The Anointing of the Sick

When I was around 20 years old, I was far from God. I was educated at a Jesuit school in Piura, Peru, and received a good spiritual formation. But for many reasons, university changed me. Later, I met my wife, Chela, and after our marriage in 1976, I began reading Norman Vincent Peale’s books. “The Power of Positive Thinking” had a profound impact on me in the late 1970s. These books have helped me change my way of thinking, and my relationship with God has improved. I had always felt disconnected from Him until a few years ago.

The advice Dr. Peale gives his readers resonated with me, but the problem was that I didn’t practice what he recommended. Reading his books brought me happiness quickly, but later, when problems arose, my faith soon faded. The same thing happens in the parable of the sower in the Bible when the seed doesn’t fall on good soil.

It was a few years ago that my real transformation began. This happened because I started memorizing Bible verses and positive thoughts. I repeated this list of thoughts during my daily walk. Amazing! The change came quickly, and God’s peace was near; I was happier and had more faith.

My daughter got married in 2007. A few months later, I had a blood test. Then my family doctor called and told me I had some kidney problems. He referred me to a specialist who explained the situation. My kidney function would begin to decline until I would need dialysis or a transplant. This affected me. The specialist continued to check on me every six months, and my kidney wasn’t doing too badly. My creatinine, which is the element that monitors how well the kidney is working, remained stable.

There were times when I was depressed about this situation. Knowing what would happen to me in the near future was my nightmare. My wife told me she would give me her kidney if necessary. But I thought hers wouldn’t be a match for mine. Many things were on my mind during that time.

At one of my doctor’s appointments, he told me my creatinine was high, and she was concerned about it. She made some changes to my medication. This situation with my kidney affected me again. Thinking that the end was near kept me in shock.

During that time, while reading the Bible, I came across a passage in James 5:14-15 that says, “If any of you is sick, you should call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well…” This refers to a sacrament. After reading it, I decided to receive this sacrament, which is called “The Anointing of the Sick” or “The Last Rites.”

With this in mind, I approached Father Williams at St. Peter and St. Paul Parish in Mississauga, Ontario. I asked him to give me the sacrament, and he proceeded to do so. I felt relaxed, but nothing happened. A few months later, at an appointment with my doctor, she was surprised to find that my creatinine levels were normal. She thought the lab had made a mistake and that my results belonged to someone else. She told me that at the next appointment, we would learn the truth about my situation.

Another six months passed, and my blood test showed that my kidney was functioning perfectly. I left the office happy. At that moment, the sacrament that Father Williams had given me came to mind. I thanked God profusely for this miracle. When I spoke to my family and friends about this miracle, they listened, but they couldn’t grasp how great it was.

After this, my life continued as usual, but I began repeating Bible verses and positive thoughts daily. This practice was increasing my faith in God. He was very close to me. This repetition has the same power as prayer.

One day I woke up with severe pain in my back and left leg. I thought it would be over soon. The next day, the pain was still there. It continued for several days after that. My family doctor recommended tests on my spine and a check of the circulation in my legs. The tests showed nothing unusual. For a few days, I felt completely unwell due to the immense pain. I was truly desperate.

At that point, I decided to ask Father Francesco from the same parish to administer the Anointing of the Sick. After receiving it, I felt a great sense of relief. Despite this, the pain persisted for several days, and my frustration continued.

My family doctor prescribed strong medication, including morphine, but it didn’t help. After several months of intense pain, one day in the emergency room at the Mississauga hospital, a doctor recommended the Spine Center, which was part of the hospital. I called to make an appointment and went to the center.

I was looking for help.

At the appointment with the doctor at the spine center, he examined me and touched my back many times, and told me I needed physical therapy to feel better. I left the room not very happy and resigned to having that pain.

The same day, four hours after this appointment, I felt better. No pain. My wife told me that without pain, I didn’t need to take the medication. I followed her advice and had no pain that night. The pain disappeared over the next few days. Since that day, the sciatic pain hasn’t returned. In 2020, I had another bout of sciatica, which I’ll talk about later.

Being so surprised to feel so good, I made an appointment with the same doctor. He told me he didn’t understand why the pain had gone. He suggested it might have been when he touched my back with his fingers and moved a nerve. I knew the anointing was the reason for the healing of my back and leg. I thanked God for this new miracle. God is great.

Many people complain of back and leg pain. There’s a lot of advertising for solutions, and many promise something that doesn’t cure. It’s all good business, and many people buy it because the pain is almost unbearable. These companies spend a lot of money on advertising because they attract customers. But my healing came from God.

