HONG KONG (UCAN) -- Five priests in Hong Kong diocese have been appointed to anoint Catholic patients suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which had claimed 227 lives in the territory by May 14.

The five were assigned after the diocese polled local clergy in late April to ascertain which priests were willing to anoint Catholic patients in SARS or other wards. Since late March, SARS wards in public hospitals have been closed to visitors and visits to general ward patients have been discouraged.

Father Dominic Chan Chi-ming, a diocesan vicar general, told UCA News May 9 that 45 priests signed up to administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick to Catholic SARS patients in hospitals, but the diocese assigned only five to SARS wards. The other 40 have been asked to anoint Catholics in general wards.

According to Canon 1520 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Anointing provides "strengthening, peace and courage to overcome the difficulties that go with the condition of serious illness or the frailty of old age," and helps one overcome "the temptation to discouragement and anguish in the face of death."

Father Chan said that all 45 priests underwent three hours of training at Caritas Medical Centre on precautionary measures to be taken when visiting patients. After that training, the five were named for the special mission.

A hotline has been set up for Catholics to inform the diocese if someone in the hospital needs to be anointed. Father Chan also said that some hospitals allow the priests to enter restricted areas to anoint very sick Catholics.

The five appointed to enter SARS wards are Fathers Marciano Baptista, Joseph Chan Wing-chiu, Louis Ho Siu-keung, Benedict Lam Cho-ming and Simon Li Chi-yuen. Father Baptista is a Jesuit, the others are diocesan clergy.

All five told UCA News that they are ready to visit SARS-infected patients and are not worried about becoming infected with the virus. Father Baptista and Father Li became the first priests to act on their assignment on May 3 when they each went to a different hospital to visit a SARS patient.

Father Baptista told UCA News May 6 that he volunteered to go to SARS wards because he sees it as "an encouraging move for clergy to help SARS patients go through hard times in hospital." Furthermore, he said, he understands "the pain of Catholics who pass away without receiving the last sacrament."

The Jesuit noted that the SARS patient whom he visited had been requesting hospital authorities since early April to arrange for the anointing. He said that he took all precautionary measures before and after seeing the patient for just 10 minutes, including wearing a protective gown, a surgical mask and goggles. Accompanied by medical staff, he used a cotton-bud stick to anoint the patient without any body contact, he recalled.

Father Baptista said, "The patient likely could not recognize me as a priest since I looked like an astronaut." After returning to his Jesuit residence opposite the hospital, he added, he showered immediately. Thereafter, he avoided touching anyone and wore a protective mask all day long, he recalled. He admits he was fearful at first but did it knowing that "visiting patients in person gives greater support than just talking to them on the phone."

Father Li, parish priest of St. John the Baptist Mass Centre in Kwun Tong, Kowloon, told UCA News on May 5 that he anointed a SARS patient at Prince of Wales Hospital. He said that the patient had been hospitalized for seven days after suffering from high fever for eight days, but always remained conscious.

Father Joseph Chan, assistant pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Taipo, told UCA News on May 6 he had yet to anoint a SARS patient, a task that is "necessary" for him to do. He said, "I have not thought about the danger of being infected. We will follow the protection guidelines advised by doctors."

He also commented, "Medical workers have long been serving the community. I believe it is a very important mission for us to console the patients during this difficult time." He added that he regrets he could not visit and anoint a parishioner who recently died of SARS when hospital visits were discouraged.

Since April 24, SARS patients in isolated wards of two public hospitals have been able to "see" loved ones outside their wards via a free "Video Visit Service." Using an optical fiber broadband network and video telephony services installed on computers, the service enables patients to have "face-to-face communication" with their family through web-camera devices.

Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority has referred to coroners the deaths of the two medical workers from SARS with hopes that an inquest will be conducted.

Doctor Tse Yuen-man, 35, a Protestant specialist in respiratory diseases, and nurse Lau Wing-kai, 38, contracted SARS at a public hospital while trying to resuscitate a SARS patient. They died on May 13 and April 26 respectively.

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