Blessings: Priestly and from laity

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atassina

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What is the fundamental distinction between a priestly (sacerdotal) blessing and a blessing the laity may give? What are the actual graces received as taught by the Church?

I find it a bit disconcerting when at Mass the congregration raises their hand(s) to bless a person along with the priest- for example, when sending off the extraordinary eucharistic minister to the home bound.
What say ye?
 
atassina said:
What is the fundamental distinction between a priestly (sacerdotal) blessing and a blessing the laity may give? What are the actual graces received as taught by the Church?

I find it a bit disconcerting when at Mass the congregration raises their hand(s) to bless a person along with the priest- for example, when sending off the extraordinary eucharistic minister to the home bound.
What say ye?
Click to expand...
Catechism of the Catholic Church1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless.174 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).175

174 Cf. Gen 12:2; Lk 6:28; Rom 12:14; 1 Pet 3:9.
175 Cf. SC 79; CIC, can. 1168; De Ben 16,18.

1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."176

176 SC 61

Note: SC = Constitution Sacrosanctum concilium Modern Catholic Dictionary:BLESSING. As found in Scripture, it means praise, the desire that good fortune go with a person or thing, dedication of a person or thing to God’s service and a gift. In liturgical language a blessing is a ritual ceremony by which an authorized cleric in major orders sanctifies persons or things to divine service, or invokes divine favor on what he blesses. The Church’s ritual provides for over two hundred such blessings, some of which are reserved to bishops or members of certain religious institutes.

**ACTUAL GRACE. **Temporary supernatural intervention by God to enlighten the mind or strengthen the will to perform supernatural actions that lead to heaven. Actual grace is therefore a transient divine assistance to enable man to obtain, retain, or grow in supernatural grace and the life of God.
I believe the distinction between Papal, episcopal, presbyter, deacon, and laity is this, regarding the giving of blessings: The priest may give all blessings except those reserved to the bishops and Pope. Parents may bless their children, and deacons can give blessings as designated in church law. (Eastern Catholic deacons cannot give blessings per law.)

See this answer: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=122933
 
What I always wondered was if I could make the sign of the cross over someone as a way of blessings them.
 
Vico said:
Catechism of the Catholic Church1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless.174 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).175

174 Cf. Gen 12:2; Lk 6:28; Rom 12:14; 1 Pet 3:9.
175 Cf. SC 79; CIC, can. 1168; De Ben 16,18.

1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."176

176 SC 61

Note: SC = Constitution Sacrosanctum concilium Modern Catholic Dictionary:BLESSING. As found in Scripture, it means praise, the desire that good fortune go with a person or thing, dedication of a person or thing to God’s service and a gift. In liturgical language a blessing is a ritual ceremony by which an authorized cleric in major orders sanctifies persons or things to divine service, or invokes divine favor on what he blesses. The Church’s ritual provides for over two hundred such blessings, some of which are reserved to bishops or members of certain religious institutes.

**ACTUAL GRACE. **Temporary supernatural intervention by God to enlighten the mind or strengthen the will to perform supernatural actions that lead to heaven. Actual grace is therefore a transient divine assistance to enable man to obtain, retain, or grow in supernatural grace and the life of God.
I believe the distinction between Papal, episcopal, presbyter, deacon, and laity is this, regarding the giving of blessings: The priest may give all blessings except those reserved to the bishops and Pope. Parents may bless their children, and deacons can give blessings as designated in church law. (Eastern Catholic deacons cannot give blessings per law.)

See this answer: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=122933
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thanks for researching this for me. i am still unsure what specific blessing a priestly blessing confers. is this defined?
 
I’ve often wondered about this too. Many people argue that the laity shouldn’t be giving blessings, but my CHRP team coordinator said a blessing over us all when we got our commission for the upcoming retreat. She laid hands on us and everything. Was this wrong?
 
Allegra said:
I’ve often wondered about this too. Many people argue that the laity shouldn’t be giving blessings, but my CHRP team coordinator said a blessing over us all when we got our commission for the upcoming retreat. She laid hands on us and everything. Was this wrong?
Click to expand...
Yes, very. First, the “laying on of hands” is reserved to ordination. Second, the laity cannot actually bless except in very limited circumstances. Just because someone says something that sounds like a blessing, or makes a motion that resembles a blessing, doesn’t mean that any blessing was actually given.
 
Allegra said:
I’ve often wondered about this too. Many people argue that the laity shouldn’t be giving blessings, but my CHRP team coordinator said a blessing over us all when we got our commission for the upcoming retreat. She laid hands on us and everything. Was this wrong?
Click to expand...
Without knowing more specifics, yes. The laying on of hands is a very specific thing in the Church and is, to the best of my knowledge, reserved for things like ordination. Though I’m guessing there is a rite of blessing that covers an event like this, it shouldn’t have included this action.

