Question about religious items at time of death

Started by Reader, June 28, 2024, 06:27:36 PM

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Reader

June 28, 2024, 06:27:36 PM
A few weeks ago my dad died. He was at home on Hospice care and the day before he died he was conscious but couldn't speak or open his eyes. He seemed like he was hearing us though. He was very restless, trying to move around in the bed a lot. This went on all day, but the next morning he was surprisingly still alive and calm, so I put my St Michael statue and my rosary (it's a blessed 3rd class relic with a St Benedict medal in it) next to his bed. Within a couple minutes of that he died.

Does anyone know what benefit he may have gained, if any, by having those items near his bed? The timing coincidence has left me wondering.

Stubborn

#1
June 29, 2024, 04:57:47 AM Last Edit: June 29, 2024, 05:00:28 AM by Stubborn
First, I am sorry for the loss of your dear father and will offer prayers for him and you all. But what you did is a very Catholic thing to do, it's what Catholics do, among other things,  to keep the devil away. We place a rosary, scapular, statues, sprinkle holy water, pray etc. on one's death bed to keep the devil away at the dying person's most vulnerable hour.  Hopefully it was St. Michael who ushered your father into eternity because you placed his statue there!!
Even after a long life of sin, if the Christian receives the Sacrament of the dying with the appropriate dispositions, he will go straight to heaven without having to go to purgatory. - Fr. M. Philipon; This sacrament prepares man for glory immediately, since it is given to those who are departing from this life. - St. Thomas Aquinas; It washes away the sins that remain to be atoned, and the vestiges of sin; it comforts and strengthens the soul of the sick person, arousing in him a great trust and confidence in the divine mercy. Thus strengthened, he bears the hardships and struggles of his illness more easily and resists the temptation of the devil and the heel of the deceiver more readily; and if it be advantageous to the welfare of his soul, he sometimes regains his bodily health. - Council of Trent

drummerboy

#2
June 29, 2024, 05:26:04 AM
I hope he received the Last Rites
"O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting to Thy people victory over all their enemies, and by the power of Thy Cross preserving Thy commonwealth."

"Through the prayers of the Theotokos O Savior save us"

"I like grumpy old cusses.  Hope to live long enough to be one" - John Wayne

Reader

#3
June 29, 2024, 08:47:06 AM
Quote from: Stubborn on June 29, 2024, 04:57:47 AMFirst, I am sorry for the loss of your dear father and will offer prayers for him and you all. But what you did is a very Catholic thing to do, it's what Catholics do, among other things,  to keep the devil away. We place a rosary, scapular, statues, sprinkle holy water, pray etc. on one's death bed to keep the devil away at the dying person's most vulnerable hour.  Hopefully it was St. Michael who ushered your father into eternity because you placed his statue there!!

Thank you for the prayers and feedback Stubborn. I'd like to think St Michael was there to help him. He had been so restless the day before he died.

Reader

#4
June 29, 2024, 08:48:55 AM
Quote from: drummerboy on June 29, 2024, 05:26:04 AMI hope he received the Last Rites

He did. He was so restless and agitated the day before he died, I was concerned his death was coming faster than we thought, so I called the priest and he was there within 15 minutes. Dad died within 24 hours of his visit.

Stubborn

#5
June 29, 2024, 12:38:55 PM
Quote from: Reader on June 29, 2024, 08:48:55 AM
Quote from: drummerboy on June 29, 2024, 05:26:04 AMI hope he received the Last Rites

He did. He was so restless and agitated the day before he died, I was concerned his death was coming faster than we thought, so I called the priest and he was there within 15 minutes. Dad died within 24 hours of his visit.
Wonderful! You might enjoy reading this!
Even after a long life of sin, if the Christian receives the Sacrament of the dying with the appropriate dispositions, he will go straight to heaven without having to go to purgatory. - Fr. M. Philipon; This sacrament prepares man for glory immediately, since it is given to those who are departing from this life. - St. Thomas Aquinas; It washes away the sins that remain to be atoned, and the vestiges of sin; it comforts and strengthens the soul of the sick person, arousing in him a great trust and confidence in the divine mercy. Thus strengthened, he bears the hardships and struggles of his illness more easily and resists the temptation of the devil and the heel of the deceiver more readily; and if it be advantageous to the welfare of his soul, he sometimes regains his bodily health. - Council of Trent

Reader

#6
June 29, 2024, 04:08:53 PM
Quote from: Stubborn on June 29, 2024, 12:38:55 PM
Quote from: Reader on June 29, 2024, 08:48:55 AM
Quote from: drummerboy on June 29, 2024, 05:26:04 AMI hope he received the Last Rites

He did. He was so restless and agitated the day before he died, I was concerned his death was coming faster than we thought, so I called the priest and he was there within 15 minutes. Dad died within 24 hours of his visit.
Wonderful! You might enjoy reading this!

Thank you! That was a good read and makes me feel better about the state of his soul.

The priest who came to the house was also glad I called when I did. He said people far too often wait until the very last moment, making it very difficult or even impossible to get to the person before they die.

james03

#7
June 29, 2024, 05:57:32 PM
Good son or daughter.  You kept the devil away with the religious items and you got your Dad Extreme Unction.  You can't do more than that.
"But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God (Jn 3:18)."

"All sorrow leads to the foot of the Cross.  Weep for your sins."

"Although He should kill me, I will trust in Him"

KreKre

#8
June 30, 2024, 01:16:55 PM
My condolences for the loss of your father. What you did for him was wonderful, he was very fortunate to have a child like you.
Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Bonaventure

#9
June 30, 2024, 02:25:58 PM
Quote from: Stubborn on June 29, 2024, 04:57:47 AMFirst, I am sorry for the loss of your dear father and will offer prayers for him and you all. But what you did is a very Catholic thing to do, it's what Catholics do, among other things,  to keep the devil away. We place a rosary, scapular, statues, sprinkle holy water, pray etc. on one's death bed to keep the devil away at the dying person's most vulnerable hour.  Hopefully it was St. Michael who ushered your father into eternity because you placed his statue there!!

This.
Put not your trust in princes, in sons of men in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs he returns to his earth; on that very day his plans perish.

Reader

#10
July 01, 2024, 02:30:11 PM
Quote from: james03 on June 29, 2024, 05:57:32 PMGood son or daughter.  You kept the devil away with the religious items and you got your Dad Extreme Unction.  You can't do more than that.

Son in this case. Thank you and everyone for the feedback, prayers, and condolences. Makes me feel better about my dad and how I handled this. I hoped I was doing the right thing with the St Michael statue and my rosary, but when my dad passed only minutes after I placed them near his bed, I wondered if there was a connection. Sounds like there probably was.
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