If you are attacked by any serious illness, let your first care be to send for a priest and settle the state of your soul. This is much better done in the beginning of sickness than afterwards, when the strength of fever or the nature of the remedies may render a person absolutely unfit for so great a work. Sickness is often sent for a punishment of sin, and a sincere repentance and confession of sin are often a more effectual means of recovery than any other.

    2. If you have not already made your will, as in prudence you ought, let this also be done in the beginning of your sickness; that so, having settled your temporal affairs, you may apply your soul without disturbance to the spiritual.

    3. Engage your best friends to give you timely notice if your illness be dangerous, and not to flatter you with hopes of life when there is little or no hope. Make the best you can of that time, which, perhaps, is to be your last. Admit but few visitors, and talk only on such subjects as may be for your soul's profit.

    4. Take care to discharge your debts, and all other obligations incumbent upon you; and this as much as may be in the beginning of your sickness. Forgive all who have in any way injured you, and ask pardon of those whom you have injured.

    5. Receive your sickness from the hand of God, with perfect resignation to His holy will, as a just punishment of your offences; frequently offer yourself up to Him, and beg that He will give you patience and sanctify your sufferings, and that He will accept all your pains and uneasiness, in union with the sufferings of your Saviour Jesus Christ, in deduction of the punishment due to your sins.

    6. Often get some friends to read to you such prayers as are most affecting and proper for your present condition, especially the penitential psalms, the litanies, acts of the love of God, of patience and resignation, etc.

    7. Have the crucifix, or a picture of Christ crucified, always before your eyes; think often upon His passion, hide yourself in spirit in His wounds, and embrace His feet with all the affection of your soul.

    8. Aim, as much as you can, at a penitential spirit during your sickness; often cry to God for mercy, and make frequent acts of contrition for your sins. St. Augustine used to say that no Christian, however innocent his life might have been, ought to venture to die in any other state than that of a penitent.

A Prayer Proper to Be Repeated Daily in Time of Sickness.

    O Lord Jesus Christ, behold, I receive this sickness, with which Thou art pleased to visit me, as coming from Thy fatherly hand. It is Thy will it should be thus with me, and therefore I submit; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May this sickness be to the honor of Thy holy name, and for the good of my soul. For this end I here offer myself with an entire submission to all Thine appointments, to suffer whatever Thou pleasest, as long as Thou pleasest, and in what manner Thou pleasest; for I am Thy creature, O Lord, who have most ungratefully offended Thee; and since my sins have a long time cried aloud to Heaven for justice, why should I now complain if I feel Thy hand upon me?

    But rebuke me not, O Lord, in Thy fury, nor chastise me in Thy wrath, but have regard to my weakness. Thou knowest how frail I am, that I am nothing but dust and ashes. Deal not with me, therefore, according to my sins, neither punish me according to mine iniquities; but, according to the multitude of Thy most tender mercies, have compassion on me. Oh, let Thy justice be tempered with mercy, and let Thy heavenly grace come to my assistance, to support me under this my illness! Confirm my soul with strength from above, that I may bear with a true Christian patience all the uneasiness, pains, disquiets, and difficulties of my sickness, and that I may cheerfully accept them as the just punishment of my offences. Preserve me from all temptations, and be Thou my defence against all the assaults of the enemy, that in this illness I may in no way offend Thee; and if this is to be my last I beseech Thee so to direct me by Thy grace that I may not neglect nor be deprived of those helps which, in Thy mercy, Thou hast ordained for the good of my soul to prepare it for its passage into eternity; that, being perfectly cleansed from all my sins, I may believe in Thee, put my whole trust in Thee, love Thee above all things, and, through the merits of Thy death and passion, be admitted into the company of the blessed, where I may praise Thee forever. Amen.

Short Acts of the Most Necessary Virtues Proper to Be Inculcated in the Time of Sickness.

    Lord, I accept this sickness from Thy hands, and entirely resign myself to Thy blessed will, whether it be for life or death. Not my will but Thine be done: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

    Lord, I submit to all the pains and uneasiness of this illness; my sins have deserved infinitely more. Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right.

    Lord, I offer Thee all that I now suffer, or may have to suffer, to be united to the sufferings of my Redeemer, and sanctified by His passion.

    I adore Thee, O my God and my all, as my first beginning and last end; and I desire to pay Thee the best homage I am able, and to bow down all the powers of my soul to Thee.

    Lord, I desire to praise Thee forever, in sickness as well as in health; I desire to join my heart and voice with the whole Church of heaven and earth in blessing Thee forever.

    I give Thee thanks from the bottom of my heart for all the mercies and blessings bestowed upon me and Thy whole Church through Jesus Christ, Thy Son; and, above all, for having loved me from all eternity, and redeemed me with His precious blood. Oh, let not that blood be shed for me in vain!

    Lord, I believe all those heavenly truths which Thou hast revealed, and which Thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches. Thou art the Sovereign Truth, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived; and Thou hast promised the Spirit of Truth to guide Thy Church into all truth. " I believe in God the Father Almighty," etc. In this faith I resolve, through Thy grace, both to live and die. O Lord, strengthen and increase my faith.