Days passed, and one day my brother Fernando, who lived in Alabama, told my brother Kiko and me that he had a lung problem and would need a lung transplant sometime soon. We were both worried about his condition. Knowing this, we decided to travel to Alabama to be with our brother before his surgery.

The trip to Alabama was at the beginning of April 2013. Kiko and I traveled with our wives and families. The idea was to have a family reunion, just like we had before. I spoke with Fernando and mentioned the Anointing of the Sick. One of my goals in traveling was to convince him to accept this sacrament.

The three families were happy to be together, always anxious about the transplant that needed to be done. At one point, I asked Fernando if he wanted to receive it, and he agreed, but I felt he had many doubts. His fear was that this sacrament is given at the end of life, but I told him about my experiences with my kidney and my back. And as a doctor, he knew everything I had gone through with my kidney and my back.

After Mass on Saturday, I spoke with the priest about our intention, and he told me to be at the church the following Monday. The three of us went, and Fernando received the anointing of the dead. He was very moved by the experience.

In the following days in Alabama, we saw that his illness had progressed and that the transplant would have to be done soon. We said goodbye to Fernando and returned worried about his health.

Ten days after we left, Monica, his daughter, told us that he had been called to the hospital because a lung had become available. That day, the lung was used for another patient who was in a worse condition than him. A week later, the same thing happened: the lung was given to someone else. A few days later, Fernando told us that his illness was progressing, and he, as a doctor, knew his time was short.

He was using an oxygen tank. At first, only one was needed, but later, more than one was required. One day, he fainted, and an ambulance took him to the hospital. There, his doctor told the family that a transplant was urgent. He couldn’t leave the hospital until the operation was performed. Monica kept us informed every step of the way. She asked for prayers for her father through Facebook.

I remember reading on Facebook how many people were praying for him in English and Spanish. Four hours later, a lung became available, but the doctor first had to determine if it was a match. Two hours later, the doctor said the operation would be at 9:00 p.m. More prayers were requested, and many people on Facebook prayed for him. The operation took four hours and was without complications.

The following days were suspenseful. His recovery took four weeks, and then he was discharged.

The three of us siblings have always talked online for 20 years. It was incredible to see Fernando talking as if nothing had happened. He had some problems, but everything was going well. The doctors recommended he be careful, like anyone who has a transplant. Thank God for this miracle for my brother. He was able to live eight more years. Due to COVID, my brother got sick, and his diseased lung couldn’t withstand the illness. It was a great pain for us to see him go, but we had to accept God’s will.

In February 2016, a friend, Eduardo Valdés, was diagnosed with tongue cancer. I convinced him about the Anointing of the Sick. He received it that same February at the parish.

Our Lady of Lourdes Church in downtown Toronto. I realized he didn’t have much faith in this sacrament. My friend passed away in April 2016. I was with him for the last three months of his life. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2016.

Before my surgery in June 2016, I asked the same priest for the anointing of the sick. A few months passed, and my PSA, a cancer marker, rose. Then, my oncologist, Dr. Andrew Loblaw, recommended radiation therapy. Seeing this, I asked the same priest for the anointing again, which I received in February 2017. My radiation was in March 2017. I also underwent hormone therapy at the same time. Since then, my PSA has remained stable. So much so that in 2018 I created a Facebook page called “Helping People with Cancer.” Thank God, I feel very well. I get a PSA test every year as a checkup. I also have a website to help people with cancer. This is www.successwc.sidequest.pe

The last time I received the Anointing of the Sick was on November 6, 2024. The priest was Father Van from St. Catherine of Siena in Mississauga. I started experiencing sciatica for the second time in 2020, and in July 2024, I had leg fatigue and lower back pain. These pains were constant and worried me. I felt unwell. Because I have great faith in this sacrament, I asked the priest, and he granted it to me.

In September 2024, I began physical therapy classes with Mrs. Menaga from MUV in Streetsville, Mississauga. As of January 10, 2025, the classes are still ongoing. Thank God, the sciatica, back pain, and leg fatigue are subsiding. I have improved by about 80%. It’s important to note that I have spinal stenosis, and this condition worsens in cold weather. Thanks be to God and Menaga, I feel much better.

These six stories of anointing were accompanied by prayer. One prayer was Philippians 4:6-7, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

And of course, also Mark 11:24, which says, “I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

The sacrament of the anointing of the sick helps when people pray with great faith, a faith that moves mountains, as Jesus said, and when the one who receives it believes in the effectiveness of this sacrament. The results will always be achieved if it is God’s will. And God always desires what is best for us.