Blessing at Mass

[MistyF]

Since I’m still in RCIA, and cannot partake of Communion, I would like to go up to receive a blessing instead. I recently did this when I was visiting another parish, but I haven’t yet at my own, even though I go every Sunday, and have been since the spring. The reason is that I once read that only a priest should give the blessing, not a Eucharistic Minister. We have a really large church, and I would have to sit in one of the center two pews, instead of the outside, in order to be in the line that goes to the priest instead of the E.M. And, most of the E.M.s are women. We have a deacon but I’m not certain what the deal is there. Anyway - can someone point me to where the rules that outline this are? I think it might make me more comfortable that I’m doing the right thing to be able to read it mysef. Even if it says the E.M. is ok, I don’t feel comfortable with it, so I would stick with either the Priest or the Deacon, I think.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Only a priest (and in specific cases a deacon) may bless.

 

[palmas85]

MistyF:

Since I’m still in RCIA, and cannot partake of Communion, I would like to go up to receive a blessing instead. I recently did this when I was visiting another parish, but I haven’t yet at my own, even though I go every Sunday, and have been since the spring. The reason is that I once read that only a priest should give the blessing, not a Eucharistic Minister. We have a really large church, and I would have to sit in one of the center two pews, instead of the outside, in order to be in the line that goes to the priest instead of the E.M. And, most of the E.M.s are women. We have a deacon but I’m not certain what the deal is there. Anyway - can someone point me to where the rules that outline this are? I think it might make me more comfortable that I’m doing the right thing to be able to read it mysef. Even if it says the E.M. is ok, I don’t feel comfortable with it, so I would stick with either the Priest or the Deacon, I think.

I don’t know if it is still commonly done but we used to make what was called a spiritual communion. In the old days, a lot of people did not receive because they were aware of unconfessed sins. So the communion lines were usually shorter. Anyway, the procedure was that when communion started you would say a short prayer along these lines:

My Lord Jesus, I believe you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and long for you in my soul. Since I cannot receive you sacramentally now, please come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself totally to you. Please never permit me to be separated from you.

You did this kneeling of course at your place in the pews. I still do it if I am unable to confess prior to Mass.

Just a suggestion.

 

[Lorrie]

Why not just sit in the center pews so you can get blessed? I went up every Sunday morning for months and months (during RCIA) and got a blessing - even though receiving communion is the ultimate, a blessing is still extremely rewarding (or at least it was for me). Try sitting in the center pews (and making sure to get there early enough to get a seat in that area) you’ll be glad you did.

 

[Lorrie]

palmas85:

I don’t know if it is still commonly done but we used to make what was called a spiritual communion. In the old days, a lot of people did not receive because they were aware of unconfessed sins. So the communion lines were usually shorter. Anyway, the procedure was that when communion started you would say a short prayer along these lines:

My Lord Jesus, I believe you are in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and long for you in my soul. Since I cannot receive you sacramentally now, please come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself totally to you. Please never permit me to be separated from you.

You did this kneeling of course at your place in the pews. I still do it if I am unable to confess prior to Mass.

Just a suggestion.

And a great suggestion at that!

 

[marty1818]

Only ordained ministers may bless in the name of the Trinity, for example, May God Bless you in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Extraordinary ministers in my diocese may say something like May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you today and always, but it is not that same.

matt

 

[MistyF]

Thank you for that suggestion, palmas85. I will definitely do that when I cannot go up for the blessing from now on.

I do want to sit in the center pews, but I have 5 and 7 yr old boys, and the 5 yr old has ADHD, so sometimes I end up having to take him outside. But, the best way to get him to pay attention and behave is to sit close so he can see. (Plus I can’t hear in the back because of a hearing problem I have - it’s all muffled)

So, when my boys are with their father, I plan to sit in the center from now on. But, when they are with me, I either have to sit in the outer pews or in the back. I was actually going to try the center with them today, but my parish has donuts between the Masses, and so I let the boys go get one and we ended up finding seats 5 minutes before Mass began, instead of 30 minutes before as I had planned. LOL.

Another reason I’d like some sort of reference is that once upon a time this issue really bothered me, and I talked with one of my RCIA instructors about it. He said there used to be some other liturgical abuses that occurred but that he thought they’d all been cleaned up. He didn’t know about this “rule”, though. So, I’d like to show him.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

Wow Misty

Our parish ended personal blessings during communion three years ago just as I started RCIA and I have not seen them bless anybody recently. I guess if you did not know that they preferred not to bless they (the priest’s) would bless if you came up.