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

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Kristina_P

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I recently attended one of my first Catholic Masses. I went forward during the Eucharist to receive a blessing, expecting to receive one from a priest. Instead, I was blessed by a female layperson helping to administer the sacrament. (She also seemed a bit put out by having to do it, but that is beside the point and simply my perception.) Is this normal? I believe that any brother or sister can bless any other brother or sister, but I wasn’t sure if this was normal in this particular case.
 
EMHC’s are not supposed to give ‘blessings’ in the manner of a Priest, although, I think that is widely ignored.

I wonder if it is simply a lack of knowlege on the part of both the EMHC and the communicant, or is it more the EMHC wanting to be like a Priest?

Here are a couple of links to the Ask Father Question Box that coveres that very thing.

I hope this helps.

oldforum.catholic.org/discussion/messages/41/802353.html?1087849565

oldforum.catholic.org/discussion/messages/41/844482.html
 
I had no idea I was putting anyone on the spot, or that blessing during the Eucharist was an “odd practice”! In fact, I had been encouraged to seek a blessing during this time by several Catholics. It’s common to seek a blessing in the Episcopal church I come from, and in my congregation, the priest simply makes his way to you and blesses you. If this is seen to be such an imposition by priests and EMHC’s, why don’t they simply tell us poor non-communicants not to do it instead of outlining the practice in the cover of the liturgical manual? I don’t mean to rant or anything here, but it does seem kind of ridiculous to put people in a situation like that.
And the suggestion to simply “do nothing and wait for the person to move along” seems supremely uncharitable, in light of the fact that we non-communicants have been encouraged both in written and spoken word to seek a blessing!
 
Kristina P.:
I had no idea I was putting anyone on the spot, or that blessing during the Eucharist was an “odd practice”! In fact, I had been encouraged to seek a blessing during this time by several Catholics…
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Hi Kristina P.,

I don’t think you’ll find you’re putting EMHC’s on the spot. I think nearly all either don’t know or don’t care that they’re just pretending to be a Priest and can’t really offer a valid blessing.

I’m an EMHC and give my ‘pretend blessings’ all the time. I just happen to know it means nothing. You see, that’s just what happens when we spontaniously introduce new things into the Mass. People get confused and feelings get hurt.

They’re gonna rip on me for saying this, but if you want a REAL blessing when, for one reason or another, you’re unable to receive the Blessed Sacrament, just be a ‘line jumper’ and go to a priest. Let me assure you, this EMHC would never be offended by your jumping out of MY line for a real Priest.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon12.gif
 
Thank you for your gracious response. I’m new to the Catholic Church, and the priest’s response in your link just rubbed me the wrong way. It was as though he was ignoring the fact that there are newbies like me who can’t take communion and don’t know what all the rules are. But, I should take my own advice and take a more charitable view of him.
Thanks for you suggestion as well. In the future, if I feel led to seek a blessing, I’ll just head directly to the priest or ask for one after Mass.
 
I think only a priest and deacon can administer a blessing during Holy Communion if a person is unable to receive:

Canon 1169
  1. Persons who possess the episcopal character as well as presbyters to whom it is permitted by law or by legitimate concession can validly perform consecrations and dedications.
  2. Any presbyter can impart blessings, except those which are reserved to the Roman Pontiff or to bishops.
  3. A deacon can impart only those blessings which are expressly permitted to him by law.
 
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cargopilot:
I’m an EMHC and give my ‘pretend blessings’ all the time. I just happen to know it means nothing. You see, that’s just what happens when we spontaniously introduce new things into the Mass. People get confused and feelings get hurt.
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And I just learned something new too although I’ve been an EMHC for 10 years or so. I have always marked a sign of the cross on the forhead of anyone coming forward for a blessing. I had never before this seen or heard anything different as it was in neither the oral training nor the book we were given that I recall. Kristina is correct that it is even written expressly on to the cover of many of the missalettes so people are being told to go forward for blessings if they are not disposed to receiving communion.

I personally don’t see how anyone is going to confuse this with the role of the priest, any more than it is confused when parents and Godparents do the same during the rite of Baptism. We bless each other all the time in many situations, from the exhortation when someone sneezes to the Sign of Peace during Mass, so I’m not really sure why this would be different.

If we’re not supposed to do this, something needs to be done to either direct people to the priest for blessing or to stop sending people forward for blessings. I certainly don’t want to do something I’m not supposed to, but I don’t want to be doing “pretend” things either (which will confuse people), much less ignoring someone who comes up, waiting for them to just “move along.”

