All lay ministers who provide care to those who are sick, homebound, isolated, or suffering in some way will benefit from the contents of this book. It includes the official rites they will need from the Book of Blessings and Pastoral Care of the Sick: Rites of Anointing and Viaticum to bring Holy Communion to and pray and share the Gospel with those who cannot regularly worship with their parish community on Sunday.

These rites include:

• Communion in Ordinary Circumstances
• Communion in a Hospital or Institution
• Celebration of Viaticum outside Mass
• Orders for the Blessing of the Sick
• Order for the Blessing of a Person Suffering from Addiction or from Substance Abuse
• Order for the Blessing of a Victim of Crime or Oppression
• Order for the Blessing of Parents after a Miscarriage
• Visits to the Sick and to a Sick Child
• Pastoral Care of the Dying

To help you better with your ministry, this book also includes:

• The Gospel for Sundays and Holydays of Obligation
• New explanations of the readings
• List of patron saints for the sick and the suffering

This handbook is specially designed for the use of lay ministers of care, so it does not contain the rites for the Sacraments of Penance or the Anointing of the Sick, or the special prayers and blessings used by ordained bishops, priests, or deacons.