Studia Pastoralne
Rocznik Wydziału Teologicznego UŚ

JOHN PAUL II'S MORAL MESSAGE TO NURSES
This paper is addressed to nurses and healthcare chaplains. It is an attempt to establish a moral message to nurses from John Paul II's teaching that was carried out during his Pon-tificate. Among the sources that contributed significantly to the shape of this work are: an encyclical Evangelium Vitae, an Apostolic Letter Salvifici Doloris as well as many ad-dresses and messages to healthcare professionals. The present synthesis introduces John Paul II as the one highlighting the dignity of nurses (he goes as far as to say that the nursing profession is a vocation) and as the person who constantly stimulated healthcare workers, nurses included, to the general approach to patients involving the spiritual dimension of a human being. John Paul II spoke out forcefully and frequently for the sanctity of the human life. He called on nurses to care for every single patient, especially for the one who is feeble, disabled, elderly or the one who is in persistent vegetative state (PVS). He also recalled repeatedly our fundamental right and duty to raise an objection against all the actions that threaten human life.

THE SACRAMENT OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVEN’T REACHED THE USE OF REASON (AND FOR THE MENTALLY DISABLED FROM BIRTH).
Summary
Relying on the Code of Canon Law which states that „[t]he anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age” (CCL Can. 1004 §1), the author of the present article aims at proving that, from the theological point of view, there are no contraindications against administering this sacrament to seriously ill persons who, with all certainty, haven’t reached the use of reason and whose loved ones ask for it with faith. This problem concerns very small children and the mentally disabled from birth. On the basis of careful biblical, historical and theological analysis, it has become clear that the penitential dimension of Anointing of the Sick is not primary, and as such is not an obstacle to confer this sacrament on those who, having been baptized, have not reached the use of reason and do not bear the personal guilt. The act of faith, which is essential in all sacraments and which is required on the part of the recipients, can be realized through the fact that the sacrament is administered in an environment of faith surrounding ill children or the mentally disabled. The act of conferring this sacrament to them is a sign of their unity with Christ, crucified and risen, and will serve as a spiritual strengthening for their loved ones.