The Minister of Extreme Unction

Since the remission of actual sins comes by extremeunction, and since the office of forgiving sins is proper to Christ’s priesthood, no lay person can administer thissacrament.

Nor can a deacon administer it. Scripture says (James5:14) with reference to extreme unction: “Is any man sickamong you? Let him bring in the priests of the church . ..”

The conferring of extreme unction is not reserved tobishops; this sacrament is regularly conferred by any priest withinthe parish or district assigned to his care by competentecclesiastical authority.