Can Bibles be Blest?

[David2010]

I have purchased three Bibles over the past ten years.

The first two, I asked the priests of the parish (two different priests) if they could give them a blessing, which they did. They mumbled a few words and made the sign of the cross over it, etc.

The last Bible I purchased, I took to the priest in my latest parish and asked him to bless it. He said there is no blessing for a Bible. It is already the Word of God and he cannot do any better than that. So he did nothing.

Now I am wondering if the previous two priests just made something up to humor me.

Is there no blessing for a Bible?

 

[MarcoPolo]

Somewhere there is a book of blessings that contain various prayers that priests use, maybe that would have something?

 

[rocketrob]

Bibles can definitely be blessed as ‘sacramentals.’ This means they are set apart for a special use, such as sanctification, worship, etc. Some Catechism paragraphs worth referencing are as follows:

CCC 1668
Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops’ pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).

CCC 1671
Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father “with every spiritual blessing.” This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ.

CCC 1678
Among the sacramentals blessings occupy an important place. They include both praise of God for his works and gifts, and the Church’s intercession for men that they may be able to use God’s gifts according to the spirit of the Gospel.

rocketrob

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Years back, at the reception after the Rite of Election, one of our newly Elect asked our former bishop to bless his bible. The bishop explained that he if he started blessing things in that gathering or he would be there all night. A bit later he came up and told us to gather around to hide him while he blessed it.

 

[RazzsMom]

Years back, at the reception after the Rite of Election, one of our newly Elect asked our former bishop to bless his bible. The bishop explained that he if he started blessing things in that gathering or he would be there all night. A bit later he came up and told us to gather around to hide him while he blessed it.

I find this funny and sad at the same time. My Bishop takes as much time as it takes to have pictures taken with the families, bless Rosaries, Bibles, etc. And he has an amputated foot…

Anyway - My Pastor blessed a Bible that was given to me as a Christmas gift last year. A friend found out I had never bought a “family” Bible and he presented one to me at Christmas Eve Mass! Father took one minute after Mass and said a very sweet blessing, asking that the person who reads this Bible be blessed with revelations and knowledge from God! And he blessed the giver of the gift as well. I found that to be very sweet.

My Pastor is pretty much a stickler about doing things correctly, so I know that the blessing was an “OK” thing to do.

 

[Fidelis]

My Pastor blessed a Bible that was given to me as a Christmas gift last year. A friend found out I had never bought a “family” Bible and he presented one to me at Christmas Eve Mass! Father took one minute after Mass and said a very sweet blessing, asking that the person who reads this Bible be blessed with revelations and knowledge from God! And he blessed the giver of the gift as well. I found that to be very sweet.

My Pastor is pretty much a stickler about doing things correctly, so I know that the blessing was an “OK” thing to do.

This is has been my experience as well. A good and holy priest always takes delight in blessing sacramentals.

To the OP: Your current priest, to give him the charitable benefit of the doubt, is probably misinformed on this point or the victim of bad formation.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I find this funny and sad at the same time. My Bishop takes as much time as it takes to have pictures taken with the families, bless Rosaries, Bibles, etc. And he has an amputated foot…

. . …

He was busy greeting people and joining them in pictures. However, we had 1500 people there. If he got hung up blessing things he would never get to meet all the people.

 

[porthos11]

I have purchased three Bibles over the past ten years.

The first two, I asked the priests of the parish (two different priests) if they could give them a blessing, which they did. They mumbled a few words and made the sign of the cross over it, etc.

The last Bible I purchased, I took to the priest in my latest parish and asked him to bless it. He said there is no blessing for a Bible. It is already the Word of God and he cannot do any better than that. So he did nothing.

Now I am wondering if the previous two priests just made something up to humor me.

Is there no blessing for a Bible?

There probably isn’t a blessing specifically for a Bible, but a Bible can be blessed. My FSSP priest blessed my Bibles and Missals with the “generic” rite for the blessing of creatures (i.e. created things, “Bless these creature books”, according to the 1962 rite of course).

Of course, what’s being asked for is the blessing of the book itself, so the priest was quite incorrect in his reasoning.

 

[NoelFitz]

Q:Can Bibles be Blest?
A: Yes.

 

[didymus]

Q:Can Bibles be Blest?
A: Yes.

But is it a good idea?
Bibles can become old & worn (I have one with a cracked spine). Blessed objects are supposed to be disposed of in a special manner (burying IIRC) rather than thrown out when no longer usable.

Even if you keep it in good shape your whole life what will happen when your kids are sorting everything into “keep” and “toss” piles?

 

[Stephentlig]

It can be blessed or not. either/or it doesnt matter. It’s not compulsory to get it blessed.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

But is it a good idea?
Bibles can become old & worn (I have one with a cracked spine). Blessed objects are supposed to be disposed of in a special manner (burying IIRC) rather than thrown out when no longer usable.

Even if you keep it in good shape your whole life what will happen when your kids are sorting everything into “keep” and “toss” piles?

Blessed or unblessed, the Bible is the Word of God. It should be properly disposed of; not be tossed in the trash. I have a couple of battered ones that I will probably have buried with me.