As part of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, Bishop Alfred Schlert has been celebrating Masses across the Diocese of Allentown, offering the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick – one of the Church’s most powerful gifts of healing, comfort, and grace.
A Jubilee Year—held only once every 25 years—is a sacred milestone in the life of the Church. It invites the faithful into renewal, deeper formation, and the reception of special indulgences. At its heart, it is a global celebration of God’s mercy: a call to strengthen our faith, a reminder of His unfailing love, and a witness that Christian hope shines even in life’s most difficult moments.
On Sept. 7 the community of St. Catharine of Siena, Reading welcomed Bishop Schlert for the 11:30 a.m. Mass and the Sacrament.
Father Brian Miller, Pastor, warmly welcomed all participants and expressed heartfelt gratitude to Bishop Schlert and to the faithful gathered. He extended special thanks to members of his pastoral staff—Father Van-Vien Nguyen and Deacon John Stapleton—as well as to Father John Pendzick, Parochial Vicar at St. Ignatius Loyola, Sinking Spring, and Father Matthew Kuna, Campus Chaplain at Berks Catholic High School, Reading, for their generous support and active participation.
Bishop Schlert’s homily highlighted the hope offered by the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. “The Anointing of the Sick is for those who are ill—physically ill—for those who are awaiting surgery, for those whose health is in decline, and for those who may be suffering mental, psychological, or spiritual struggles,” he explained. “The Anointing of the Sick is not limited to a near-death experience. It is for so many of us, and the Church offers it generously.”
Bishop Schlert emphasized the unity and strength of the sacramental life, especially when the Anointing of the Sick is joined with Penance and the Eucharist: “We have anointing to help us in our infirmities, whatever they are; the Sacrament of Penance to help us with our sinfulness, which is also an affliction; and the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which nourishes us and gives us strength. Whether we’re sick or healthy, the Sacrament of the Eucharist—Jesus’s Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—is our greatest strength.
“So, if you're receiving those two Sacraments today (the Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist), and you're physically able, please, at the earliest opportunity, also receive that third Sacrament, the Sacrament of healing of our sins, the Sacrament of Penance. They all go together, and in God's wisdom and in the beauty of the sacramental life of the Church, we see how they all fit together.”
He also explained that because the Anointing of the Sick is often celebrated privately in hospitals, nursing homes, or individual sickrooms, many people rarely witness it. However, the Church also permits the celebration of this Sacrament publicly within the Mass.
On this occasion, the Bishop and the priests moved prayerfully among the congregation, anointing those who sought the Sacrament with the Oil of the Sick. They marked the Sign of the Cross on each person’s forehead and the palms of their hands while invoking the sacred prayers of healing.
“I’m just happy to provide a service for the Diocese and for the county,” said Father Miller. “This church is big enough to host an event like this—a liturgy where many people from parishes throughout Berks County come to receive the Sacrament of the Sick.”
For him, the heart of the celebration is rooted in prayer and Christ’s ministry of healing: “Together, we are praying for all these people. A big part of Jesus Christ’s ministry is the healing of the sick and [offering] grace. For me, it’s about exercising my priesthood and offering it for so many who are in need. I’m honored to do it.”
Photos by Waldo Alvarado.
Copy Permalink
