Yes…and for several reasons. The members of a parish are a family of believers with the priest being the head of this spiritual family. Therefore, just as members of a nuclear family are made aware of one another’s illnesses or crises, so should your church family. In this way all can offer prayers, support, and help to comfort one another. It is also important to inform the priest so that the sacraments and various healing services of the Church can be administered. To not inform the clergy – whether because we think them too busy to come or feel that our illness is not worth the effort – is to deny the healing power of Christ’s Church; for as it says in the Epistle of St. James: “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayers of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.” (James 5:14-16)
Given this command, please make sure that you inform the clergy whenever you are going to have surgery or are to be admitted to the hospital so that we can visit and encourage you with prayer, both in the hospital and during services.
