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In my ministry with the dying, I have often witnessed how, when death is looming, the warmth and contact of a held hand can communicate deeply where words fail. The laying of hands and, more specifically, physical touch at the end of life, holds special significance for many cultures because to touch is to reassure. At these times, I administer a set of ancient prayers and rituals that includes laying my hands on the dying person, anointing them with oil, reciting prayers for the dying and those they are leaving behind, reading Scripture and, if the person is conscious, giving them Holy Communion, which Catholics believe is truly the body and blood of Christ.īut central to caring for the dying is touch. I have ministered to well over 150 people, from children to centenarians, in their final moments. Ramirez has pleaded that this represents an infringement upon his religious liberty.Īs a Catholic priest, ministering to the dying is at the core of my job. Texas policy allows an approved spiritual adviser to be present in the execution chamber, but there cannot be any physical contact or vocal prayers during the execution. Ramirez was convicted and sentenced to death for a 2004 robbery and the killing of a convenience store clerk in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Supreme Court blocked John Henry Ramirez’s execution in September, about three hours after he could have been executed. 9, 2021, in a case regarding a death row inmate’s plea that his Baptist pastor be allowed to lay hands on him in the execution chamber.