Blessing ashes at home

[richiejm3]

In the book The Year and our Children by Mary Reed Newland it says “Until a few years ago, we did not know that it was proper, if the family could not get to church on Ash Wednesday, to burn the previous year’s blessed palms at home, read the blessing of the ashes, sprinkle them with holy water, and use them as a sacramental. This is not the same as having a priest bless them, but it is an acceptable substitute.”

Is this right? can I do this? Everything else that I’ve read says that the blessing can only be said by a priest or decon. Maybe I can read the blessing but obviously it wouldn’t hold the same authoritive blessing of the church. Any (name removed by moderator)ut on this would be appreciated, as my family and I are all ill and could not get out to recieve ashes to day.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The Roman Missal has the Ash Wednesday ashes blessed by a priest.

In the USA they can be blessed outside of Mass, following the ceremony in the Book of Blessings, Chapter 52. It has “1659 … The blessing of the ashes, however, is reserved to a priest or deacon.” (Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page 621).