Is it proper to go up for a blessing when not receiving Communion?

[homewardbound]

I’ve had the same problem and tried to find an answer. I found this article from EWTN interesting and informative. (Also, I stay throughout Mass, as I am baptized, and simply stay in my seat making a spiritual communion privately)

ewtn.com/library/Liturgy/zlitur81.htm

 

[tamie]

You should absolutely go up and ask for a blessing! I did that every mass I attended while I was a candidate. Doing so is perfectly acceptable!

 

[puzzleannie]

Thank you- I didn’t know it was okay to sneak out at that point, I thought it would be rude!
It’s all so confusing…
Anyways, thanks for letting me know, I will leave when the Eucharist starts. Or before it starts? Would that disturb things?

you don’t leave at all unless and until instructed by those who are catechising you. You will usually sit together, and after the gospel and homily, the priest will dismiss you and the other catechumens with a blessing, as you go with your catechist for further study with the Word. You should be attending Mass with your fellow catechumens. Please let your catechist instruct you, and bring questions like OP to them as they know the procedure in your parish. Welcome Home!

Until September, please attend Mass as often as you can, listen carefully when the Word is proclaimed and to the teaching, find the missalette and read along with the prayers of the Mass, especially the Eucharistic prayer, because “the Church prays as the Church believes” and the teachings are contained in these prayers. At communion time many people will remain in the pews praying for various reasons (which are none of our business) so we join with them and all present in prayer for Christ to come into our hearts and for unity.

If you have questions on specific topics before September (or after your class begins) about the teachings, or about the RCIA process, come on back here to the Evangelization forum.

 

[MelanieAnne]

In our parish, it is common for catechumens and candidates, when attending a full mass where they are not dismissed early, to go up at the time of communion for a blessing. However, judging from the differences expressed here, it is apparently not common everywhere, so I would suggest that you ask a priest at the parish you attend.

 

[prv]

You should absolutely go up and ask for a blessing! I did that every mass I attended while I was a candidate. Doing so is perfectly acceptable!

Depends on the custom of the pastor. Ask the pastor first. The clergy are not bound to give one in the communion line. Everyone will get their blessing at the end, so to repeat what a previous person said, no one will go away unblessed.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I see some people go up in the Communion line, arms crossed, and the Priest blesses them. Does this occur in all parishes? Should a person going up for a blessing bow like those receiving the Eucharist?

 

[Lepanto]

Does this occur in all parishes?

No. This is one of those unofficial and faddy things that started on their own (like the holding of hands during the Our Father). Up until a few years ago this did not happen anywhere.

Should a person going up for a blessing bow like those receiving the Eucharist?

No. The communion line is for receiving communion. Those who can not receive communion (non-Catholics, or Catholics not in a state of grace) should make a spiritual communion from their pew.

There is no point to go up for a blessing. The entire congregation receives a blessing a few minutes later at the dismissal.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I see some people go up in the Communion line, arms crossed, and the Priest blesses them. Does this occur in all parishes? Should a person going up for a blessing bow like those receiving the Eucharist?

No, not all parishes do this. My personal opinion is that anyone who cannot approach Holy Communion, should not approach, and should remain in their pew and make a Spiritual Communion.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Thanks.

My thoughts are that the Priest at the parish I go to doesn’t see any harm in giving people more blessings.

It isn’t a large parish, and it is just once in a while I see one or two people in the Communion line, there for a blessing. Most people who are not receiving just sit there in the the pew (like me…I am a non-Catholic, in RCIA).

Are these type of fads harmful in some way?

 

[Lepanto]

Thanks.

My thoughts are that the Priest at the parish I go to doesn’t see any harm in giving people more blessings.

It isn’t a large parish, and it is just once in a while I see one or two people in the Communion line, there for a blessing. Most people who are not receiving just sit there in the the pew (like me…I am a non-Catholic, in RCIA).

Are these type of fads harmful in some way?

I’m sure that your priest means well, but yes this is harmful because it adulterates the meaning of communion.

Once you complete RCIA you will look forward even more to receiving the Eucharist…which is the whole point of the communion line. Please note that it’s not called a “blessings line” for a reason.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I’m sure that your priest means well, but yes this is harmful because it adulterates the meaning of communion.

Once you complete RCIA you will look forward even more to receiving the Eucharist…which is the whole point of the communion line. Please note that it’s not called a “blessings line” for a reason.

RCIA folks said it was ok to do, when someone asked, and so I have been thinking about whether I would, or not.

In some ways I see the appeal. I think people feel like they are participating in at least a small way in the most important part of Mass. But I didn’t understand why they were bowing. (?) I’m thinking they were winging it.

I had not thought about the general blessing over the entire congregation at the end of Mass.

I’ve been going to Mass for over a year and haven’t felt like I needed to walk up in the Communion line for a blessing. But seeing other RCIA’ers do it I wondered if I was missing out on something.

I’ll wait.

