Blessed Religious Articles

[mullenpm]

I am wondering about using a Rosary or wearing a Crucifix that have not (to my knowledge) been blessed.

In this day it is increasingly difficult to find a Priest to bless newly-purchased religious articles. You must make a special request and meet the Priest after the Mass.

So, is it wrong to use a Rosary or Chaplet or wear a Crucifix that has not been blessed.

 

[stuart12]

no it is not necessary but it is good to enter into the prayer of the entire Church (in the case of a blessed rosary). nothing wrong to pray with an unblessed one: infact you can use your fingers.

 

[acadian]

Not wrong, but I’ve never had a problem having something blessed. I usually bring it to Mass and just show it to the priest. It takes him all of about 15 seconds to bless it. I’ve also known people to drop stuff off at the parish office for the priest to bless and then pick-up later.

I saw our pastor bless a man’s rosary one day after Mass and then request “say one for me”.

 

[kage_ar]

Same here, I’ve never had a difficult time in having an item blessed.

 

[nicolep]

The only thing that comes to mind is that you cannot obtain indulgences of religious items that haven’t been blessed. As others have mentioned, I just take it to Mass and ask the priest as I’m leaving.

 

[redrosetea]

I saw a place the seels rosaries on line that will have them blessed by the pope and medals too ,I think

Do you think they are telling the truth, blessings can’t be sold.?..they might get them blessed after you buy them, but it sort of seems like a racket…

 

[LilyM]

The only thing that comes to mind is that you cannot obtain indulgences of religious items that haven’t been blessed. As others have mentioned, I just take it to Mass and ask the priest as I’m leaving.

You can obtain the normal plenary indulgence (for saying five decades of the Rosary in a row either in a group or in a church, chapel or oratory) - on an unblessed Rosary. Or even without a Rosary at all and counting on your fingers etc. The indulgence is attached to the prayer and not the beads, blessed or unblessed.

There may be some other special indulgence attached to a blessed Rosary but I’ve never seen or heard such stated ANYWHERE apart from on here. I’d be very interested to know where you got this information from.

 

[nicolep]

You can obtain the normal plenary indulgence (for saying five decades of the Rosary in a row either in a group or in a church, chapel or oratory) - on an unblessed Rosary. Or even without a Rosary at all and counting on your fingers etc. The indulgence is attached to the prayer and not the beads, blessed or unblessed.

There may be some other special indulgence attached to a blessed Rosary but I’ve never seen or heard such stated ANYWHERE apart from on here. I’d be very interested to know where you got this information from.

I have two books about indulgences and they both state the item must be blessed. I don’t have them with me at the moment, but I’ll check it when I get home.

 

[nicolep]

You can obtain the normal plenary indulgence (for saying five decades of the Rosary in a row either in a group or in a church, chapel or oratory) - on an unblessed Rosary. Or even without a Rosary at all and counting on your fingers etc. The indulgence is attached to the prayer and not the beads, blessed or unblessed.

There may be some other special indulgence attached to a blessed Rosary but I’ve never seen or heard such stated ANYWHERE apart from on here. I’d be very interested to know where you got this information from.

I found the following from the Vatican’s Website.

n.17—The faithful who use with devotion an object of piety (crucifix, cross, rosary, scapular or medal) properly blessed by any priest, can acquire a partial indulgence.

I’m not sure where you learned that an unblessed rosary carried an indulgence. That’s the opposite of everthing I’ve read/heard. Here’s the link to the relevant page on the website.

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19670101_indulgentiarum-doctrina_en.html

It doesn’t go into the same details as my two books. I’ll still investgate that at home as I didn’t see any mention of the plenary indulgence attached to saying the rosary in a group.

 

[LilyM]

I found the following from the Vatican’s Website.

I’m not sure where you learned that an unblessed rosary carried an indulgence. That’s the opposite of everthing I’ve read/heard. Here’s the link to the relevant page on the website.

vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-vi_apc_19670101_indulgentiarum-doctrina_en.html

It doesn’t go into the same details as my two books. I’ll still investgate that at home as I didn’t see any mention of the plenary indulgence attached to saying the rosary in a group.

THE official handbook on ordinary (as opposed to one-off or special occasion) indulgences is called the Enchiridion - you can find it online at dominicanidaho.org/indulg.html

I draw your attention to par 48 (at dominicanidaho.org/indulg.html#Recitation%20of%20the%20Marian%20Rosary%20(Rosarii%20marialis%20recitatio )

"48. Recitation of the Marian Rosary (Rosarii marialis recitatio)

A plenary indulgence is granted, if the Rosary is recited in a church or public oratory or in a family group, a religious Community or pious Association; a partial indulgence is granted in other circumstances.
“Now the Rosary is a certain formula of prayer, which is made up of fifteen decades of “Hail Marys” with an “Our Father” before each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is accompanied by pious meditation on a particular mystery of our Redemption.” (Roman Breviary) The name “Rosary,” however, is commonly used in reference to only a third part of the fifteen decades.