    O my God, all my hopes are in Thee; and through Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, and through His passion and death, I hope for mercy, grace, and salvation from Thee. In Thee, O Lord, have I put my trust; Oh, let me never be confounded!

    O sweet Jesus, receive me into Thine arms in this day of my distress; hide me in Thy wounds, bathe my soul in Thy precious blood.

    I love Thee, O my God, with my whole heart and soul, above all things; at least I desire so to love Thee. Oh, come now and take full possession of my whole soul, and teach me to love Thee forever!

    I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ.

    Oh, when will Thy kingdom come? O Lord, when wilt Thou perfectly reign in all hearts? When shall sin be no more?

    I desire to embrace every neighbor with perfect charity for the love of Thee. I forgive from my heart all who have in any way offended or injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have in any way offended.

    Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out mine iniquity.

    Oh, who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to mine eyes, that night and day I may weep for all my sins?

    Oh, that I had never offended so good a God! Oh, that I had never sinned! Happy those souls that have always preserved their baptismal innocence!

    Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner; sweet Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me!

    I commend my soul to God, my Creator, Who made me out of nothing; to Jesus Christ, my Saviour, Who redeemed me with His precious blood; to the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified me in Baptism. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

    I renounce from this moment, and for all eternity, the devil and all his works; and I abhor all his suggestions and temptations. Oh, suffer not, O Lord, this mortal enemy of my soul to have any power over me, either now or at my last hour. Oh, let Thy holy angels defend me from all the powers of darkness!

    Holy Mary, pray for me.

    Holy Mary, mother of grace, mother of mercy, do thou defend me from the enemy, and receive me at the hour of death.

    O holy angel of God, who art my guardian, stand by me and assist me.

    O all ye blessed angels and saints of God, pray for me, a poor sinner.

Holy Communion as a Viaticum.

    When the priest has been called to give communion to a sick person, or to administer the last sacraments to the dying, care must be taken to have everything rightly prepared in the sick-chamber. In the first place, see that the room is clean and in perfect order.

    A table must be made ready and covered with a white linen cloth, on which should be placed two candles and a crucifix, and a glass of pure water from the spring or well, and if there is any holy water in the house place it near by, or at the door of the chamber. A clean white napkin should also be furnished to serve as a communion-cloth.

    When the priest arrives with the Blessed Sacrament, all should kneel and maintain the utmost reverence and quiet till the sick person's thanksgiving is finished.

Prayers Before Receiving the Holy Viaticum, or Communion in Sickness.

    O infinitely merciful Jesus, a great journey is before me, from this world to eternity. May Thy most holy will be done, my heart is ready. Yes, let me depart from this world, for so it pleases Thee.

    But what can I do without Thee, Thou Who art the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Without Thee I should perish of hunger and thirst on the way.

    Come, then, O merciful Jesus, before I die. Come, and delay not; strengthen me through the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar; strengthen me with Thy most holy flesh and blood, that by the power of this strong bread of angels I may attain to the view of Thy divine countenance.

    As the hart panteth after the fresh fountains of water, so my soul longs for Thee, O my God, Thou living fountain of all good. Oh, when shall I come and appear before Thy face? When shall my feet stand in Thy delightful tabernacles, in the house of my Lord?

    Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted? Hope in God. See! thy Beloved comes. He will come, strengthen thee, and take thee from the desert of this life to thy heavenly home.

    Ah, come, then, my Saviour! come, beloved Jesus, come, and tarry not too long! I desire to enjoy Thee as the true paschal Lamb before I die and depart.

    Come, O sweetest Jesus, come, and enter my heart, unite Thyself to me, remain with me, until I have overcome every thing, and have conquered death.

    Come, O Jesus, come, and lead me to the heavenly banquet in Thy Father's house! Prepare for me a dwelling there, as Thou hast promised, that I may be forever with Thee, and rejoice with Thee forever. Amen.

Prayers After the Holy Viaticum.

    Remain for some time silent, in quiet and sweet union with your beloved Saviour. Excite in your heart a lively faith in His personal presence. Breathe forth many sighs of gratitude and love to Him for all the temporal and spiritual blessings that He has bestowed on you during your whole life, but especially that He has so often fed you with His holy body, and has even granted you this last favor, to be your food and support on the way to eternity.

    O my dearest Jesus! I am now in possession of everything to complete happily my pilgrimage here on earth, for I possess Thee, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

    Thou art the Way, and wilt guide me safely to my heavenly home. Thou art the Truth, and wilt illuminate the darkness and the shadows of death. Thou art the Life, and art leading me to life eternal. For should I walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I fear no evils, for Thou art with me, my helper and protector!

    O crucified Jesus, Thou Who didst institute this holy sacrament for a memorial of Thy bitter passion, may the merit of Thy passion not be lost on me. Thou Who forgivest sins, purify me from every stain of sin, that I may appear entirely pure before Thee.

    Living Bread from heaven! support my weakness by Thy grace, that I may not yield in the last struggle; that my faith may not waver, my hope sink, and my love grow cold. O my most gracious Saviour, let this holy Viaticum be a pledge of my eternal salvation!

