Can a non-catholic recieve a blessing at communion?

[KakureKatholic]

As a catechumen who won’t be baptised for some time, I attend Mass daily, but not once have I got up for an individual blessing because I feel that I am not yet worthy of being so close to the presence of God and I don’t want to hold up the line of baptised Catholics who are there for a more important reason.

Besides, the priest always blesses the entire congregation shortly after Communion. I don’t really understand why my fellow RCIA catechumens feel the need to ask for an individual blessing as I assume it makes no real difference.

I look forward to the day when I can finally join the line as a baptised Roman Catholic in a state of grace but until then I will kneel and pray with my head down because I do not feel worthy of even looking at the Eucharist at this point.

 

[wcknight]

There are many innocent people who are just inquiring. Some have been encouraged and invited to go up and perhaps they think that this is what they are supposed to do. Accusing people, especially our non-Catholic guests of “making a special show of themselves” or “disrupting or holding up the process for their own self-gratification” comes across as judgmental and rude. And this is the reason why I would never recommend to an inquiring person that it is OK to go up to receive a blessing even when the priest invites them.

Sorry that is just my humble opinion… You have to ask yourself why do they do this ? Is it to get some blessing that they would not ordinarily receive… The whole congregation gets a blessing just a minute or two later. The blessing is the same as for everyone, why should they get a separate blessing on their own, they will get one very shortly and it will be no different and no more than the one they are asking for ?..

The shrine in DC holds over 3000 and we have had masses with over 10000 attending… if a large number of folks only go up for a blessing you are adding a significant amount of time to Communion for each one to receive a blessing. It takes three times longer to do a blessing than it does to hand out a host.

Watch some of the folks who go for the blessing and it does look like some special show… I am all for folks joining us, but IF they want communion and special blessings then they should become CAtholic and receive all the special blessings that our Church has to offer.

 

[thistle]

Hello.

As I am still on my journey to the catholic eastern rite church from orthodoxy, I cannot yet recieve the body and blood with our latin brothers and sisters. However I have seen written somewhere about going up to recieve a blessing at euchrist time. Is this done? And if so how?

The answer is no you should not go up to receive a blessing. The line is a Communion line and not a Communion and Blessing line.
Non-Catholics and Catholics in a state of mortal sin should remain in their seats.

Why would anyone feel the need to go up for a blessing when everyone gets a blessing at the end of the Mass.

 

[liturgyluver]

The answer is no you should not go up to receive a blessing. The line is a Communion line and not a Communion and Blessing line.
Non-Catholics and Catholics in a state of mortal sin should remain in their seats.

Why would anyone feel the need to go up for a blessing when everyone gets a blessing at the end of the Mass.

Perhaps because their Bishops allow it and their Preists invite them. Maybe not a good enough reason for you, but that is just your own personal interpretation and doesn’t overide episcopal authority. Besides, If it was not allowed I hardly think it would be practiced at St Peter’s Rome!

 

[thistle]

Perhaps because their Bishops allow it and their Preists invite them. Maybe not a good enough reason for you, but that is just your own personal interpretation and doesn’t overide episcopal authority. Besides, If it was not allowed I hardly think it would be practiced at St Peter’s Rome!

It is not my private interpretation or opinion.
Actually, it is officially explicitly discouraged pending a review.

 

[liturgyluver]

It is not my private interpretation or opinion.
Actually, it is officially explicitly discouraged pending a review.

Perhaps someone should tell the Vatican then.

 

[asia53]

No blessings at communion at my parish. While we had Archbishop Chaput, he wrote an open letter to the Archdiocese of Denver discouraging the practice for the reasons stated in Brother JR’s post. Archbishop Aquila seems to be continuing the practice.

However, some parish priests do allow it. It’s best to ask a parishioner, an usher, or the priest after Mass.

 

[thistle]

Perhaps someone should tell the Vatican then.

Where do you think The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments is then???

 

[maryjk]

Perhaps because their Bishops allow it and their Preists invite them. Maybe not a good enough reason for you, but that is just your own personal interpretation and doesn’t overide episcopal authority. Besides, If it was not allowed I hardly think it would be practiced at St Peter’s Rome!

Our bishop offers blessings in the Communion line. So he doesn’t just allow it, he does it himself.

Edited to add:

I got one from him.

I wasn’t in line for a blessing, but for Communion. I receive a low gluten Host. The pastor has it. When I got in line I was in line for the Bishop, and tried to switch. The Bishop stopped me and blessed me, then I received Communion.

