Giving a blessing

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Are we as laity allowed to give a blessing, if so how do we give a blessing, say I wanted to give my mom a blessing, what actions and verbage would I use, would I just cross her. The reason I ask this is because I noticed that at mass even the lay ministers will give a blessing to those who approach and cross their arms to recieve a blessing instead of communion.
 
Also I would like to bless this really nice statue I have of La Virgen de Guadalupe pero I don’t know how to do that, would it be best if I just take it to the church and have el padre bless it.
 
You can bless your children, you can bless yourselves, you can bless your spouse and bless your food. Our parish does not have lay people give blessings to people…Usually when it comes to sacramentals, like statues, medals, rosaries, prayer books etc…it’s left up to an ordinary…a priest or deacon to handle it.
 
As a matter of fact there is a book published by the USCCB called
“Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers”. This book is designed for use by the layity. In this book there are many ‘blessings’ for many different occasions and for items also.

So, one could bless an object to be used for ones own personal devotion, at least according to this book you can. However it is very important to note that in no way whatsoever is a lay blessing equal to or as efficacious as the blessing recieved from a man with Holy Orders. It is not the same at all. A blessing from a Priest or Deacon carries with it the authority of the Church.

As for blessing ones own children…that could be a great new thread.

Thanks
 
so what are some blessings that i can say to bless family members?
 
The first blessing in the Book of Blessings is “Orders for the Blessing of Families and Members of Families”. Its introduction includes: “44. The present order may be used by a priest or deacon. It may also be used by a layperson, who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.”

To outline the ceremony, for a lay minister:
Sign of the Cross
“The grace of our Lord Jesus Çhrist be with us all, now and for ever.” Others reply “Amen”.
Words to prepare for the blessing.
Reading 1 Cor 12:12-14, Ephesians 4:1-6, Romans 12:4-16 or 1 Cor 12:31b-13:7.
Psalm 128, with response “Happy are those who fear the Lord.”
Minster may explain the reading.
Intercessions, introduced by minister, intercessions by assisting minister.
Invite everyone to say the Lord’s Prayer.
Prayer of Blessing
May spinkle with holy water.
Minister concludes with “May the Lord Jesus, who lived with his holy family in Nazareth, dwell also with your family, keep it from all evil and make all of you one in heart and mind.” Respond “Amen.”
Preferably end ceremony with a song.

From Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, pages 4-10.
 
So if I wanted to give a family member a blessing what verbage would i use?
 
Adapting one of the prayers of blessing (from the ceremony I outlined above) for your mother, I suggest:
“We bless your name, O Lord,
for sending your own incarnate Son
to become part of a family,
so that, as he lived its life,
he would experience its worries and its joys.
We ask you, Lord,
to protect and watch over my mother,
so that in the strength of your grace
she may enjoy prosperity,
possess the priceless gift of your peace,
and, as the Church alive in the home,
bear witness in this world to your glory.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.” Response: Amen.
(Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page 9).
 
And after saying that prayer would i cross her. Also I noticed that when the deacons and priests give you a blessing instead of communion, its alot shorter, what blessings are they using.
 
No. Everyone makes the Sign of the Cross at the beginning of this ceremony. After the blessing you can sprinkle holy water: “As circumstances suggest, the minister in silence may sprinkle the family with holy water.” But the rubrics for the blessing itself are:
“57 A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstreched over the family members; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined.”

The liturgical books do not have the Sign of the Cross made by lay people as part of the blessing, only by the ordained.

Another blessing, with a kind of the “Sign of the Cross” is from the liturgical book “Pastoral Care of the Sick”, chapter 1, “Visits to the Sick”. After readings and the Our Father there is a blessing, for the elderly:
“All praise and glory are yours, Lord our God, for you have called us to serve you in love. Bless all who have grown old in your service and give N. strength and courage to continue to follow Jesus your Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord.” (Amen).
Then the rubrics have: “A minister who is not a priest or deacon invokes God’s blessing and makes the sign of the cross on himself or herself, while saying:
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil,
and bring us to everlasting life.
R. Amen.
The minister may then trace the sign of the cross on the sick person’s forehead.”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 796).
 
I don’t know what my mom says, but every night when we say good night, she makes the sign of the cross on our foreheads using her thumb. It is very comforting.

And I have always heard that only priests can bless items, homes etc. Children are blessed by their parents, but otherwise only priests bless people.🤷 That is just what I have learned over time, I didn’t read it anywhere.
 
yes i’ve seen people do that, with their thumb, can we as laity do that to?
 
I am virtually positive that traceing the sign of the Cross over anyone, other than oneself or immediate family members, is reserved for those men who have recieved the sacrament of Holy Orders UNLESS one has been properly ‘deputized’ to give sacramental blessings for a given time…(here I am thinking of some layity being allowed to give a throat blessing on St. Blaise’s feast day.)
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  AND I would like to note that even then I am uncomfortable with a member of the layity giving a blessing which is normaly reserved for the Clergy and given with the power and authority of the Church.
God bless
D
 
reff said:
Also I would like to bless this really nice statue I have of La Virgen de Guadalupe pero I don’t know how to do that, would it be best if I just take it to the church and have el padre bless it.
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Anyone can give a blessing but when a priest does it, it is considered a church blessing and when done to statues, crosses, etc.; it makes them sacramentals.
 
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