The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"438 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.St. "Chrysostora (fourth century) says Not : onlywhen they (the priests) regenerate us, but theyhave also power to forgive sins committed afterwards ;for he says Is :any man sick among you ;let him call in the priests of the Church, and letthem pray over him, anointing him with oil in thelname of the Lord.Pope Innocent I. (fifth century), in a letter toa bishop named Decentius, after quoting the words"of St. James, proceeds These : words, there is nodoubt, ought to be understood of the faithful whoare sick, who can be anointed with the holy oil,which, having been prepared by a bishop, may beused not only for priests, but for allChristians."aThe Sacramentary, or ancient Roman Ritual, revised by Pope St. Gregory in the sixth century,prescribes the blessing of oilby the bishop, and theprayers to be recited in the anointing of the sick.The venerable Bede of England, who lived in theeighth century, referring to the words of St. James,writes: "The custom of the Church requires thatthe sick be anointed by the priests with consecratedoil and be sanctified by the prayer which accompanies it." *The Greek church, which separated from theRoman Catholic Church in the ninth century, saysin its profession of faith "The seventh Sacrament:is Extreme Unction, prescribed by Christ ; for, aftei1 Lib. iii. de Sacerd.* Epist. xxv. ad Decentum.8Comment in locum.f \