Can candles, rosaries be blessed by layperson and become sacramentals?

[toddy]

Someone just told me layperson can transfer St Padre Pio relic to candles and rosaries and the items are blessed and turn out the saint relic. This contradicts to my traditional understanding as the following:

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing” and to bless. 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 like bishop, priest and deacons.

The Order for the Blessing of Rosaries stipulates that a priest or deacon may bless rosaries.

Thanks for answers.

 

[porthos11]

Someone just told me layperson can transfer St Padre Pio relic to candles and rosaries and the items are blessed and turn out the saint relic. This contradicts to my traditional understanding as the following:

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing” and to bless. 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 like bishop, priest and deacons.

The Order for the Blessing of Rosaries stipulates that a priest or deacon may bless rosaries.

Thanks for answers.

That “someone” is incorrect; it is your understanding that is accurate.

 

[Nelka]

No.

 

[poche]

Only priests or deacons can bless objects.

 

[JoyousCatholic]

Only priests and deacons have the authority. It is best to have them blessed by a priest

 

[Maria_K]

Only priests or deacons can bless objects.

In Latin rite. But in Byzantine rite they have a special prayer for a lay person to bless something using holy water. Nevertheless I doubt that objects which were blessed this way become sacramentals.

 

[Horton]

Only priests and deacons have the authority. It is best to have them blessed by a priest

Are you saying a deacon blessing a sacramental is not the same as a priest blessing the item? That a blessing from a priest is better?

 

[John_Lilburne]

One of the Latin Rite’s liturgical books is “Book of Blessings”. One of the blessings is “Order for the Blessing of Tools or Other Equipment for Work”. It’s introduction has “921 The present order my be used by a priest or deacon. It may also be used by a layperson, who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.” So if the candle is a tool, it can be blessed by a lay person.

Another blessing is “Order for the Blessing of Articles for Liturgical Use”. The introduction includes:
“1343 It is proper to bless other articles used for liturgical celebration: the ciborium or pyx, the monstrance, the vestments worn by ordained ministers, such linens as the corporal and altar cloths, and hymnals and service books …”.
“1346 A deacon may be the celebrant for the shorter rite outside Mass.”
Candles are not mentioned here. There are new ones used more frequently than the other items mentioned. So I think it would be unusual to have a ceremony for blessing the altar candles each time new ones are used.

 

[thistle]

Someone just told me layperson can transfer St Padre Pio relic to candles and rosaries and the items are blessed and turn out the saint relic. This contradicts to my traditional understanding as the following:

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing” and to bless. 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 like bishop, priest and deacons.

The Order for the Blessing of Rosaries stipulates that a priest or deacon may bless rosaries.

Thanks for answers.

SACRAMENTALS (Cann. 1166 - 1172)

Can. 1166 Sacramentals are sacred signs by which effects, especially spiritual effects, are signified in some imitation of the sacraments and are obtained through the intercession of the Church.

Can. 1167 §1. The Apostolic See alone can establish new sacramentals, authentically interpret those already received, or abolish or change any of them.

§2. In confecting or administering sacramentals, the rites and formulas approved by the authority of the Church are to be observed carefully.

Can. 1168 The minister of sacramentals is a cleric who has been provided with the requisite power. According to the norm of the liturgical books and to the judgment of the local ordinary lay persons who possess the appropriate qualities can also administer some sacramentals.

Can. 1169 §1. Those marked with the episcopal character and presbyters permitted by law or legitimate grant can perform consecrations and dedications validly.

§2. Any presbyter can impart blessings except those reserved to the Roman Pontiff or bishops.

§3. A deacon can impart only those blessings expressly permitted by law.

Can. 1170 Blessings, which are to be imparted first of all to Catholics, can also be given to catechumens and even to non-Catholics unless there is a prohibition of the Church to the contrary.

Can. 1171 Sacred objects, which are designated for divine worship by dedication or blessing, are to be treated reverently and are not to be employed for profane or inappropriate use even if they are owned by private persons.

Can. 1172 §1. No one can perform exorcisms legitimately upon the possessed unless he has obtained special and express permission from the local ordinary.

§2. The local ordinary is to give this permission only to a presbyter who has piety, knowledge, prudence, and integrity of life.

 

[FrDavid96]

One of the Latin Rite’s liturgical books is “Book of Blessings”. One of the blessings is “Order for the Blessing of Tools or Other Equipment for Work”. It’s introduction has “921 The present order my be used by a priest or deacon. It may also be used by a layperson, who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.” So if the candle is a tool, it can be blessed by a lay person.
…

That is not a blessing of a candle. It is a prayer said over the candle by a layperson.

A priest or deacon blesses the candle.

A layperson says a prayer over the candle; and the blessing is specifically omitted.

 

[FrDavid96]

Are you saying a deacon blessing a sacramental is not the same as a priest blessing the item? That a blessing from a priest is better?

Yes. …

Under certain circumstances.

We cannot just lump all “sacramentals” together and treat them all the same.

A blessing of a rosary would be the same regardless of who blesses it (priest or deacon).

However, with regard to other sacramentals, the answer might be different. Because a chalice is so connected to the Mass, a deacon cannot bless a new chalice–that’s the same effect as saying that a blessing from a priest is “better.”

There are blessings that cannot be done by deacons. Obviously, in the mind of the Church, there are circumstances where a blessing by a priest is “better” than one done by a deacon. The two orders simply have different roles.

 

[Monica4316]

I’m not really sure what you mean… for a blessing of an object, a lay person could not do this. But a lay person can touch an object to a first or second class relic and it would become a third class relic. This is not the same as a blessing.

Am I correct that any lay person can touch an object to a relic and it would become a third class relic?

however they can’t “bless” the object like a priest can.

 

[Mintaka]

Yes, you are correct. Bob the Pagan or Baby Suzy could touch a hankie to a 1st or 2nd class relic, and it would become a 3rd class relic. Your dog* or a robot** could do it too.

It isn’t Bob or Suzy, or your dog, or a robot, “doing it” at all. It is the miraculous power of Christ, working through the justified bodies of His justified saints, that would make an object into a 3rd class relic.

You will recall that Christ felt power go out to the woman who touched His hem, and it wasn’t because she was a priest or something. Ditto all the people who were healed by having the apostles’ shadows pass over them. That’s not even a physical touch!

• Although I don’t advise sending your dog to touch his collar to a relic, unless there’s a really good reason like you’re hiding from persecution, or you’ve brought your helper dog to church and God inspires him. (Sometimes animals are attracted to holiness.) I suppose there’s nothing wrong with you touching your dog’s collar to a relic, though. After all, “even the dogs eat the scraps from the children’s table.” But just don’t do stuff like that frivolously, and don’t forget to treat 3rd class relics like relics instead of like ordinary objects.

** And of course, if the robot itself touched the 1st or 2nd class relic, it would become a 3rd class relic. Including all its parts. So if you had to replace a battery, you’d have to keep it forever (with a note about it being a relic), or bury it respectfully (because obviously burning it respectfully would cause an explosion or a chemical spill), somewhere that the chemicals would not damage the ground. Every spare part added to the robot would presumably also become part of the 3rd class relic, although I don’t know that for sure. (Once it would have been in a category called 4th class relics, but that doesn’t seem to be a thing anymore.)