Eucharist - did we do something wrong?

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carol_marie

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Hi. I’m newly confirmed and my children, ages 6 - 13 have started coming to mass with me. Now that I can go up for the Eucharist, I feel badly leaving them sitting in the pew without me. Someone said that they can go up with me with their arms crossed and receive a “blessing.” We did that this past Sunday and the (no idea what you call her - woman handing out the Eucharist) was totally confused. She tried to give them the host and I said, “no, just a blessing please” and at first she didn’t understand and then she said something like, “I don’t do that.” We were holding up the line and it was embarassing for my kids. Did we do something wrong???
 
You might talk to your priest about how that works in your church. In my parish, the kids that can’t take Communion yet go up just like you described. If they’re in the priest’s line, he gives them a blessing, in the other EM, they usually just smile at the kids or something. Talk to your priest about the protocol in your parish. You didn’t do anything wrong!
 
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vegpotter:
You might talk to your priest about how that works in your church. In my parish, the kids that can’t take Communion yet go up just like you described. If they’re in the priest’s line, he gives them a blessing, in the other EM, they usually just smile at the kids or something. Talk to your priest about the protocol in your parish. You didn’t do anything wrong!
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They get the blessing from the priest,the woman was a Eucharistic minister,she can’t give the blessing.Just let them go down the priests isle.
 
Of course not. People have been doing this for years. Next time go to the side with the priest and have him give a blessing.
 
Our church is huge. Can we do that… just find the line with the Priest??
 
**“Going up for a blessing” is a **relatively new rite in the Church, and one which perplexes me.

Back in the day, of course, those who didn’t receive communion (which was the majority in the 60s and before), just stayed in the pews.

What’s confusing is that the priest blesses the people just a few minutes later at the dismissal for the mass, doesn’t seem that long to wait.
 
carol marie:
Our church is huge. Can we do that… just find the line with the Priest??
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Absolutely. We do this quite often for our nephews who often accompany us to Mass.

Most often the priest will distribute Holy Communion in the same place each Mass. I would suggest that you either use this to choose a seat or else sit on an aisle and near the back of the nave so you can return to your pew without disturbing others.

Michael
 
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alterserver_07:
Of course not. People have been doing this for years. Next time go to the side with the priest and have him give a blessing.
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Actually, parishes in our area are starting to discourage the practice. I never understood where it came from anyway. What is so wrong with leaving the kids in the pew?
 
In our parish the EMs will also place their hand on the child’s head and say a short prayer - somtimes it’s ‘God Bless You’, other times it’s a little longer . It’s not just the priest who prays for them. Is this wrong?
 
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rcn:
Actually, parishes in our area are starting to discourage the practice. I never understood where it came from anyway. What is so wrong with leaving the kids in the pew?
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I do not think there is anything wrong with leaving them in the pew. Actually, after researching this further it appears that the parishes in your area are in strict agreement with the GIRM and Canon Law:

GIRM:
** 87** …“Children who have not attained the age of reason, or those whom” the
Parish Priest “has determined to be insufficiently prepared” should not come **
** forward to receive the Holy Eucharist.
Canon Law:
Can. 914 It is primarily the duty of parents and those who take the place of
parents, as well as the duty of pastors, to take care that children who have
reached the use of reason are prepared properly and, after they have made
sacramental confession, are refreshed with this divine food as soon as possible.
It is for the pastor to exercise vigilance so that children who have not attained
the use of reason or whom he judges are not sufficiently disposed do not **
** approach holy communion.

I know I have read somewhere about the origins of children (and others unable to receive Holy Communion) obtaining a blessing from the priest. Can somebody offer any references?
 
carol marie:
Hi. I’m newly confirmed and my children, ages 6 - 13 have started coming to mass with me. Now that I can go up for the Eucharist, I feel badly leaving them sitting in the pew without me. Someone said that they can go up with me with their arms crossed and receive a “blessing.” We did that this past Sunday and the (no idea what you call her - woman handing out the Eucharist) was totally confused. She tried to give them the host and I said, “no, just a blessing please” and at first she didn’t understand and then she said something like, “I don’t do that.” We were holding up the line and it was embarassing for my kids. Did we do something wrong???
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If a person cannot approach Holy Communion in my opinion they chould not approach, period. Many people however feel that we must not make anyone feel “left out”. I believe that we instead should be saying. You can’t receive this Sacrament now, but, soon and worth waiting for. For now invite Christ into your heart spiritually and prepare for the day when you can receive Him Sacramentally.
 
