Blessing Sacramentals

[Akiliane]

Can you bless sacramentals using Holy water?

 

[grasscutter]

Only a Priest can bless sacramentals. Using holy water on yours won’t do any harm, however. But they won’t be “blessed”.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Only a Priest can bless sacramentals. Using holy water on yours won’t do any harm, however. But they won’t be “blessed”.

I believe deacons can bless a number of sacramentals as well.

 

[grasscutter]

I believe deacons can bless a number of sacramentals as well.

Oops! I should have researched better before I answered. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[4love2God]

grasscutter claims : "Only a Priest can bless sacramentals. Using holy water on yours won’t do any harm, however. But they won’t be “blessed”. "

Well, that is NOT necessarily True.
There are Blessings, and then there are BLESSINGS.

Any person can give a Blessing.
I personally “Bless” each of the people who come to a Daily Mass that I attend.
I say (to myself), "God bless you … God bless you … …
I have given each of those people a Blessing from God the Father (and the rest of the Trinity).

I have also personally blessed all of my Sacramentals.
So, they are all Blessed, in the sense of a non-Cleric doing the Blessing.

Also, I have received Blessing services from Nuns. She will bless my Rosary, for instance.
Or, when she comes to visit me in my house, she will Bless my entire house (thanks Sister).

Then, there is another class of Blessing.
A priest is empowered to give a Blessing to anything he wishes to Bless, including Sacramentals.
This is a Superior Blessing, i.e., worth MORE Spiritually than a Blessing from a non-Priest.

 

[tawny]

Can you bless sacramentals using Holy water?

In order for a Sacramental to be properly “Blessed” with Holy Water; it needs to be done by a Priest or Deacon.

 

[z_0101]

I support of 4love2God statements - let us take a look at:

USCCB > Prayer and Worship > Blessings (click here)People are accustomed to seeing bishops, priests, and deacons blessing objects or persons in the name of the Church. Indeed, “the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1669), often with the participation of the local parish community gathered in prayer. Whenever an ordained minister is present, he should be called upon to give the blessing.

**However, there are other blessings, like the ones contained in *Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, ***that can be prayed by anyone who has been baptized, “in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation” (Book of Blessings, no. 18). The blessings given by laypersons are exercised because of their special office, such as parents on behalf of their children

"

And there is a link in the above text that takes us to *Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, * where (this is an order page… so please take this in the context of academic exchange and not with the intent of promoting):

Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers (click here)
(…)

Bless the sacramentals that are part of the Catholic tradition like the advent wreath, Christmas crèche, Easter foods, and candles for the home
(…)
Bless the home before a move and in times of trouble
(…)

BTW: I have a stick of blessed chalk, blessed by the priest at Mass, and a bottle of holy water, and I have blessed the house following the ruberics given for such a blessing. What I found very interesting in those ruberics was… “If a priest is present, the following is said:” and “If a Deacon is present, the following is said:” along with “If neither a Priest or Deacon is present…”

So, there are certainly degrees of blessings… and I’ve never had Fr. upset with me when I’ve blessed him after a sneeze - his usual response is "Thank you… and bless you too… and watch out for the holy water, if it’s handy, he uses it!