purpose of
bringing them back to a better way of living, and in that case their
sickness is for them a great mercy from God, who might have allowed them
to continue in sin till His judgments and condemnation came suddenly
upon them.

274 Q. Which are the effects of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?
A. The effects of Extreme Unction are: first, to comfort us in the pains
of sickness and to strengthen us against temptations; second, to remit
venial sins and to cleanse our soul from the remains of sin; third, to
restore us to health when God sees fit.

*275 Q. What do you mean by the remains of sin?
A. By the remains of sin I mean the inclination to evil and the weakness
of the will, which are the result of our sins and which remain after our
sins have been forgiven.

"Remains of sin"--that is, chiefly the bad habits we have acquired by
sin. If a person does a thing very often, he soon begins to do it very
easily, and it becomes, as we say, a habit. So, too, a person who sins
very much soon begins to sin easily. This Sacrament therefore takes away
the ease in sinning and the desire for past sins acquired by frequently
committing them.

*276 Q. How should we receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?
A. We should receive the Sacrament of Extreme Unction in a state of
grace and with lively faith and resignation to the will of God.

*277 Q. Who is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction?
A. The priest is the minister of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction.

The Sacraments that the priest administers in the house are the
Sacraments for the sick; namely, Penance, Viaticum, or Holy Communion,
and Extreme Unction. The other Sacraments may be administered there in
special cases of necessity. You should know what things are to be
prepared when the priest comes to administer the Sacraments in your
house. They are as follows: A small table covered with a clean white
cloth, and on it a crucifix and one or two lighted candles in
candlesticks; some holy water in a small vessel, with a sprinkler which
you can make by tying together a few leaves or small pieces of palm; a
glass of clean water, a tablespoon, and a napkin for the sick person to
hold under the chin while receiving; also a piece of white cotton
wadding, if the priest should ask for it.

Then you may have ready in another place near at hand some water, a
towel, and a piece of bread or lemon for purifying the priest's fingers;
but these things are not always nece