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Elzee:
In our parish the EMs will also place their hand on the child’s head and say a short prayer - somtimes it’s ‘God Bless You’, other times it’s a little longer . It’s not just the priest who prays for them. Is this wrong?
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We do the same thing in our parish. I;m sometimes an EM and I will say “God bless you” if a child comes up. Mostly, this is to children who are too young to be left in the pew by themselves (babies to age 3-4).
 
In our parish on Sundays (children very rarely at weekday Masses) Father and a Eurcharistic Minister distribute Holy Communion. Children with arms crossed over their breasts, or indeed any person at all who wishes to, can go either go in the que to Father who blesses them. If they go in the que to the Eucharistic Minister he/she just puts his/her hand on head and says something like “May God Bless you” (etc.) which is a very common greeting we give to each other.
 
I have seen people at times who normally receive Holy Communion approach the table in the que with arms crossed on their breasts to receive a blessing…to me this is an outstanding witness of true humility. For whatever reason, they have decided not to receive The Lord. I admire them and their excellent example to all.
 
Having non-communicants walk forward to recieve a blessing also saves everyone from having to walk over them in the pew. You can’t always be seated on the end to let people out. While I agree that EMHC’s cannot give blessings, I don’t see a problem with a priest giving a blessing if you are in his line. And if not, just follow the person in front.
 
Some priests don’t do the blessing thing, anyway. If you want to ask your priest about it and see whether he welcomes the practice first, that would be a good idea. A lay person can’t give such a blessing and shouldn’t attempt a quasi-personal blessing. If you feel comfortable leaving the kids at the pew, that’s fine too. There’s no obligation to bring them up with you. It’s a kind gesture of the priest if he’s willing, but it’s not required and nobody ought to pressure you into it.
 
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Affirmed:
Having non-communicants walk forward to recieve a blessing also saves everyone from having to walk over them in the pew. You can’t always be seated on the end to let people out. While I agree that EMHC’s cannot give blessings, I don’t see a problem with a priest giving a blessing if you are in his line. And if not, just follow the person in front.
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This is true. At times it is a practical measure when there is a full Church and somebody in the pew isn’t receiving for them to just walk up with everybody else and go through the line. It’s probably a helpful act of mercy for the priest to offer his blessing upon them to aid them in their spiritual life, if he’s willing. If not, just make a gesture of reverance/adoration to the Sacrament and walk on your way.
 
Kielbasi said:
**“Going up for a blessing” is a **relatively new rite in the Church, and one which perplexes me.

Back in the day, of course, those who didn’t receive communion (which was the majority in the 60s and before), just stayed in the pews.

What’s confusing is that the priest blesses the people just a few minutes later at the dismissal for the mass, doesn’t seem that long to wait.
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I can leave my kids in the pew - it’s not that big of a deal. My son rec’d communion as a Lutheran - and is having a hard time now (he’s 13 - not so easy to reason with to begin with) anyhow, he’s having a hard time understanding not only why he can’t take communion (we believed it was the body & blood as Lutherans) but also why we had to be Catholic in the first place. He says he’s embarassed when kids from his school get to go up and he just had to sit there. Anyhow, I’ll deal with him so nevermind. He’ll just have to wait until he receives the proper instruciton.

Kielbasi (love the name by the way!) Why did most people in the 60’s obstain from communion??? What’s up with that?
 
I did a quick google search, and it doesn’t seem to be illicit for the EMHC to give a blessing. At my church, many children approah with the arms across their chest, and the EMsHC trace the sign of the cross on their forhead and say “May God Bless You”. This is no different than what grandparents do at baptism or many parents do before bed. I haven’t found anything that says lay-people cannot bless one another. There’s nothing wrong with NOT receiving the blessing, or staying in the pew, but I don’t see that as necessary.

Steph
 
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chicago:
A lay person can’t give such a blessing and shouldn’t attempt a quasi-personal blessing. QUOTE]

Mmmmmm, yes they can.

Any lay person can say “God bless you” to any other person.
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