Does a Lay person blessing another Lay person count?

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A long while back, someone posted about Holy Water blessing. If a Lay person could bless others, Someone commented that only a priest could do this, because only a priest had that extra “Pop”. First, nobody has that extra “Pop”. That is the Spirit working in us.
I will say this. I am a commissioned lay ecclessial minister. A servant. I was asked by the parish priest to baptize a 4 month old baby girl that died twice, once in the crib and again in the ambulance. The baby was then brought back, but was on life support in a coma. This happened on a Wednesday, 5 years ago. I went to baptize her on a Saturday, in the afternoon. We prayed, Asked some of those in attendance in the room to help me with the readings. I baptized her, prayed, answered questions, then went into the waiting room to fill out the forms with the God parents. The woman gave me her info about parish, home. The man, only gave me his address. No church, he did not attend. Anyway, after about 40 minutes, I went into the room to say goodbye to the parents…and in the mothers arms, was little Sofia, eyes wide open looking around like nothing happened.
SO, in answer to the person who said only the priest has the “Pop”. Not so. So do we. If we believe in Jesus, if we acknowledge it is not us doing this but the Spirit. I did not perform a miracle, the Holy Spirit did all the work.
 
We can ask for God to bless but we do not bless.

May God bless you. Anyone can do that.

But the formula: "May God bless you the Father , The Son, and The Holy Spirit. " with the sign of the cross, only the Priest does that.
 
This might help…

(Excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)

1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless. (cf. Genesis 12:2; Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9)

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 (bishops, priests, or deacons).

(cf. Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium 79; Code of Canon Law, canon 1168; De Ben 16,18.)
 
I have observed that Laity bless themselves every-time they make the Sign of the Cross.
 
It is a role mentioned in Canon Law. Indeed, the church has millions of them. Some are even paid. The laity working for your parish are such people.
 
When we look at scripture…that ONLY people in authority can bless those subordinate…Subordinate?

Lets look at something here. When the Apostle John complained to Jesus about others performing miracles that did not belong to

their group…who were these “others”? Man looks to try to control the power of the Spirit. Man thinks he is the one who does.

We have to understand, it is the Spirit working in us. We do not decide who the Spirit works in.

When I was commissioned, but the Bishop, and he laid hands on me, it is not the Bishops power, it is the power of the Spirit.

I was told by our pastor not to do the sign of the cross on children and people. He said only he could do that, not even a deacon.

Seriously? Only he has the Pop. No he does not.

I asked a bishop and another priest and yes, we can bless those around us. I bless our home, pray in our home. I cannot wait for a priest

to come here to bless. It needs to be done every day. You do not give us that authority, you do not tell us, how to bless, who to bless. That

authority is given to us by Jesus.

When I baptized a 3 month old baby girl who had died twice, and was in a coma, and 40 minutes after I baptized her, she awoke like nothing

happened…it was not I, but the Spirit working in me, who allowed that to happen. Don’t look to control the power of the Spirit.
 
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Another thing to understand…Let us not get carried away with Magesterium, Lumen Gentium, Canon Law, the Catechism.

these were not around 2,000 years ago. Our faith is about what the Apostles and disciples were sent to do, to baptize, to preach

the Gospels. How? to live the word. Not try to use it to control or to interpret it their way. This is all about service, humility, compassion

and mercy. Some have turned it into something very complicated. Used to keep the sinful out of the church. In my years of teaching I have seen

personal agenda push people out. People are set in their ways, think they know scripture.
 
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I bless my priest all the time. LOL. Not in any OFFICIAL context but I’m constantly saying: Bless you, Father.

I don’t think I understand blessings properly, based on this thread. I always thought they were just wishing us well, asking the Father to do the best for us. Kind of like a prayer. I never attributed any special graces to a blessing.

I also never attributed any special power to the ones giving blessings. Like, maybe God will choose to listen and bless those who are prayed over and maybe He won’t. It’s still entirely up to His will.

So, this thread has convinced me I have some studying to do. Haha.
 
Any person who intends to may baptize. Lay people, people of other religious, even an atheist could validly baptize in an emergency as long as he/she had the right intent.

We as lay people can bless those under our authority. This is best modeled by a parent blessing their children.
 
trimthetree said:
I was told by our pastor not to do the sign of the cross on children and people. He said only he could do that, not even a deacon.

Seriously? Only he has the Pop. No he does not.
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You keep using this term “Pop”, what on earth does it mean?

And your priest is correct, we are only to bless those who are under our authority. We may bless our own children or grandchildren (and when I’d bless my son before he left the house, some of his playmates would also want a blessing!)
 
Well perhaps I am a child in understanding what you mean or it is terminology but we bless ourselves continually when we make the sign of the cross (as someone said) and I for one bless people all the time, when they sneeze, when they are upset I put my arms around them and say oh bless you whats up…sometimes I say God bless you when I am less lazy but they and He know that I mean it’s God who is blessing them not me…I am nothing that can bless of my own account. It’s simply our calling on God to assist in a situation and send us His blessing. As for the sign of the cross that is a little more as we make it with God firmly in mind and only on ourselves.
I am guessing this isnt the type of blessing you refer. I am a lay person but have no one under my authority.
 
People tell me this term, Pop…pretty much saying only the priest has the power. I do not believe this.
 
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The priests and Bishops have the authority by God to bless. There are other blessings that may be given by Deacons, and we lay persons may bless those under our authority.

It is about authority, not power.
 
I believe we can pray to God for him to bless someone…for a specific reason…and make the sign of the cross as long as we make it on ourselves and not on…or over that other person…if they are not under our authority
 
Bluebright, I only put my post because of what others had written about only priests or those with Pop can do things.
 
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Authority is given by Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. To us. Nobody is subordinate to me. Nobody is above us, other than Jesus.
 
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