How to respond to a priest?

[DL82]

How do I respond when a priest says “God bless you” or some similar blessing?

When I was a protestant, I would have simply responded in kind to whatever person was saying that to me. It doesn’t seem right for a lay person (especially me) to ‘bless’ a priest though. He can give a blessing on behalf of the Church, I can’t.

So what do I do or say?

 

[Brian_C]

I usually say “Thank you, Father!”

 

[Trelow]

You wouldn’t be blessing him by saying “God bless you”, depending on the context, it’s an invocation for God’s blessing. I typically say either “thank you.” or “and you as well father.”

 

[RWMorris]

My husband “blesses” our priest after every Mass by saying “God bless you, Father,”. What’s wrong with that? I don’t think anything is wrong with us all blessing each other!

 

[Pong]

No one is saying that there’s anything wrong with saying God bless you, but there is a difference between a formal priestly blessing and the type of blessing that the laity can use.

 

[stbruno]

I bless our priests all the time, and remind them that I am praying for them.

 

[Kanda]

I always say “Amen. Thank you, father.”

 

[jonnyws]

If anyone but a priest says it to me I usually as for God’s blessing for them as well, if a priest says it I always reply Amen. No deep seated theological reason, it just feels right.

 

[PhilipCal]

What’s wrong with saying, “thank you Father, God Bless you”?

 

[whatevergirl]

How do I respond when a priest says “God bless you” or some similar blessing?

When I was a protestant, I would have simply responded in kind to whatever person was saying that to me. It doesn’t seem right for a lay person (especially me) to ‘bless’ a priest though. He can give a blessing on behalf of the Church, I can’t.

So what do I do or say?

I say…God bless you too, Father.