How to "dispose" of Papal Blessing??

  • Thread starter Thread starter SisterSnowflake
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

SisterSnowflake

Guest
Hello!

A gent in the parish has this question; I figured someone here will certainly know the answer!

How do you dispose of a Papal Blessing? For instance, if your grandparents received a Papal Blessing for an anniversary, and the grandparents are long gone to God, and nobody knows what to do with the “certificate” anymore, what should they do?

Is this like other Sacramentals, which should be buried or burned?

Thanks for any advice!

God bless!
 
SisterSnowflake said:
Hello!

A gent in the parish has this question; I figured someone here will certainly know the answer!

How do you dispose of a Papal Blessing? For instance, if your grandparents received a Papal Blessing for an anniversary, and the grandparents are long gone to God, and nobody knows what to do with the “certificate” anymore, what should they do?

Is this like other Sacramentals, which should be buried or burned?

Thanks for any advice!

God bless!
Click to expand...
I have no idea what you are suppose to do with it, but I can tell you what I would do with it.

I would FRAME it!!
 
Why would anyone want to dispose of a wonderful family heirloom? It should be preserved and passed down.
 
Timothysis said:
Why would you want to “dispose” of it??? Put it with your other important family documents.
Click to expand...
I would have absolutely no desire to hang a framed papal blessing for my grandparents on the wall, and I dislike clutter. So I would certainly be one to dispose of it, *after *asking other family members if they would like to take it off of my hands.

I’d go with burning.
 
I find the whole concept of “disposing” of such a thing a little strange, but I suppose different people might have different reasons. If a person insisted on “disposing” of such a document rather than, as others have said, keeping it as an heirloom, I’d suggest they send it back to Rome with a short note of explanation.
 
tcraig said:
I would have absolutely no desire to hang a framed papal blessing for my grandparents on the wall, and I dislike clutter. So I would certainly be one to dispose of it, *after *asking other family members if they would like to take it off of my hands.

I’d go with burning.
Click to expand...
“Clutter?” I can’t hardly see how one piece of paper could constitute being “clutter.” I certainly hope that other family members will take it because it seems to mean absolutely nothing to you.

Did you burn your college diploma, too?:rolleyes:
 
Timothysis said:
Did you burn your college diploma, too?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
No, I haven’t burned my college diploma. But I also haven’t saved the college diplomas of my parents or grandparents, LOL.

We all have different ideas of what constitutes a family heirloom. A papal blessing for my grandparents would really mean no more to me than saving my grandparents birth certificates.

Papal blessings aren’t that difficult to get.
 
Thanks for all of the responses.

Please note, it is NOT I who am disposing of the Papal Blessing (in fact, I received one this summer, which I will be hanging in my classroom).

Also, go easy on the gent for whom I inquired: he lost his job and has to relocate the entire family completely across the country…they are getting rid of absolutely everything, I’d guess. I’m happy that in this day and age, someone would actually ask what to do , rather than improperly toss it aside.

Thanks again!!
 
tcraig said:
No, I haven’t burned my college diploma. But I also haven’t saved the college diplomas of my parents or grandparents, LOL.

We all have different ideas of what constitutes a family heirloom. A papal blessing for my grandparents would really mean no more to me than saving my grandparents birth certificates.

Papal blessings aren’t that difficult to get.
Click to expand...
You know, you’re right!!!👍👍

You have opened my eyes

I mean after all, just about everybody who asks gets one right?

And since our Orthodox brethren don’t accept the Pope as anything more than the first Bishop among equals, which actually means he was just the first one, then the Pope is really just another everyday hum drum Bishop, and receiving something from him really doesn’t mean much of anything, so why hang on to it?

Lets get down to the Khyber Rifles here what say? It’s high time we did away with all of the traditional antiquated Catholic ideas about the Papacy and join in gleeful re union with our Orthodox brothers who say that he was merely the first Bishop, and many of our eastern brethren who joyfully support the Zoghby Initiative which states:

I believe everything which Eastern Orthodoxy teaches.
I am in communion with the Bishop of Rome as the first among the bishops, according to the limits recognized by the Holy Fathers of the East during the first millennium, before the separation

And our protestant brethren who took the high road years ago and cut the Pope off completely as being unneeded, unnatural and a danger to the faith and to the world, among other choice descriptions:thumbsup:

And lets not forget that awful infallibility issue:bigyikes: We all know how that came about right??? After all, the Orthodox, the Zoghby Initiative supporters and the Protestants know, and they’ll be glad to teach us the error of our ways.

Yep you got it right my friend, a Special Apostolic Blessing on your family from some dead Bishop is hardly worth the paper it;s printed on.

