Blessings of everyone at the Mass

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Moore11

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At many Masses I have been to if certain people are being Blessed or recognized during the Mass then everyone at the Mass raises up their arm with palm down and “blesses” the people. The most recent example was at a Mass this Sunday when we also had the Anointing of the Sick. The priest asked everyone to extend their hands to Bless those who needed healing. Then everyone who needed the Sacrament came forward receive it from the Priest.
Which brings me to another question as well. Who is to receive the Anointing of the Sick?
  1. Should we all Bless with our hand a particular person in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
  2. Should we do this for others in Mass when asked to. i.e. A soldier or a religious ed teacher?
  3. What are the criteria for the Anointing of the Sick? A cold? something terminal? a backache? One of my children was helped through a serious and life threatening sickness from this sacrament and many months of Prayer. My wife was wondering if she should stand, have people pray over her and go forward to receive the sacrament for her hurt leg this Sunday. She decided not to but it made us wonder if there is some kind of direction for this.
 
Canon Law:

Can. 998 The anointing of the sick, by which the Church commends to the suffering and glorified Lord the faithful who are dangerously ill so that he may support and save them, is conferred by anointing them with oil and pronouncing the words prescribed in the liturgical books.

CHAPTER II : THE MINISTER OF ANOINTING OF THE SICK

Can. 1003 §1 Every priest, but only a priest,** can validly administer the anointing of the sick.**

§2 All priests to whom has been committed the care of souls, have the obligation and the right to administer the anointing of the sick to those of the faithful entrusted to their pastoral care. For a reasonable cause, any other priest may administer this sacrament if he has the consent, at least presumed, of the aforementioned priest.

§3 Any priest may carry the holy oil with him, so that in a case of necessity he can administer the sacrament of anointing of the sick.

CHAPTER III : THOSE TO BE ANOINTED

Can. 1004 §1 The anointing of the sick can be administered to any member of the faithful who, having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger of death by reason of illness or old age.

§2 This sacrament can be repeated if the sick person, having recovered, again becomes seriously ill or if, in the same illness, the danger becomes more serious.

Can. 1005 If there is any doubt as to whether the sick person has reached the age of reason, or is dangerously ill, or is dead, this sacrament is to be administered.

Can. 1006 This sacrament is to be administered to the sick who, when they were in possession of their faculties, at least implicitly asked for it.

Can. 1007 The anointing of the sick is not to be conferred upon those who obstinately persist in a manifestly grave sin.
 
That is helpful. I dont think the the rite was supposed to be preformed by the laity. Just rather a blessing. But that is actually my question that was not answered. Should the laity be asked to raise their hands in blessing individuals at Mass?
 
Whether or not the congregation is called to extend their hand in the manner you describe would depend upon the particular rite or blessing from the book of blessings. Some have the extension of hands in the rubrics and others do not.
 
1ke said:
Whether or not the congregation is called to extend their hand in the manner you describe would depend upon the particular rite or blessing from the book of blessings. Some have the extension of hands in the rubrics and others do not.
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Ok. So how do we know when it is being done properly. We are always asked to bless with hands extended. From healing to blessing the religious ed teachers or fathers or mothers on mothers day, to volunteers to people entering into the military. I dont mind it I just dont know if this mass extension of hands is always correct.
 
Moore11 said:
Ok. So how do we know when it is being done properly. We are always asked to bless with hands extended. From healing to blessing the religious ed teachers or fathers or mothers on mothers day, to volunteers to people entering into the military. I dont mind it I just dont know if this mass extension of hands is always correct.
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You know who is the chief liturgist of your parish? Your pastor.
 
thistle said:
I agree with you.
I don’t understand why some people rush to these forums to ask us for an answer they could get by asking the priest after Mass.
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Geesh. sorry.

I Thought that’s what this medium was about.

If you knew my parish, you would understand why I can’t ask.

Maybe you are right. I’ll just keep my head down.
 
Moore11 said:
At many Masses I have been to if certain people are being Blessed or recognized during the Mass then everyone at the Mass raises up their arm with palm down and “blesses” the people. The most recent example was at a Mass this Sunday when we also had the Anointing of the Sick. The priest asked everyone to extend their hands to Bless those who needed healing. Then everyone who needed the Sacrament came forward receive it from the Priest.
Which brings me to another question as well. Who is to receive the Anointing of the Sick?
  1. **Should we all Bless with our hand a particular person in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.**2) Should we do this for others in Mass when asked to. i.e. A soldier or a religious ed teacher?
  2. What are the criteria for the Anointing of the Sick? A cold? something terminal? a backache? One of my children was helped through a serious and life threatening sickness from this sacrament and many months of Prayer. My wife was wondering if she should stand, have people pray over her and go forward to receive the sacrament for her hurt leg this Sunday. She decided not to but it made us wonder if there is some kind of direction for this.
Click to expand...
Correct me if I am wrong, but the priest asking the laity to extend the hands is not a request to the laity to confer the blessing; it is a gesture of the laity praying in unison with the priest who is in fact conferring the blessing, then he alone is the minister of the anointing of the sick.

Is it the raising of the hands of the laity that is troubling?
 
Moore11 said:
…everyone at the Mass raises up their arm with palm down and “blesses” the people. … The priest asked everyone to extend their hands to Bless those who needed healing. … .
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here’s a link: ewtn.com/expert/answers/blessings.htm which in particular addresses EMHC blessings at Communion, but it is applicable in this instance as well.

fwiw, I never raise my hand to pray over or bless people. Click the link to read the entire article; in the meantime here’s a short version:

"… A blessing is a good conferred by a higher personage on a lower personage. All true blessings ultimately come from God, though they come through those whom He has placed over others.

In the family parents bless their children, as God has given them natural authority over their children.

In the Church spiritual blessings are conferred in God’s Name by those to whom He has given spiritual authority over His People. …

Since the laity do not possess spiritual authority in the Church they cannot confer blessings. …

So, the blessing of anyone by an [EMHC] at Communion time is a vain gesture, which does nothing for the recipient.

Furthermore, by a gesture which suggests priestly authority in a sacramental setting, it confuses the role of the laity and the ordained minister, something prohibited by the “Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests”.

by Colin B. Donovan, STL"
 
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