Eucharist and Last Rites II
How should each of us prepare for a Holy death?
There are three levels of preparation: Remote, Proximate, and Immediate Preparation. The purpose of these three levels is this: being a realist by facing every day one’s mortality and thereby affirming the vital need to remain in a state of sanctifying grace.
Our own Remote preparation for a holy death [when we are healthy and well]:
Morning and Night Prayer.
Examine your conscience & make an act of contrition every night.
Daily Meditation of 15 minutes minimum.
Confession: once a month as a minimum.
Devotions to Our Lord in the Eucharist, the Divine Mercy, and to Our Lady and the Saints.
Sorrow for sin expressed by fasting on Fridays.
Mass every Sunday, Holydays of obligation and a weekday Mass.
One of the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy every week as minimum: vary them week to week.
Masses to be offered for others who have died, starting with family, relatives, friends, priests and parishioners.
Follow the Precepts of the Church [Catechism 2041-2043] and tithe your time by an Act of Service in the parish.
Life Confession: once per year make an appointment with priest or spiritual director to make a comprehensive confession of all your past sins.
Our own Proximate preparation for a holy death:
Sorrow for sin expressed with prayer and fasting.
Reconciliation with family, relatives and friends & enemies.
Putting your affairs in order by making a Will that is just to family members, benefactors and friends.
Your last act of service is to be a benefactor of the parish by giving a Tithe of your Will to the parish [10% of value of your total Will to go to the parish for the future life and work of the parish].
Our own Immediate preparation for a holy death:
Last Rites: Confession - Apostolic Pardon - Sacrament of Sick - Eucharist as Viaticum [see the article titled ‘The Eucharist and the Last Rites I’].
Last Testament and Will: see about Will above; Testament is what we prayerfully say to our loved ones what God wishes us to say to each of them before we go to God.
How should we help the dying prepare for a Holy Death?
Call the priest to perform the Last Rites and make sure the priest does the Apostolic Pardon!
Have Masses offered for the dying.
Ask fellow parishioners to pray for them.
Gather around the bed to help the dying to turn from this world and towards the Lord by:
Put out Sacramentals for the Last Rites: A lighted candle, crucifix, Holy water, blessed salt on a white cloth.
Pray the Prayers for the dying & Litany of the Saints
Pray the Rosary & the Divine Mercy together.
Say an act of contrition near the ear of the dying when they are unconscious.
Bless with Holy water the 4 corners of the bed and bless the loved one.
What to do immediately after the death of a loved one?
Pray the Rite for the Prayers for the dead including Litany of the Saints.
Bless the body with Holy Water make a sign of the cross 3 times with blessed salt on their forehead and say: ‘Go Forth Christian Soul, in the name of the Father+ and of the Son+ and of the Holy Spirit+. Amen.’