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Question
Rev. Father Bellon,
Maybe you remember me, I wrote to you years ago. In the meantime, I have become a transitional deacon. I wanted to ask you something I could not solve on my own.
In my diocese it is customary to “dilute” with other oil the holy oils blessed and consecrated by the bishop. Is it allowed? Doesn’t it make the matter invalid?
Thank you,
Fr. …
Priest’s answer
Dear Fr. …,
1. First of all, I am pleased that you have become a deacon of the Church.
It is a grace both for you and for the Church.
2. Coming to your question, it must be said that in the past the oil of the sick could only be blessed by the Bishop in the Chrism Mass or by another priest who was given this faculty from the Apostolic See.
The condition that the oil was blessed by the Bishop or by another authorized priest was considered necessary for the validity of the sacrament.
Thus, for example, D. Prümmer maintained in his Manuale theologiae moralis, III, 572.
3. Since the oil was blessed by the Bishop only once a year, it could happen that in the meantime it ran out.
In this case, the old Roman Ritual provided what I transcribe from the Latin: “At the moment (mox) in which the blessed oil is about to be lacking, more non-blessed olive oil is added, however in a smaller quantity. And this can also be done several times” (Title VI, 1, 3).
4. As can be seen, it was the necessity that suggested behaving in this way because otherwise the anointing of the sick could not have been carried out, with serious moral and spiritual damage to the faithful.
5. However, although the Ritual simply said non-blessed olive oil, some more narrowly meant “not blessed by the bishop”. So that the priest who added the oil had to bless it first.
Thus, for example, R. Lesage implied in his Dictionary of Roman Liturgy.
6. With the liturgical Reform desired by the Second Vatican Council, the legislation has become less restrictive.
In fact, we read in the Apostolic Constitution “Sacrament of anointing and pastoral care of the sick” at no. 21 “The oil used for the anointing of the sick must be blessed for this purpose by the bishop or by a priest who has the faculty, either from the law or by special concession of the Apostolic See. The law itself permits the following, besides a bishop, to bless the oil of the sick:
a. those whom the law equates with diocesan bishops;
b. in case of necessity, any priest, but only within the celebration of the sacrament. The oil of the sick is ordinarily blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday”. (“Pastoral Care of the Sick – Rites of Anointing and Viaticum”. The Roman Ritual Revised by Decree of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Counciland published by Authority of Pope Paul VI. Prepared by the International Commission on English in the Liturgy [ICEL] (A Joint Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences))
7. Therefore the previous practice has ceased.
So that when there is no oil blessed by the bishop at hand or when the oil is lacking, every priest is authorized to do the blessing.
And he blesses it on the spot according to the appropriate formula in the Ritual for the celebration of the Anointing of the Sick.
8. Therefore, the previous practice of adding other non-blessed oil, albeit in a smaller quantity, is repealed.
Especially since in the past the addition could only be made at the time of the celebration of the sacrament and not outside it.
I wish you well, I remind you to the Lord and I bless you.
Father Angelo
Translated by Chiara P.