Before people go jumping up and down (virtually, of course) that this women must have been trying to mimic a priest and you should run (not walk) to your Ordinary, I’m guessing she had really good intentions (if not the most advisable action).
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
Yes, very. First, the “laying on of hands” is reserved to ordination. Second, the laity cannot actually bless except in very limited circumstances. Just because someone says something that sounds like a blessing, or makes a motion that resembles a blessing, doesn’t mean that any blessing was actually given.
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Maybe it wasn’t meant to be a blessing than, just a blessing-like prayer. I find it hard to believe that the CHRP program would recommend doing something illicit. I wonder if the CHRP leader was doing what was written in the book or if she took liberties with it. Perhaps I should ask one of our priests about it.
 
929dad said:
Without knowing more specifics, yes. The laying on of hands is a very specific thing in the Church and is, to the best of my knowledge, reserved for things like ordination. Though I’m guessing there is a rite of blessing that covers an event like this, it shouldn’t have included this action.

Before people go jumping up and down (virtually, of course) that this women must have been trying to mimic a priest and you should run (not walk) to your Ordinary, I’m guessing she had really good intentions (if not the most advisable action).
Click to expand...
Oh, I’m sure she wasn’t intentionally trying to be like a priest. Her job is to give each member of the formation team their commission (special job) for the upcoming retreat. The idea is that she thanks God for the gifts that person has been given and prays that God will guide them to help the women on the retreat.
 
Rhuarc said:
What I always wondered was if I could make the sign of the cross over someone as a way of blessings them.
Click to expand...
I am not sure this would be okay. But saying, “May God bless us,” is fine. Unless, of course, one is in the presence of a priest, in which case it would likely be more seemly to allow it to be reserved to him.
 
atassina said:
I find it a bit disconcerting when at Mass the congregration raises their hand(s) to bless a person along with the priest- for example, when sending off the extraordinary eucharistic minister to the home bound.
What say ye?
Click to expand...
We bless our food, often in public. How much better to bless the men and women bringing the Bread of Life to the sick and the dying. I am sometimes disconcerted that I am not standing among them.
 
YoungTradCath said:
I am not sure this would be okay. But saying, “May God bless us,” is fine. Unless, of course, one is in the presence of a priest, in which case it would likely be more seemly to allow it to be reserved to him.
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Well I can wait until I am ordained if that is the case. Ohhh but when I am LOOK OUT! Everything within a 5 mile radius of my body will be blessed.
 
Stylites said:
We bless our food, often in public. How much better to bless the men and women bringing the Bread of Life to the sick and the dying. I am sometimes disconcerted that I am not standing among them.
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That’s not the implied question I am asking. Here try this: Does the laity have the authority to bless a extraordinary eucharistic minister? Everything depends on rightful authority.
 
Rhuarc said:
Well I can wait until I am ordained if that is the case. Ohhh but when I am LOOK OUT! Everything within a 5 mile radius of my body will be blessed.
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Please extrapolate. I don’t understand what you mean “withing a 5 mile radius of my body will be blessed”.
 
atassina said:
thanks for researching this for me. i am still unsure what specific blessing a priestly blessing confers. is this defined?
Click to expand...
You’re welcome. Well, the bishop may decide on this issue where you live. CIC Can. 1168 The minister of the sacramentals is a cleric who has the requisite power. In accordance with the liturgical books and subject to the judgement of the local Ordinary, certain sacramentals can also be administered by lay people who possess the appropriate qualities.

For example, the advent wreath, Christmas crèche, Easter foods, and candles for the home , blessing your home with holy water. But according to the Church “In using sacramentals, the non-ordained faithful should ensure that these are in no way regarded as sacraments whose administration is proper and exclusive to the Bishop and to the priest. Since they are not priests, in no instance may the non-ordained perform anointings either with the Oil of the Sick or ony other oil.”

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997_en.html

The Book of Blessings (De Ben, mentioned in the previous post) has this under Offices and Ministries: …laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity they possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister. Such laypersons exercise this ministry in virtue of their office (for example, parents on behalf of their children) or by reason of some special liturgical ministry or in fulfillment of a particular charge in the Church, as is the case in many places with religious or catechists appointed by decision of the local Ordinary, after ascertaining their proper pastoral formation and prudence in the apostolate.

There is also a Catholic Household Bless & Prayer/Rev Ed:

usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=764
 
I would simply like to know if there is some sort of actual authoritative list that has what specific blessings are allowed for each group.

I think it would be a lot easier.

I already understand the theology and reasoning behind certain blessings being reserved for only deacons, priest and bishops.
 
JuantheTuba said:
I would simply like to know if there is some sort of actual authoritative list that has what specific blessings are allowed for each group.

I think it would be a lot easier.

I already understand the theology and reasoning behind certain blessings being reserved for only deacons, priest and bishops.
Click to expand...
The Book of Blessings would be your best bet. It has something like 70 chapters on different blessings. As far as I know the only ones the laity might do are blessings of children and even then I believe the rubrics say the laity says the prayer with hands folded where as when a blessing is imparted the hands would be out stretched.
 
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