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NuclearReceptor
Guest
How does that work? Do you set up an appointment or is there a designated time where people’s icons, statues, Rosaries, personal items, etc are prayed over?
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Xanthippe_Voorhees
Guest
Yes. They do bless items.
However, I would be very respectful of their time and not ask before or after Mass. It can be a very busy time for them, and while most love to help, it can be really stressful. I know many priests I know this is the case.
It is best to set an appointment or to come by the office when they are not otherwise occupied. (the parish Secretary can help them with this) Better yet, invite them over for dinner. They can make you a fresh batch of Holy Water, Holy Salt and bless your house, too.
However, I would be very respectful of their time and not ask before or after Mass. It can be a very busy time for them, and while most love to help, it can be really stressful. I know many priests I know this is the case.
It is best to set an appointment or to come by the office when they are not otherwise occupied. (the parish Secretary can help them with this) Better yet, invite them over for dinner. They can make you a fresh batch of Holy Water, Holy Salt and bless your house, too.
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midori
Guest
Different parishes do it in different ways.
In one parish in Fort Worth, for example, the parish knows to bring their objects up to the communion rail prior to Mass, and after communion/before announcements, the priest will take a few moments to bless the items. Then after Mass, people come to collect their objects that had been left up there during Mass.
In my parish, we share a priest with another parish, so I know his schedule is really tight to wrap up here and get on the road so he can meet his obligations at his main parish. So if I ever want something blessed, I know the best time to do it is after a weekday Mass, when his schedule doesn’t have anything pressing.
When I do want an item blessed in a specific way, I make sure to bring the prayer (along with context so he knows that the prayer is okay) along with the object. Like, for example, my blessed salt. I’ll bring my 1962 Missal, and have the page bookmarked, and say, “Please pray this prayer here over my salt.” They’ll usually look at the salt with a funny expression, look at the prayer, look at the book, thumb through the pages a bit, and then do the prayer. But not all items require specific blessings.
In one parish in Fort Worth, for example, the parish knows to bring their objects up to the communion rail prior to Mass, and after communion/before announcements, the priest will take a few moments to bless the items. Then after Mass, people come to collect their objects that had been left up there during Mass.
In my parish, we share a priest with another parish, so I know his schedule is really tight to wrap up here and get on the road so he can meet his obligations at his main parish. So if I ever want something blessed, I know the best time to do it is after a weekday Mass, when his schedule doesn’t have anything pressing.
When I do want an item blessed in a specific way, I make sure to bring the prayer (along with context so he knows that the prayer is okay) along with the object. Like, for example, my blessed salt. I’ll bring my 1962 Missal, and have the page bookmarked, and say, “Please pray this prayer here over my salt.” They’ll usually look at the salt with a funny expression, look at the prayer, look at the book, thumb through the pages a bit, and then do the prayer. But not all items require specific blessings.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
Depends on the priest. I asked one to bless my new travel rosary after Mass a couple weeks ago and he said “Sure!” and said a blessing on the spot. Took him literally 10 seconds.
Edited to add, if you want stuff done at a designated time, look for a shrine that is having services including blessing of holy objects. Shrines often have this on big Mass days because people buy rosaries, statues and things at the gift shop and then the priest blesses everything at once, including bought things and things you might have brought from home. I took a big backpack of things to a Marian shrine in August and got them all blessed in that way.
Edited to add, if you want stuff done at a designated time, look for a shrine that is having services including blessing of holy objects. Shrines often have this on big Mass days because people buy rosaries, statues and things at the gift shop and then the priest blesses everything at once, including bought things and things you might have brought from home. I took a big backpack of things to a Marian shrine in August and got them all blessed in that way.
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Roseeurekacross
Guest
It depends on the Parish and the Priests,. I have had Bishops bless items for me by the light of car boots before Mass, and had clergy bless items while saying hi after mass. Best blessings I had was by our Bishop as he was getting ready for Mass. And by the Bishop before a big Mass.
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Anesis
Guest
Absolutely. But it’s best not to approach them before Mass, they are using that time (or trying to) to pray and think about the readings, the homily, making sure everything is ready, etc. Unless it’s a very small parish, it would not be very respectful to ask before Mass.
I usually tell people to ask after Mass or call the parish office and ask for a time. A lot of times Father will tell them to find him after the xyz Mass and he’ll bless their item(s). Sometimes people just show up with a bunch of stuff in the middle of the day during the week, but I wouldn’t recommend that in a big parish because most of the time, Father is either not in or is in a meeting.
My advice is to always schedule your time with Father - whether it’s for a blessing, to ask a question, to have something signed that he needs to talk to you about, etc. and the reason is that this way you can have his whole attention and he won’t be rushed thinking about the 68 people in line behind you, the meeting he’s already late for, the fact that he’s starving and its 2pm and he was just going to get something to eat, etc.
I usually tell people to ask after Mass or call the parish office and ask for a time. A lot of times Father will tell them to find him after the xyz Mass and he’ll bless their item(s). Sometimes people just show up with a bunch of stuff in the middle of the day during the week, but I wouldn’t recommend that in a big parish because most of the time, Father is either not in or is in a meeting.
My advice is to always schedule your time with Father - whether it’s for a blessing, to ask a question, to have something signed that he needs to talk to you about, etc. and the reason is that this way you can have his whole attention and he won’t be rushed thinking about the 68 people in line behind you, the meeting he’s already late for, the fact that he’s starving and its 2pm and he was just going to get something to eat, etc.
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Spyridon
Guest
Usually you just bring the item with you to Mass and ask the Priest to bless it afterwards. Or call the Rectory and ask to be seen to have some items blessed.
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CatholicDetroit
Guest
Yes my priest does. I usually ask him to bless things after or before mass. I never ask for an appointment.
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