Thank you for bringing this up Kristina. Hopefully we’ll figure out something to not put people in either your position or mine in this situation. :o

Peace,
 
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cargopilot:
They’re gonna rip on me for saying this, but if you want a REAL blessing when, for one reason or another, you’re unable to receive the Blessed Sacrament, just be a ‘line jumper’ and go to a priest. Let me assure you, this EMHC would never be offended by your jumping out of MY line for a real Priest.http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon12.gif
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Yep, you’re right.
Canon 1169:
  1. Persons who possess the episcopal character as well as presbyters to whom it is permitted by law or by legitimate concession can validly perform consecrations and dedications.
    2. Any presbyter can impart blessings, except those which are reserved to the Roman Pontiff or to bishops.
  2. A deacon can impart only those blessings which are expressly permitted to him by law.
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In our church, the EMHC are encouraged to say a simple blessing for those not receiving the Eucharist, especially for the little children.

‘May God bless you and keep you safe.’
 
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cargopilot:
I’m an EMHC and give my ‘pretend blessings’ all the time. I just happen to know it means nothing. You see, that’s just what happens when we spontaniously introduce new things into the Mass. People get confused and feelings get hurt.
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I agree with this. Many in RCIA have been encouraging people who are not yet Catholics to go forward for a blessing at communion time. So you can’t blame them for going forward.

But with all the EMHC’s nowadays, it really doesn’t make much sense. The communion line is for receiving communion. Everyone gets a blessing at the end of Mass.
 
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JimG:
But with all the EMHC’s nowadays, it really doesn’t make much sense. The communion line is for receiving communion. Everyone gets a blessing at the end of Mass.
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Although I don’t think many people are aware, approaching with the arms crossed is really intended, as I understand it, as a “spiritual communion” for those who are not properly disposed to receive communion for whatever reason. I think it has just come to be thought of as a time for blessing, which as I mentioned below creates a dilemna if EMHC’s are not really allowed to give that blessing.
 
This is a problem of modern day. My wife and I will not leave our very young children in the pew. I find it awkward when a layperson offers a blessing to my children that is not a simple God Bless you. Sadly I have even walked away with my children preventing those who relish in a big blessing with gestures. They have no authority to liturgically lay hands or raise a hand to bless like clergy at communion rite.

Bishops can permit pastors to determine the practice that best exemplifies Christian love for those that are not permitted to recieve communion and the pastor should set the rules for the EMHC’s however many pastors are too gun shy.

God Bless
 
It seems ironic that we make catechumens leave after the homily; yet at other times invite non-communicants to come forward in the communion line!
 
When I serve as an EMHC, I do so somewhat reluctantly because I don’t like being put in a place where the priest has instructed people to receive a blessing from me that I can’t really give. It makes me rather uncomfortable, but I recognize that those given instructions, not those coming up to receive the blessings, are the source of that discomfort. It’s no use telling most people about that discomfort, though, because even well-informed Catholics will respond with, “What do you mean? Anyone can bless anyone.”
 
These posts have helped me a lot I have been an EMHC for nearly two decades and have only had this happen a couple of times. One of those times the person wanting the blessing just stood there and would not move so I simply touched his forehead and that seemed to satisify him.
Mike
 
This seems to be a practice that really puts EMHC’s on the spot; and yet it continues to be encouraged. I can see where it would be encouraged if only priests were giving communion, but in many, if not most, parishes, that is just not the case. What do we expect the EMHC’s to do–impersonate a priest? They are delegated to give Holy Communion, not blessings.

There have been many times in my life when I did not receive communion at Mass; but never did I see any point in approaching for a blessing instead. Sorry–it’s just my idiosyncrasy.
 
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JimG:
There have been many times in my life when I did not receive communion at Mass; but never did I see any point in approaching for a blessing instead. Sorry–it’s just my idiosyncrasy.
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No idiosyncrasy, at all. Just the right thing to do. I wish more non-communicants would stay in their pew. I guess they worry about others will think if they don’t get in line.

I try not to let it bother me too much when the non-communicant approaches me expecting one of my ‘pretend blessings.’ I don’t like to, but Father has told me to do it, so I do. I guess he doesn’t want anyone to be offended.
 
In my previous parish, just prior to communion, the priest ALWAYS made an announcement that if someone want to receive a blessing instead of communion to make sure that they got into a line that had a priest or deacon at the end of it.

In my current parish, no such announcement is made. However, in my current parish the lay ministers use the host in making the sign of the cross when giving a blesssing. Does that mean anything?
 
Sir Knight:
In my current parish, no such announcement is made. However, in my current parish the lay ministers use the host in making the sign of the cross when giving a blesssing. Does that mean anything?
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Particles on the floor?
 
Sir Knight:
In my current parish, no such announcement is made. However, in my current parish the lay ministers use the host in making the sign of the cross when giving a blesssing. Does that mean anything?
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That is a Benediction, and that is specifically reserved to the clergy.
 
Mike Dye:
These posts have helped me a lot I have been an EMHC for nearly two decades and have only had this happen a couple of times. One of those times the person wanting the blessing just stood there and would not move so I simply touched his forehead and that seemed to satisify him.
Mike
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Just say God Bless You. This is quite an acceptable blessing from the laity. I would say don’t touch their heads because you likely have fragments of the Eucharist on your hand.

God Bless
 
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