Health communication in times of crises: Catholic Priests' perspectives on Anointing of the Sick.

The present study examined the Anointing of the Sick (AOS), one of the Roman Catholic Church's sacraments, administered when individuals are in poor health, facing a major medical procedure, and/or facing death. As recovery is unknown at the time tie of AOS, we studied AOS as a final conversation (FC; Keeley, 2004, 2007, Keeley & Generous, 2017). Based on surveys from US Priests, primarily located in the Northeast, we identified the FC topics discussed between Priests, families, and the sick/dying during AOS. Findings underscore the significance of studying EOL communication in the Catholic Church and its applicability in Priestly formation. This work informs Keeley's FC theme of messages of religious faith/spiritual beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]