 

[zab]

Sorry that is just my humble opinion… You have to ask yourself why do they do this ? Is it to get some blessing that they would not ordinarily receive… The whole congregation gets a blessing just a minute or two later. The blessing is the same as for everyone, why should they get a separate blessing on their own, they will get one very shortly and it will be no different and no more than the one they are asking for ?..

The shrine in DC holds over 3000 and we have had masses with over 10000 attending… if a large number of folks only go up for a blessing you are adding a significant amount of time to Communion for each one to receive a blessing. It takes three times longer to do a blessing than it does to hand out a host.

Watch some of the folks who go for the blessing and it does look like some special show… I am all for folks joining us, but IF they want communion and special blessings then they should become CAtholic and receive all the special blessings that our Church has to offer.

No, I don’t have to ask myself why or to judge why some non-Catholics go up in the Communion line. I know that this practice is very widespread and I have heard priests invite non-Communicants to come up for a blessing. And neither do I need to ask why Pope Benedict (and perhaps other popes) blessed small children in the Communion line when they could have got the blessing at the end of Mass. It is my humble opinion that the OP would not be asking the question if he/she had any intention of just wanting to be included or for any “self-gratification”. The question that I do ask myself is how 10,000 people can fit into a building that holds 3400 and if they are packed like sardines are they breaking any fire codes.

 

[liturgyluver]

Where do you think The Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments is then???

For the 90th time - the reference to that note was a PRIVATE opinion and has no official status - there is even a sticky about it on CAF as it was written in a specific context. So for you to imply that Bishops the world over are wrong in sanctioning blessings (including the Bishop of Rome) or to tell people in those areas that wish to avail themsleves of those blessings that they cannot when their own Bishops have sanctioned this practice is completely unacceptable.

 

[paperwight66]

For the 90th time - the reference to that note was a PRIVATE opinion and has no official status - there is even a sticky about it on CAF as it was written in a specific context. So for you to imply that Bishops the world over are wrong in sanctioning blessings (including the Bishop of Rome) or to tell people in those areas that wish to avail themsleves of those blessings that they cannot when their own Bishops have sanctioned this practice is completely unacceptable.

Totally right.

I even emailed the liturgy secretary at the English and Welsh Bishops’ office and he said he wasn’t aware of any such document, whereas the decision to give blessings was agreed at a conference in Swanwick (back in the 1970s, I believe).

Since then we in the UK have had two? three? papal visits. I think it would have been mentioned if there was a problem.

 

[thistle]

For the 90th time - the reference to that note was a PRIVATE opinion and has no official status - there is even a sticky about it on CAF as it was written in a specific context. So for you to imply that Bishops the world over are wrong in sanctioning blessings (including the Bishop of Rome) or to tell people in those areas that wish to avail themsleves of those blessings that they cannot when their own Bishops have sanctioned this practice is completely unacceptable.

You seem to be deliberately missing the point.

Read this section of the letter carefully:

“In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).”

Although the letter as such is not legally binding, some of its points, such as No. 2 on the prohibition of lay ministers giving liturgical blessings, are merely restatements of existing law and as such are already obligatory."

The letter clearly points out that EXISTING Church disciplines forbid people going up for blessings (i.e. non-Catholics and Catholics in a state of mortal sin).
Also nobody here has so far explained why they don’t think the blessing at the end of the Mass is sufficient and they feel the need for an extra blessing. Don’t they think the blessing at the end is worth anything.

 

[zab]

You seem to be deliberately missing the point.

Read this section of the letter carefully:

“In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).”

Although the letter as such is not legally binding, some of its points, such as No. 2 on the prohibition of lay ministers giving liturgical blessings, are merely restatements of existing law and as such are already obligatory."

The letter clearly points out that EXISTING Church disciplines forbid people going up for blessings (i.e. non-Catholics and Catholics in a state of mortal sin).
Also nobody here has so far explained why they don’t think the blessing at the end of the Mass is sufficient and they feel the need for an extra blessing. Don’t they think the blessing at the end is worth anything.

I don’t know if the word “forbid” was mentioned in the discipline. Discipline is not the same as “dogma”. Disciplines can change and for unknown reasons, the custom has changed. We now have the understanding that perhaps it “should not” have started. Maybe the custom grew out of ignorance. Who knows? But for whatever reason, it is being allowed by some bishops and pastors. I even watched a video of Pope Benedict blessing children in the Communion line. In the protocol that gave reasons why this practice should not have started, it did not come out and “forbid” it. Rather, it stated that the matter is being studied. All I can do is to not recommend that non-communicants approach in the Communion line. I am not a “defender” of blessings in the Communion line. But I am not going to judge those who do or attack those who permit it.