Anointing of the sick.

A non-Catholic reader asks for links and information about the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick:

• A good overview is here, on the website of the Archdiocese of Boston. 
• Another is here, with the caveat that the writer (in my opinion) doesn’t stress enough that the sacrament is reserved for the seriously ill and not for "all who suffer from any illness."
• The relevant section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is here. 
• A tract that demonstrates from the writings of early Christians and from Scripture the antiquity of the sacrament is here. 
• Some pastoral guidelines are here.

How is Anointing of the Sick related to so-called "Last Rites?"   The answer is that anointing is one of four sacraments that may be part of Last Rites.  Catholics have seven sacraments in all: 

1. baptism
2. confirmation
3. penance, a.k.a. confession, a.k.a. reconciliation
4. the Eucharist, a.k.a. Holy Communion
5. Holy Matrimony, a.k.a. marriage
6. Holy Orders, a.k.a. ordination (to the diaconate, priesthood, or episcopate)
7. anointing of the sick.

Last Rites includes as many sacraments as are both necessary and possible:  penance, confirmation if not yet received, Eucharist, and anointing.    It is not available to those who have already died; there is a rite of "prayers after death," sometimes confused with Last Rites, but this is not a sacrament.  However, if it is unclear whether the person has died yet, anointing is called for.

Last Rites may be administered to properly baptized non-Catholics (in other words, those ineligible for baptism because they have already received that sacrament) "provided they manifest Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed."  (Canon Law 844).  Anyone who is eligible for baptism and desires baptism should be given it. 

Only priests may administer the anointing of the sick.  Any person may baptize in an emergency.