weakness. In this world, he/she has died: let him/her live with you forever. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
When the family first gathers around the body, the following prayers may be used:
- Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.
- The Lord God lives in his holy temple yet abides in our midst. Since, in Baptism, N. became God's temple and the Spirit of God lived in him/her, with reverence, we bless his/her mortal body.
- Into your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brother/sister N.
Meditation on death from a Catholic perspective involves viewing death as "the messenger of God [who has] come to tell us that our novitiate is ended and to welcome us to real life." Death is not viewed as an end but as a transition to eternal life with Christ.
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Frequently asked questions
The best way to prepare for death is to live a righteous life and to be in a state of grace and have a good relationship with God.
You can make your wishes known to caregivers by creating an advance directive or living will. You should also consider confession and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as the Anointing of the Sick.
Death is seen as the completion of baptism, when we are called to be finally conformed to Christ. The moment of death determines our destiny for eternity, either with God in heaven or separated from God in hell.
The priest's role is to provide spiritual guidance and assistance, including receiving the patient's confession and conferring sacramental absolution.
Yes, the Last Rites include prayers and rituals such as anointing of the sick, penance, and Communion (known as viaticum). The funeral may also include rituals such as draping a white pall over the casket, using an Easter candle, sprinkling holy water, and burning incense.
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