Can priests bless food?

[DeusExMachina]

I know that my Granddad, who was croatian, always talked about a priest blessing his family’s lamb before easter dinner, and I believe? they have a similar custom in poland. My question is, is that something, say an American priest would do?

 

[babochka]

I know that my Granddad, who was croatian, always talked about a priest blessing his family’s lamb before easter dinner, and I believe? they have a similar custom in poland. My question is, is that something, say an American priest would do?

This is an Eastern European custom. It is common in Byzantine Rite parishes in the United States, at least those of Ukrainian and Ruthenian origin. It is also common in Latin-rite parishes with large Polish populations. You can certainly ask your priest if he’d be willing, or you can visit a Byzantine Catholic parish for Easter, where it will almost certainly be done for the whole parish.

 

[on_the_hill]

Yes, of course they can.
When I was a little kid we’d go to Święconka at my grandparents’ church.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Awi%C4%99conka

oh, that’s pronounced shveeYENsohnka.

 

[pianistclare]

Yup. Done in many Catholic parishes in the U.S.

 

[Gorgias]

I know that my Granddad, who was croatian, always talked about a priest blessing his family’s lamb before easter dinner, and I believe? they have a similar custom in poland. My question is, is that something, say an American priest would do?

The parishes I’ve been affiliated with in western Pennsylvania (even the ones that aren’t ethnic Slavic parishes) have had Easter basket blessings on Holy Saturday.

 

[Usige]

Yes, there is a whole section in the Ritual Romanum for blessing food and other daily items. You can see the English version here. There is a similar section in the Book of Blessings though I prefer the prayers in the older book.

 

[on_the_hill]

The parishes I’ve been affiliated with in western Pennsylvania (even the ones that aren’t ethnic Slavic parishes) have had Easter basket blessings on Holy Saturday.

Yes. We would go to Immaculate Heart of Mary on Polish Hill.

 

[tawny]

Yes, it is done in the Latin Rite Churches on Holy Saturday as well.

 

[sirach2v4]

Yes, of course they can.
When I was a little kid we’d go to Święconka at my grandparents’ church.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Awi%C4%99conka

oh, that’s pronounced shveeYENsohnka.

and “shveeYEN” is pronounced all at once, like one syllable. I always heard it as
“shv’YEN sohn ka” ( this was our local Polish dialect). Where they got the “n” in swie I could never fathom.

 

[edwest2]

and “shveeYEN” is pronounced all at once, like one syllable. I always heard it as
“shv’YEN sohn ka” ( this was our local Polish dialect). Where they got the “n” in swie I could never fathom.

The e with a tail (ogonek) is a soft eng sound. I don’t know where they get the h in Sinead

The blessing of food is still common.

Ed

 

[TrayTray]

Can a Priest bless food? Not only is the answer yes, but YOU do it every day if you say the traditional Catholic blessing before meals: “bless us O Lord and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive etc…”