Rebecca

 

[Mannyfit75]

No, not all parishes do this. My personal opinion is that anyone who cannot approach Holy Communion, should not approach, and should remain in their pew and make a Spiritual Communion.

My thoughts exactly. I have seen this done in the Military Parish in Ft. Stewart. Most of the blessing is done on children who have not received First Communion yet.

Who started this practice anyone? Has this been discuss in the Synod?

 

[Melo]

This is a very interesting question. I remember that when I went through RCIA, they recommended that we go up for a blessing to ‘get the hang of it’. I never did it and I’m glad. It was so wonderful receiving the Eucharist for the first time and I’m glad that the entire experience was brand new.

 

[ljprevo]

What if you have a young child with you who has not recieved 1st communion yet?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

What if you have a young child with you who has not recieved 1st communion yet?

I would never recomend leaving a small child in the pew by themselves. Of course a small child is always welcome to accompany an adult who is receiving Holy Communion. But there should be no expectation of receiving a blessing, they can watch and learn, with the parent filling their role as teacher.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I would never recomend leaving a small child in the pew by themselves. Of course a small child is always welcome to accompany an adult who is receiving Holy Communion. But there should be no expectation of receiving a blessing, they can watch and learn, with the parent filling their role as teacher.

But I think this is where the whole blessing idea may have started. For years and years – it seems like forever – I have seen priests bless the babies or toddlers who come up with their parents. It always seemed like a beautiful thing to me – give communion to mom and bless the baby in her arms. And then it grew into blessing everyone who came up.

 

[cw4lsu]

I am in RCIA and I go up every Sunday to recieve a blessing from Father. When I remained kneeling in the pew, the people who did go to the front had to walk over me both going and coming and I just decided that it was easier to go to the front with them. Plus it is human nature for people to look around and judge/wonder why I was sitting and not going forward (i.e. not going to Confession, etc). However this will all end in 2 weeks after my confirmation on Nov. 4!!

 

[KarenElissa]

I am in RCIA and I go up every Sunday to recieve a blessing from Father. When I remained kneeling in the pew, the people who did go to the front had to walk over me both going and coming and I just decided that it was easier to go to the front with them. Plus it is human nature for people to look around and judge/wonder why I was sitting and not going forward (i.e. not going to Confession, etc). However this will all end in 2 weeks after my confirmation on Nov. 4!!

I also go up for a blessing. I didn’t when I started going to mass since I had read some parishes do it and some don’t. But when I started RCIA, they encouraged us to, so I started. It is powerful for me. Besides just making the logistics easier, not having to make sure I’m at the end so people only have to crawl over me once, I get to be closer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I can’t wait for the day when I will actually get to receive Him (only 33 days to go!), but for now, going up for a blessing is as close as I can get.

 

[Lepanto]

I am in RCIA and I go up every Sunday to recieve a blessing from Father.

Please ask your RCIA people to show you official Church documents regarding the order of Mass that say that the communion line can be used for individual blessings (parish bulletins don’t count). No RCIA instructor, or even a priest, has the right to alter the unchangeable parts of the Mass. The Mass is not their property to modify as they see fit.

When I remained kneeling in the pew, the people who did go to the front had to walk over me both going and coming and I just decided that it was easier to go to the front with them.

You do realize that once you’ve received the sacrament of First Communion, you still won’t be able to receive it (and hence should remain in the pew) unless you’re in a state of grace? There simply are times when we must remain in the pews and make a spiritual communion. A little inconvenience should not determine whether you go up or not. (All the more reason to make use of the Sacrament of Confession.)

Plus it is human nature for people to look around and judge/wonder why I was sitting and not going forward (i.e. not going to Confession, etc).

Their opinions should not matter one iota. Why you stay in the pew, when appropriate, is between you and God.

 

[Windmill]

My opinion is similar to that of Fr. Peter Stravinskas, editor of the Catholic Answer.

In most other countries, you don’t have ushers filing people out of pews one row at a time. There are no ushers. Everyone just ambles to the center aisle when they are ready to receive and they file up the center, then return to their seats here and there. No one knows who’s gone to receive and who’s stayed behind because everyone is going up at different times.

In this country it’s different. Ushers go aisle by aisle and everyone in that pew is expected to go up if they are receiving. This creates an expectation whereby a person not receiving must face the prospect of revealing the state of their soul to others. They cannot hide behind the chaos of a random mob like they could in other countries. While the militant Catholic may say, “Why is it anyone’s business if this guy stays in the pew,” the reality is that it is forcing a private matter out into public view.

When a person is able to go up and receive a blessing, they draw far less attention to themselves while still maintaining the law against receiving outside a state of grace.

As far as I’m concerned, as long as Americans are going to insist on maintaining the un-rubrical practice of ushers filing people out pew by pew, then they should give those members, not receiving, the freedom to avoid public humiliation (ie, the un-rubrical practice of asking for a blessing).

Non-Americans enjoy this privacy in their churches. Why can’t we?