The gaining of the plenary indulgence is regulated by the following norms:

1. The recitation of a third part only of the Rosary suffices; but the five decades must be recited continuously.
2. The vocal recitation must be accompanied by pious meditation on the mysteries.
3. In public recitation the mysteries must be announced in the manner customary in the place; for private recitation, however, it suffices if the vocal recitation is accompanied by meditation on the mysteries.
4. For those belonging to the Oriental rites, amongst whom this devotion is not practiced, the Patriarchs can determine some other prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (for those of the Byzantine rite, for example, the Hymn “Akathistos” or the Office “Paraclisis”); to the prayers thus determined are accorded the same indulgences as for the Rosary "

Note that it nowhere says in the above paragraph that you need use beads at all, let alone blessed beads - you simply need to vocally RECITE the prayers (which one can do by counting one’s fingers) and meditate under the stated conditions to gain the plenary indulgence.

The above is a separate indulgence entirely to the one for ‘using’ a blessed object. One can ‘use’ a blessed Rosary, for example, to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in which case one will receive the partial indulgence same as one would if one used it to say the Rosary. One would NOT, however, gain the plenary (complete) indulgence, which is only attached to recitation (beads or not) of the prayers which make up the Rosary.

 

[nicolep]

I originally posted something uncharitable. I’m changing it because I don’t want to go down that road. Both of my books were published with permission of the Apostolic See, plus…I posted a link to the Vatican’s website.

THE book you refer to isn’t the only book on Indulgences that can be published. Both of my books mention the same Norm you quoted. I was mistaken when I thought it carried over although I never said that the indulgence I was referring to was the plenary indulgence you mentioned.

 

[nicolep]

THE official handbook on ordinary (as opposed to one-off or special occasion) indulgences is called the Enchiridion - you can find it online at dominicanidaho.org/indulg.html

I draw your attention to par 48 (at dominicanidaho.org/indulg.html#Recitation%20of%20the%20Marian%20Rosary%20(Rosarii%20marialis%20recitatio )

"48. Recitation of the Marian Rosary (Rosarii marialis recitatio)

A plenary indulgence is granted, if the Rosary is recited in a church or public oratory or in a family group, a religious Community or pious Association; a partial indulgence is granted in other circumstances.
“Now the Rosary is a certain formula of prayer, which is made up of fifteen decades of “Hail Marys” with an “Our Father” before each decade, and in which the recitation of each decade is accompanied by pious meditation on a particular mystery of our Redemption.” (Roman Breviary) The name “Rosary,” however, is commonly used in reference to only a third part of the fifteen decades.

The gaining of the plenary indulgence is regulated by the following norms:

1. The recitation of a third part only of the Rosary suffices; but the five decades must be recited continuously.
2. The vocal recitation must be accompanied by pious meditation on the mysteries.
3. In public recitation the mysteries must be announced in the manner customary in the place; for private recitation, however, it suffices if the vocal recitation is accompanied by meditation on the mysteries.
4. For those belonging to the Oriental rites, amongst whom this devotion is not practiced, the Patriarchs can determine some other prayers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary (for those of the Byzantine rite, for example, the Hymn “Akathistos” or the Office “Paraclisis”); to the prayers thus determined are accorded the same indulgences as for the Rosary "

Note that it nowhere says in the above paragraph that you need use beads at all, let alone blessed beads - you simply need to vocally RECITE the prayers (which one can do by counting one’s fingers) and meditate under the stated conditions to gain the plenary indulgence.

The above is a separate indulgence entirely to the one for ‘using’ a blessed object. One can ‘use’ a blessed Rosary, for example, to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, in which case one will receive the partial indulgence same as one would if one used it to say the Rosary. One would NOT, however, gain the plenary (complete) indulgence, which is only attached to recitation (beads or not) of the prayers which make up the Rosary.

Both of my books were published with the permission of the Apostolic See. The book you mention is not the only book that has permission.

In any event, I agree that the Norm doesn’t require the item to be blessed. Although, the particular grant I had in mind does require a proper blessing and my original statement still stands. Both of the books I have (one by Catholic Book Publishing and the other by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) state the exact same Norm you quoted.

 

[LilyM]

Both of my books were published with the permission of the Apostolic See. The book you mention is not the only book that has permission.

In any event, I agree that the Norm doesn’t require the item to be blessed. Although, the particular grant I had in mind does require a proper blessing and my original statement still stands. Both of the books I have (one by Catholic Book Publishing and the other by The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) state the exact same Norm you quoted.

