Laity joining in blessings at Mass?

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Laudatur Iesus Christus.

At Mass this past Sunday the priest invited the people present to join in “blessing” several people who were being commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. This resulted in many of the people present making what looked hauntingly like a familiar salute from the 1930s and 40s, by extending their right arms with the palms angled downward while the priest pronounced the blessing.

I was loath to think of the reaction if someone with a camera snapped a picture of the crowd standing in this posture and posted it on the internet.

At the very least making this gesture seemed tasteless and ill advised. It makes those present seem indifferent to its historical meaning and anti-Semitic tenor. It seems especially thoughtless in the context of the recent Jewish protests against the form of the prayers to be offered on their behalf on Good Friday.

In this light, I have several questions:

Is there any basis or authority for the laity “joining in” blessings?

Has anyone seen this gesture in other parishes?

What is the origin of this practice and especially of this gesture in the Church?

Spiritus Sapientiae nobiscum.

John Hiner
 
Indyann said:
I found this in a quick google. It does say that the assembly are invited to raise their hands in blessing.

archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/SacramentalPolicies/GuidelinesEMHC.pdf

page 12
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Laudatur Iesus Christus.

Dear Indyann:

Thanks for the link.

Certainly “to raise both hands in a gesture of blessing” would give a better impression than the raising of only the right hand as was done at the Mass I attended on Sunday.

Curiously, the material containing the “invitation” for the laity to raise their hands is contained in what the document calls a “Sample Rite of Commissioning (adapted from the “Order for the Commissioning of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion,” as found in the Book of Blessings ).” The version in the Book of Blessings reads:

Prayer of Blessing

1877 All stand. The candidates kneel and the celebrant invites the faithful to pray:

Dear friends in Christ, let us pray with confidence to the Father; let us ask him to bestow his blessings on our brothers and sisters, chosen to be ministers of the eucharist.

Pause for silent prayer. The celebrant then continues:

Merciful Father, creator and guide of your family . . .

There is no reference to the faithful joining in the blessing or raising their hands (singular or plural). One wonders about the basis for the “adaptation.”

Pax Christi nobiscum.

John Hiner
 
We do it on occasion at my parish; I agree, it looks like the Nazi salute, and I don’t much like it. I think it’s an attempt at “full, conscious, and active participation” by the faithful, but I don’t think it accomplishes its goal.
 
japhy said:
We do it on occasion at my parish; I agree, it looks like the Nazi salute, and I don’t much like it. I think it’s an attempt at “full, conscious, and active participation” by the faithful, but I don’t think it accomplishes its goal.
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I’ve seen it done in other parishes, too. When this is done at a Mass where I am present, I refrain and simply bow my head and pray for the person being blessed. The priest certainly doesn’t need my help in blessing the individual or group. It falls under his authority, by virtue of his sacramental ordination, to impart the blessing.
 
The parish I used to attend commonly did this “Nazi salute”. I, too, agree with bowing your head and praying.
 
I never raise my hand. While it’s true that anyone may “bless” someone in the sense of asking God to bless that person, only those who have been designated by the Church may actually impart a blessing, i.e. validly confer a sacramental. IIRC, the only circumstance in which laymen can bless other laymen is when one blesses one’s own child(ren). So if you aren’t the one doing the blessing, there’s no sense “playing priest” just because the priest ill-advisedly invited you to. It confuses the roles of clerics and laity.

BTW - it’s true that the posted “adaptation” has no basis in the actual rite.
 
We raise our right hand in blessing. It is usually done for couples celebrating anniversaries. I don’t let the thought of 1940 Germany enter my head at these times. It is not relevant.
 
My parish does it every now and again. I just clasp my hands in front of me like I do for the Our Father. Perhaps this is petty of me, but the other postures the parishioners adopt just look…odd. We have everything from the stereotypical Indian ‘How’ to the Nazi salute to the both arms raised so they look like they’re about to dive to both arms up in an aerobics “and stretch-2-3” I know they all mean well but it just looks so undignified.
 
Andreas Hofer;3340629]I never raise my hand. While it’s true that anyone may “bless” someone in the sense of asking God to bless that person, only those who have been designated by the Church may actually impart a blessing, i.e. validly confer a sacramental. IIRC, the only circumstance in which laymen can bless other laymen is when one blesses one’s own child(ren). So if you aren’t the one doing the blessing, there’s no sense “playing priest” just because the priest ill-advisedly invited you to. It confuses the roles of clerics and laity.

BTW - it’s true that the posted “adaptation” has no basis in the actual rite.
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At no time, during my 66 years as a Catholic, have I seen this done in my diocese. I agree with you that no member of the laity can actually confer a blessing. As for the “blending” of the roles of priests & laity…we’ve seen so much of that these past 40+ yrs., that I think we hardly even notice it anymore & that’s sad.
 