.
 
tcraig said:
No, I haven’t burned my college diploma. But I also haven’t saved the college diplomas of my parents or grandparents, LOL.

We all have different ideas of what constitutes a family heirloom. A papal blessing for my grandparents would really mean no more to me than saving my grandparents birth certificates.

Papal blessings aren’t that difficult to get.
Click to expand...
Hmmm. A Papal blessing upon a marraige does take both time & money (the money goes to charity) & is something that both the grandparents & parents treasured or it would not still be in existence:

[SIGN]http://www.kasal.com/html/rr/church/church16.html
Papal Blessing

Did you know that you could ask for the Pope’s blessing for your wedding?

If you are both Catholic and are getting married in a Catholic church, you are eligible to receive the papal blessing or Benediction Papalis.

Though it may take some time and is not for free (the fee goes to charity), **the papal blessing provides a wonderful and spiritual touch for your marriage.**It comes from the Vatican and is a piece of parchment paper hand-painted with calligraphy, flowers, and different sketches of the Vatican. It also has the reigning Pope’s photograph, official raised seal, signature and the blessing.

To get one, those who have received the papal blessing say you may write to the Vatican and enclose your wedding invitation. You may also ask for help from your parish priest or Diocese office.[/SIGN]

The person requesting a way to dispose of this should count his blessings. I come from a Catholic heritage & culture that I treasure. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents, etc. were all Catholic. They helped to build the Cathedral that was my first parish…with some financial help (not a lot as they were poor immigrants)…& lots of volunteered labor.

That Church was gutted after Vatican II. The statues were shipped out on the first load, the Communion Rail that my Great Grandfather helped to fashion with his own hands…went next. The beautiful high altar has been replaced with a table.

The only thing I have as a memory of their faith is a well-worn “My Prayer Book…Happiness in Goodness” that was given to my aunt in 1915 for her first Holy Communion. It contains everything from the Beatitudes, to the examination of conscience before the Sacrament of Confession…to the Mass itself. It has a very interesting part called the “Eucharistic Rosary”.

My Father’s rosary was grabbed by one of my Brothers who hadn’t attended Mass for 35 years. For my Mother, I had her buried with one of my own rosaries that had been blessed at the Vatican. I would treasure something like a Papal Blessing on my forbears marriage.
 
SisterSnowflake said:
Also, go easy on the gent for whom I inquired: he lost his job and has to relocate the entire family completely across the country….they are getting rid of absolutely everything,

Thanks again!!
Click to expand...
So, I guess they’ll get rid of those pesky birth certificates, marriage license, baptismal records, college degrees and any cash money laying around since it is all “clutter.”

Sorry, but this is just stupid. Is he also going to burn his family photos? IT’S ONE PAGE OF PAPER. Do you mean to tell me that ONE PAGE of paper will make his life “cluttered?”
 
tcraig said:
We all have different ideas of what constitutes a family heirloom. A papal blessing for my grandparents would really mean no more to me than saving my grandparents birth certificates.
Click to expand...
You’re all heart, pal.
 
Oh, good heavens. Some of you are absolutely over-the-top.

If a papal blessing from your grandparents means a lot to you, you will save it. Same with family photographs, pictures, furniture, jewelry, etc.

But some people don’t place the same value on saving things as others do. I treasure my memories of my grandparents, but I don’t need all the things from their lives together.

That would include a papal blessing. If you don’t agree, just make sure you save the ones in your family, 'kay? :cool:
 
The blessing is just a piece of paper…it is not a relic…If you don’t want it burn it and bury it
 
My godfather (who took me on a pilgrimage to Rome last year) has a papal blessing from Pius XII for his father, and the entire family- saying also (I believe), if any of them were to die, it can be considered that they already have the Last Rites if they are not available to them.

It is hand written with a beautiful picture of Pius XII in prayer. Its framed in his house. It’s already confirmed that it is going to me one day- even though I am not related to him.

I feel like, who knows, since it is of Pius it might serve as a sacramental. Especially if he becomes sainted.
 
tcraig said:
No, I haven’t burned my college diploma. But I also haven’t saved the college diplomas of my parents or grandparents, LOL.

We all have different ideas of what constitutes a family heirloom. A papal blessing for my grandparents would really mean no more to me than saving my grandparents birth certificates.

Papal blessings aren’t that difficult to get.
Click to expand...
I agree with you. Some reactions seem to imply that the posters believe that the Pope has written them personally.

Are they actually even signed by him? The signature on the one we were given on our marriage looks like a facsimile to me.

I assume they are produced in bulk, with a prnted signature, and then completed as and when.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top