I stand by my statement - from the Decree which begins the Enchiridion:

“The Sovereign Pontiff, Paul VI – having received a report on the matter in an Audience granted on June 14 of the present year to the undersigned Cardinal, the Penitentiary Major – on the 15th day of the same month approved, and ordered to be held authentic, the new Enchiridion of Indulgences as published by the Vatican Press. **All general grants of indulgences, not included in this same Enchiridion, are hereby revoked. Revoked also are any ordinances concerning indulgences, not included in the Norms on Indulgences given below, whether in the Code of Canon Law, or in Apostolic Letters, even if issued “Motu proprio,” or in Decrees of the Holy See. **”

So the Enchiridion is indeed designed to be THE definitive list of indulgences, hence it revokes all previously decreed indulgences.

And clearly your books don’t contain the exact same norm if they state that blessed (or any) Rosary beads must be used, and if they don’t mention praying the Rosary in a group - and the line you did quote was from a separate norm altogether.

Do they perhaps date from before 1967? If they speak in terms of ‘days’ or ‘years’ then they are out of date in any event.

 

[nicolep]

Clearly it wasn’t the exact same norm if it stated that blessed (or any) Rosary beads must be used, and didn’t mention praying the Rosary in a group - and the line you did quote was from a separate norm altogether.

It was the same Norm. I was mistaken. I quoted the grant I had in mind during my original post.

 

[nicolep]

I was agreeing with you for the love of goodness! I didn’t mean to imply that my books required blessed Rosaries for that particular indulgence. I always meant that I had to look. When I did, I found the same Norm.

 

[Feedmysheep]

In this day it is increasingly difficult to find a Priest to bless newly-purchased religious articles. You must make a special request and meet the Priest after the Mass.

This is stupid. Flat out stupid.

Here’s my suggestion, for what it’s worth. Gather up everything in your house you’d like blessed- Bibles, rosaries, crucifixes, medals, wedding rings, candles, salt, baby Jesus from your nativity set, whatever. Put it in a box, either make your special request OR go to another parish, then after Mass, wait in line and ask Father if he can bless the whole lot of it. That way, you only have to make one request, and you’re done. I’ve done this before and other than a wry comment about “what an interesting collection of things” there was no problem.

I’m still puzzled over a priest insisting you make a special request for something to be blessed.

 

[Lepanto]

I saw a place the seels rosaries on line that will have them blessed by the pope and medals too ,I think

Do you think they are telling the truth, blessings can’t be sold.?..they might get them blessed after you buy them, but it sort of seems like a racket…

Blessed items can be sold…but the merchant can NOT charge extra because for something simply because it is blessed (that would be the sin of simony).

In other words, two identical rosaries (one blessed and one not blessed), must be sold for the same price.

 

[Ghoti]

Blessed items can be sold…but the merchant can NOT charge extra because for something simply because it is blessed (that would be the sin of simony).

In other words, two identical rosaries (one blessed and one not blessed), must be sold for the same price.

I thought blessed items could not be sold, *period *-- it would be simony. I thought they could only be given away, the only “charge” being postage and handling.

 

[LilyM]

I thought blessed items could not be sold, *period *-- it would be simony. I thought they could only be given away, the only “charge” being postage and handling.

Nope. As stated above, the object can be sold AS a mere object - a blessed Rosary is still a physical object containing physical materials, and it’s reasonable to charge for the materials and labour that went into it. As long as you charge the same as you would for an unblessed object. In any event a blessed object apparently loses the blessing when it’s sold, so it’s not like the blessing COULD be sold.

It’s a bit like the distinction between churches charging for expenses relating to weddings or baptisms - ie to cover the costs of the electricity, the cost of doing the paperwork, the instruction that needs to be given beforehand, the cleaning that needs to be done before and after, and so on - and selling the actual sacrament of baptism or marriage.

They are obliged to do weddings and baptisms free of charge for parishioners who genuinely can’t afford to pay anything, but there’s nothing immoral about charging to cover those incidental costs, and certainly nothing simoniacal (is that a word?) about doing so.

 

[Jonathan_Cid]

The other day I was thinking about the “rules” regarding dealing with sacramentals such as scapulars, statues, Rosaries, and so on. The answers for disposal of those when they are no longer useable are simple, however, I got to thinking about two other things people have blessed - their homes and their cars.

Any thoughts regarding the ethics of these? Moving out, selling your car?

Never mind, I got a good answer! When you sell an object that was blessed, you really are not selling the blessing as that would be simony, you are just selling the object. You sell the material, not the spiritual. The rules for disposal are different because it is yours and the intention of the blessing regarded you. In this way, someone could sell an object that was blessed, and the new buyer would have to take it to a priest if they wanted it blessed.