Can we purchase blessed items?

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Now I usually do not fall for the old scam of, “Holy Water Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, Only two payments of $19.99.”

But really, lets say I’m at a yard sale and I see a crucifix, but the people tell me it was blessed by the local parish priest…am I allowed to buy it? I think once you buy a blessed object, doesn’t the blessing go away and you have to get it blessed again or does the blessing always stay on there forever(Until it decomposes.)

I know there are some consequences to selling blessed objects, but what are exactly are the consequences of buying blessed objects? Would this be a mortal sin if you have all the requirements of it to be a mortal sin?

Thanks!
 
JD27076 said:
So we can buy the object because of what the object is, apart from the blessing?

But how do we know if we have the truest intention of this transaction?
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Have it blessed after you buy it.
 
Ive been purchasing and selling statues (blessed) I just sell the statue, and not add an amount because it was blessed. If you purchased any, just have it blessed again. Usually we have it all blessed on Black Saturday/Easter Vigil Mass
 
I have purchased blessed items. Some are just too attractive to ignore. However, I do think people should be encouraged to bring their unused blessed items to the Church. I’ve seen rosary beads being sold in upscale gift shops for the beads or to be remade into costume jewlery. Some are too pricey for me to rescue. I have found an occassional statue in thrift stores and, if the price is right, I will purchase it and put it in a grab bag for my Sunday school kids.
 
If you purchase an item that has previously been blessed, it loses its blessing. You would have to have it blessed again.
 
Lormar said:
If you purchase an item that has previously been blessed, it loses its blessing. You would have to have it blessed again.
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Sort of.

It the sale was for personal gain ( anything other than recovering the costs to manufacture), or if the item was purchased for a profane (secular) use, then you are correct, the blessing is lost.

If the item was sold and purchased for religious purposes, and not for personal gain, then the blessing is retained.

ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur138.htm

For example. If I made two rosaries. I could charge for the materials and a reasonable amount for my time to construct. Those are elements of the cost of manufacture.

If one of the rosaries were blessed by the Pope, for example. I could not sell it for any more than for the unblessed rosary. If a person purchased the blessed rosary for use in daily devotions, and I did not charge more for the rosary than it cost to make, the blessing is retained

If someone purchased it as a fashion accessory, the blessing is lost.
 
I’ve purchased religious articles at a large store literally at the gates of Vatican City, and it was said that all their medals were already blessed.
 
Brendan said:
Sort of.

It the sale was for personal gain ( anything other than recovering the costs to manufacture), or if the item was purchased for a profane (secular) use, then you are correct, the blessing is lost.

If the item was sold and purchased for religious purposes, and not for personal gain, then the blessing is retained.

ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur138.htm

For example. If I made two rosaries. I could charge for the materials and a reasonable amount for my time to construct. Those are elements of the cost of manufacture.

If one of the rosaries were blessed by the Pope, for example. I could not sell it for any more than for the unblessed rosary. If a person purchased the blessed rosary for use in daily devotions, and I did not charge more for the rosary than it cost to make, the blessing is retained

If someone purchased it as a fashion accessory, the blessing is lost.
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I don’t think so. But we can agree to disagree.

Perhaps what you are saying is that if a blessed object is offered for a donation, then it retains the blessing. If it is sold, then it does not.
 
JD27076 said:
Now I usually do not fall for the old scam of, “Holy Water Blessed by Pope Benedict XVI, Only two payments of $19.99.”

But really, lets say I’m at a yard sale and I see a crucifix, but the people tell me it was blessed by the local parish priest…am I allowed to buy it? I think once you buy a blessed object, doesn’t the blessing go away and you have to get it blessed again or does the blessing always stay on there forever(Until it decomposes.)

I know there are some consequences to selling blessed objects, but what are exactly are the consequences of buying blessed objects? Would this be a mortal sin if you have all the requirements of it to be a mortal sin?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
In the case the OP describes - people selling religious objects at a yard sale - it does not appear that they were out for any special gain by selling the object as a *blessed *object. After all, a yard sale is not where you usually try to make a killing off simony. :rolleyes:

Stores in touristy areas sometimes do say that everything in the store is blessed. And a priest may indeed have come by and blessed the store and all it’s contents. They are also not necessarily trying to profit off of simony so much as to ease the burdens of the local priests who then won’t be tracked down by ever tourist looking to have his or her purchases blessed.

If you want to ensure that whatever religious item you buy or own is blessed, than make an appointment with your own parish priest and ask him to bless the items.
 
Lormar said:
I don’t think so. But we can agree to disagree.

Perhaps what you are saying is that if a blessed object is offered for a donation, then it retains the blessing. If it is sold, then it does not.
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Exactly! I am part of a group that makes prayer shawls and blankets. They are blessed before we distribute them. Many people ask us how much they are, and our reply is - we give them as gifts. We cannot sell them because if we did, the blessing would be gone, and if we sold them because of the blessing it would be a very serious sin. Quite a few people requesting them give us a donation, which we gratefully receive and use the money to purchase more yarn, etc.
 
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