Can I get my throat blessed this Sunday?

[Lead_Me_Home]

I am going through the RCIA and last sunday I had to leave Mass early so I could not get my throat blessed. Is it possible for the priest to do so next sunday.

 

[CatofAlexandria]

I don’t see why not. First, being a catechumen or a candidate does not prevent you from receiving sacramentals such as these. Second, priests bless things (houses, cars, rosaries, etc.) all of the time upon request, even though some blessings happen to be more popular on certain feast days.

 

[Lead_Me_Home]

I will officially be a candidate. I got my rosary blessed that sunday by the way. I thought that the blessing of throats was specific to one day in the liturgical calendar, but I was wrong. I will ask father sunday. Thank you.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I am going through the RCIA and last sunday I had to leave Mass early so I could not get my throat blessed. Is it possible for the priest to do so next sunday.

It is strange when we move things around to appease people. The Blessing is supposed to take place on the Feast of St. Blase, not the following Sunday. I’m not saying that the Blessing which is a sacramental does not have the intended effect, but it’s meaning becomes obscured when we do this.

Same with Holy days like Ascension. Promote Ascension as a Holy day, encourage people to come to Mass on Thrusday as an extra effort. Explain the reason and meaning, don’t just move it to make it easy.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I agree with Br. Rich.

Someone can ask to have a priest bless anything at any time – a rosary, a house, a throat, whatever. But blessing the throat is done through the intercession of St. Blase, so what’s the point if you’re not doing it on that particular feast day?

The liturgical year offers many feasts and celebrations. I think there’s an advantage to being in sync with the rest of the Church and celebrating things on the day they occur.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

This is a slight spin off but… in the parish I attended, throats were blessed by the priest celebrant, the deacon, and two EMHC’s. I ended up in one woman’s line and didn’t walk away but isn’t it improper for the laity to give this kind of a blessing (well, any blessing except for parents to bless their children)? I have no problem with anyone giving out ashes on Ash Wednesday. That’s just a reminded of our mortality or an admonition to repent, not a blessing. The two EMHC’s had been well prepared and had the wording letter perfect. But this was way improper wasn’t it?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

This is a slight spin off but… in the parish I attended, throats were blessed by the priest celebrant, the deacon, and two EMHC’s. I ended up in one woman’s line and didn’t walk away but isn’t it improper for the laity to give this kind of a blessing (well, any blessing except for parents to bless their children)? I have no problem with anyone giving out ashes on Ash Wednesday. That’s just a reminded of our mortality or an admonition to repent, not a blessing. The two EMHC’s had been well prepared and had the wording letter perfect. But this was way improper wasn’t it?

The Book of Blessings would have to be consulted. However I would guess that a layperson cannot.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The Book of Blessings would have to be consulted. However I would guess that a layperson cannot.

In this case I believe that laypeople can give the blessing – at least that’s what I was told by a priest who checked. Perhaps because it is through the intercession of St. Blase rather than the priest giving the blessing directly.