Folia Theologica et Canonica 3. 25/17 (2014)
IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., Crystallization process of the ecclesiastical discipline regarding the sacrament of extreme unction and its canon law historical sources
CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL DISCIPLINE... 243 practice is built upon the healing and strengthening of the body and soul.101 This justifies the reception of the anointment - repeated even more times - in different illnesses. Therefore it is doubtless that one receives the anointment validly in the state of danger of death. The interpretation of “danger of death” for the valid administration of the holy anointment, its being immediate and mediate, became accurately explained during the centuries. In these specifications we find the mortal sicknesses; in war the space of time immediately before attack - either on the side of the attacker or on the side of the defensive; as well as voyaging, as opportunity capable of bringing about a circumstance of danger of death.102 But the real question is that the interpretation of the scope of danger of death in what sense is narrow or broad, for here the question is about the circumstance that pertains to the valid administration of this sacrament. It has never been and cannot even be a matter of dispute, that if the actual materialization of mediate danger of death is doubtful, the sacrament must be administered, for the most important purpose is the salvation of the souls. The effective Code of Canon Law confirmed this traditional conviction of the Church (Can. 1004)103 by the fact, that when mentioning the danger of death it does not require indispensably its being near and grave.104 This conviction however cannot be regarded as a new standpoint, for in its justification the main argument is a medical intervention and old age, as well as sicknesses appearing this time.105 These were mentioned also in the traditional literature - both to the Corpus iuris canonici and to the CIC (1917) - as generally adequate reasons for a well-founded administration of the holy anointment.106 Obviously, the sicknesses listed in the canonical manuals fundamentally reflected the given sickness’ contemporary curability and dangerousness. However, worthy of note is the principle ascertained by Conte A Coronata, that is, the holy anointment may be administered before all those medical interventions that tend to restore a somatic mutation.107 Among the named sicknesses was tuberculosis108, esuriency, chronic ap101 Conte a Coronata, M., Institutiones iuris canonici ad usum utrìusque cleri et scholarum. De Sacramentis, I. 600. 102 Cappello, F. M., Tractatus canonico - morális de sacramentis, III: De extrema unctione, 158. 103 Erdő, P., Egyházjog, 489. 104 Communie adone s 15(1983)213-215. 105 Zanetti, E., A chi conferire il sacramento dell’Unzione degli infermi, in Quaderni di diritto ecclesiale 9 ( 1996) 295-313. 106 Cf. Vermeersch, A. - Creusen, I., Epitome iuris canonici, II. 131. Conte a Coronata, M., Institutiones iuris canonici ad usum utriusque cleri et scholarum. De Sacramentis, I. 600-602. Cappello, F. M, Tractatus canonico - morális de sacramentis, III: De extrema unctione, 159— 164. Bánk J., Kánoni jog, II. 140. 107 Conte a Coronata, M., Institutiones iuris canonici ad usum utriusque cleri et scholarum. De Sacramentis, I. 601. 108 Conte a Coronata, M., Institutiones iuris canonici ad usum utriusque cleri et scholarum. De Sacramentis, I. 600.