This is reminiscent of Laying on of Hands from the early church. It is in no way harmful to the faith nor is it immoral. What, then, is the problem? Note that in scripture laymen have always lain hands on in imparting a blessing. There is no canon law which prohibits a member of the faithful from asking God’s blessing on another. Maybe we need to do more of this sort of thing in our homes and families.

Matthew
 
Andreas_Hofer said:
While it’s true that anyone may “bless” someone in the sense of asking God to bless that person, only those who have been designated by the Church may actually impart a blessing, i.e. validly confer a sacramental. IIRC, the only circumstance in which laymen can bless other laymen is when one blesses one’s own child(ren).
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So are you saying that a parent validly imparts a blessing to his children, or that they are merely asking God to bless his children? And if the latter, why couldn’t he do the same for his neighbor?
 
Digitonomy said:
So are you saying that a parent validly imparts a blessing to his children, or that they are merely asking God to bless his children? And if the latter, why couldn’t he do the same for his neighbor?
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You are confusing the two. My beloved grandmother used to give me her blessing every time I left her house to go home (while I was living in Austin and traveling to South Texas). This was not a liturgical event. This was a pious family custom.

The problem with the scenario described in the OP is that this is done in a liturgical setting. While the laity has the common priesthood, it should never, ever be confused with the minesterial priesthood conferred on the priests by virtue of their ordination. As laity, we do not have the power to impart blessings of a liturgical nature.
 
benedictgal said:
You are confusing the two. My beloved grandmother used to give me her blessing every time I left her house to go home (while I was living in Austin and traveling to South Texas). This was not a liturgical event. This was a pious family custom.

As laity, we do not have the power to impart blessings of a liturgical nature.
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That’s why I wanted clarification of what Andreas Hofer said - it seems to me that depending on how you interpret the word, a layman can either give a blessing to anyone (not just his children), or no one.
 
The church I used to attend had a number of such innovations brought in by the progressive parish priest – he studied theology in Rome. He has since left the priesthood and has a wife an kids. Now that’s progress!😊

We did the “congregation blessing” thing. There was:

(one hand)
  1. The Nazi salute (arm and hand at 45 degrees)
  2. The cigar-store Indian salute (arm bent, hand straight up — Klahowya!)
  3. The “traffic cop” (arm outstretched, palm forward)
  4. The “Magic Spell” (arm outstretched, palm flat)
  5. The “Hey I’m over here!” (arm somewhere between straight and bent, between forward and to the side, palm forward-ish – as if you were waving goodbye)
(two hands)
  1. “I surrender!” (arms to sides, elbows bent, forearms straight up, palms forward)
  2. “I’m just sayin’…” (elbows at sides, forearms outstretched at sides, palms forward)
  3. “Braaaaiins…” (Arms straight out forward, parallel to ground, palms flat – like Frankenstein or a zombie)
  4. “Gimme a hug!” (same as above, palms facing each other)
  5. “Stop hugging me!” (elbows at sides, forearms straight out forward, palms facing forward)
  6. “I’m clear! Throw me the ball!” (Elbows at sides, forearms forward up to about 45 degrees, hands facing inward ir forward, like trying to catch a basketball…this was the one I self-consciously used when I did this)
It’s kind of like that *orans *(name?) position I’ve seen…when not done by the priest it looks kind of hinkey, more resembles a shrug 🤷
 
benedictgal said:
… As laity, we do not have the power to impart blessings of a liturgical nature.
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Wrong. The Book of Blessings has lots of blessings that can be done by lay people. They are blessings of a liturgical nature, from a liturgical book. For example, technical installations or equipment: “901 The present order may be used by a priest or deacon. It may also be used by a layperon, who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.”

The General Introduction to the Book of Blessings has in n. 18 that lay people may celebrate certain blessings, but ends with: “But whenever a priest or deacon is present, the office of presiding should be left to him.”

Here is a possible origin for the practice of everyone joining in the blessing gesture. At the end of Mass only the priest is directed to move his hands. But my observation is that nearly everyone does this, blessing themselves, while the priest is blessing them.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“167. … The priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus (May Almighty God Bless you) and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, continues, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus (the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit). All answer, Amen.” The people should bow their head, but not make the Sign of the Cross.
 
John_Lilburne said:
Wrong. The Book of Blessings has lots of blessings that can be done by lay people. They are blessings of a liturgical nature, from a liturgical book. For example, technical installations or equipment: “901 The present order may be used by a priest or deacon. It may also be used by a layperon, who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister.”

The General Introduction to the Book of Blessings has in n. 18 that lay people may celebrate certain blessings, but ends with: “But whenever a priest or deacon is present, the office of presiding should be left to him.”