    Now, O Lord, let me, Thy servant, depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thee, the Saviour of the world, and my heart hath received Thee. Bless me, O Jesus! I will not let Thee go until Thou hast given me Thy holy blessing for my journey to eternity.

    O Jesus, Thou art my life, and death is my gain.

    O Jesus, my love, my God, my desire, my all!

Extreme Unction.

    The priest in administering this sacrament anoints the five principal senses of the body,—the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the lips, the hands and the feet,—because these may have been employed, during life, in offending God. At each anointing he pronounces these words: "By this holy unction, and by His own most tender mercy, may the Lord pardon thee whatever sin thou hast committed by thy sight, hearing," etc.

    The sick person should endeavor to prepare himself to receive this sacrament by acts of sincere contrition for all his sins, by great confidence in the tender mercies of his Redeemer, and by a perfect resignation of himself to the holy will of God.

A Prayer Before Extreme Unction.

    O Lord, Thou hast mercifully provided remedies for all our necessities; grant me Thy grace so to use them that my soul may receive all those good effects which Thou didst intend in their institution. I desire now to be anointed, as Thou hast commanded by Thine apostle; grant, I beseech Thee, that by this holy unction, and the prayers of the Church, I may partake of that spirit with which Christ suffered on the cross, for Thy glory, and for the destruction of sin. Give me true patience to support all the pains and trouble of my illness; give me an inward strength to resist all the temptations of the enemy; give me grace for the pardon of all my failings; give me that true light by which I may be conducted through the shadow of death to eternal happiness; and if my health be expedient for Thy glory let this be the means to restore it. Behold, I approach to this holy ordinance with a firm faith and confidence in Thy goodness, that Thou wilt not forsake me in this time of my distress, but that Thou wilt stand by me with Thy grace, and defend me from all evil, and prepare my soul for a happy passage.

    * My eyes have seen vanities, but now let them be shut to the world, and open to Thee alone, my Jesus, and pardon me all the sins which I have committed by my seeing.

    My ears have been open to detraction, profaneness, and unprofitable discourses; let me now give ear to Thy word, to Thy commandments, to Thy calls, and pardon me, O Jesus, all the sins which I have committed by my hearing.

    I have taken delight in the perfumes of this world, which are all nothing but corruptions; now let my heart and prayers ascend like incense in Thy sight, and pardon me, O Jesus, all the sins which I have committed by my smelling.

    My tongue hath in many ways offended both in speaking and tasting; now let its whole business be to cry for mercy, and pardon me, dear Jesus, all the sins which I have committed by words, or by excesses in eating or in drinking.

    My hands have been full of evil, they have wrought many follies, injurious to myself and to my neighbor; now let them be lifted up to heaven in testimony of a penitent heart, and pardon me, O Lord, all the sins which I have committed by the ill use of my hands.

    My feet have gone astray in the paths of vanity and sin; now let me walk in the way of Thy commandments, and forgive me, O Lord, all the sins which I have committed by my disordered steps.

    * While the priest is administering the sacrament to the sick person, one of the assistants may, before each anointing, read one of these short prayers, corresponding to the organ of sense that is next to be anointed, that it may be repeated by the sick person.

    Let my heart be now Thy temple, the temple of Thy Holy Spirit, and pardon me all the sins by which I have banished Thee from my heart, and defiled my soul.

    By this holy anointing, and the power of Thy grace, O God, forgive me all my sins, and convert my heart wholly to Thee, that I may cheerfully submit to death in punishment of my offences, and so enter into Thy eternal rest. Amen.

A Prayer After Extreme Unction.

    O my God, by Whom I have been created, redeemed, and sanctified, Who hast preserved me from many dangers, both of soul and body, Who hast nourished me with the adorable sacrament of Thy body and blood, and granted me the grace to receive the rites of Thy Church, in preference to so many others who are carried off by sudden death, for these and all other blessings which I have received from Thee I give Thee most humble thanks from the bottom of my heart. And I beseech the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all saints and angels, with me and for me, to give thanks unto Thee for all Thy mercies. To Thee I resign my heart. Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Receive me, O dear Jesus, in Thy mercy, into those loving arms which were extended on the cross for my redemption, and admit me into the embraces of Thine infinite charity. I desire not to be freed from my pains, since Thou knowest what is best for me. Suffer me never to murmur, but grant me patience to bear whatever Thou wilt, and as long as Thou wilt. Should it be Thy will to inflict greater punishments on my weak body and languishing soul than those which I now suffer, my heart is ready, O Lord, to accept them, and to suffer in whatever manner and whatever measure may be most conformable to Thy divine will.

    This one grace I most humbly beg of Thee, that I may die the death of the just, and be admitted, after the sufferings and tribulations of this transitory and sinful life, into the kingdom of Thy glory, there to see and enjoy Thee in the company of the blessed for a never-ending eternity. Amen.

Prayer in a Burial-ground.

    Hail, all ye faithful souls of Christ, may He give you rest, Who is Himself the one true Rest. May Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, Who for our salvation and for that of all mankind was born of the immaculate Virgin, and redeemed you with His precious blood, bless you, release you from your pains, raise you up in the day of judgment, and place you with His holy angels.