Here is a possible origin for the practice of everyone joining in the blessing gesture. At the end of Mass only the priest is directed to move his hands. But my observation is that nearly everyone does this, blessing themselves, while the priest is blessing them.

From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“167. … The priest, joining his hands again and then immediately placing his left hand on his breast, raises his right hand and adds, Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus (May Almighty God Bless you) and, as he makes the Sign of the Cross over the people, continues, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus (the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit). All answer, Amen.” The people should bow their head, but not make the Sign of the Cross.
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John, although I respect your vast and impressive knowledge of the liturgy, I am very suspect about what the OP described. Commissioning ceremonial blessings should be reserved to the priest and/or bishop, and, in rare cases, the deacon. What the OP described happened within the context of the Mass.

When the priest imparts the final blessing, we make the sign of the cross not so much to bless ourselves, but, in receiving the blessing.

When I have led a communion service, I do not impart a “final blessing” because it is not within my competency to do so. Instead, there is a concluding prayer asking the Lord to bless us. I don’t do what is indicated in the section of the GIRM you quoted. Why? I don’t have that authority.

Remember, too, that Pope John Paul II directed that a letter be released (memory escapes me right now as to the exact title) regarding certain duties and obligations of the ordained priesthood and the laity.

Having the type of “blessing” ritual blurs that line. What you quoted from the book of blessings only covers situations when the priest or deacon was not present. As I stated earlier, this was done within the confines of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Why would the laitiy have to be involved if the ordained priest is right there? Enough confusion already exists in the Church today. Why stir up the pot even more?
 
drafdog said:
This is reminiscent of Laying on of Hands from the early church. It is in no way harmful to the faith nor is it immoral. What, then, is the problem? Note that in scripture laymen have always lain hands on in imparting a blessing. There is no canon law which prohibits a member of the faithful from asking God’s blessing on another. Maybe we need to do more of this sort of thing in our homes and families.

Matthew
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Digitonomy said:
So are you saying that a parent validly imparts a blessing to his children, or that they are merely asking God to bless his children? And if the latter, why couldn’t he do the same for his neighbor?
Click to expand...
It’s not an all or nothing. Depending on how we interpret the word, anyone can bless in the sense of “praying to God on another’s behalf.” But only some people can bless certain others in the sense of “conferring a sacramental (which conveys grace ex opere operantis).”

The Book of Blessings (which is really a section of the Roman Ritual) details the official blessings of the Latin Church, i.e. those blessings which are recognized as sacramentals, and which have official rites instituted for their conferral. Among these blessings, certain ministers are designated for each. Some can be conferred only by a priest (or above), some by a deacon (or above), some by a specific sort of lay minister (e.g. IIRC a catechist blessing catechumens), others by an indiscriminate lay person (by designating simply a “lay minister”).

I used the blessing of children by parents - which has an official rite in the book of blessings - as an example of one blessing that is conferrable by laymen, and now stand corrected by my own memory that there are a few more blessings of persons by laymen. Still, the majority of blessings done by laymen are blessings of objects, not people. At any rate, the criticism of the congregation raising their hands at Mass isn’t done on the basis that they can’t bless at all, but that 1) they rarely can, 2) even if they often could, they aren’t in this particular case, 3) raising their hand as if “participating” in the conferral of the blessing as some sort of “co-blesser” does violence to the distinctions upheld by the Book of Blessings, and 4) the Church has its reasons for which blessings it has alotted to various grades of laymen and clerics.
 
Ghoti said:
The church I used to attend had a number of such innovations brought in by the progressive parish priest – he studied theology in Rome. He has since left the priesthood and has a wife an kids. Now that’s progress!😊

We did the “congregation blessing” thing. There was:

(one hand)
  1. The Nazi salute (arm and hand at 45 degrees)
  2. The cigar-store Indian salute (arm bent, hand straight up — Klahowya!)
  3. The “traffic cop” (arm outstretched, palm forward)
  4. The “Magic Spell” (arm outstretched, palm flat)
  5. The “Hey I’m over here!” (arm somewhere between straight and bent, between forward and to the side, palm forward-ish – as if you were waving goodbye)
(two hands)
  1. “I surrender!” (arms to sides, elbows bent, forearms straight up, palms forward)
  2. “I’m just sayin’…” (elbows at sides, forearms outstretched at sides, palms forward)
  3. “Braaaaiins…” (Arms straight out forward, parallel to ground, palms flat – like Frankenstein or a zombie)
  4. “Gimme a hug!” (same as above, palms facing each other)
  5. “Stop hugging me!” (elbows at sides, forearms straight out forward, palms facing forward)
  6. “I’m clear! Throw me the ball!” (Elbows at sides, forearms forward up to about 45 degrees, hands facing inward ir forward, like trying to catch a basketball…this was the one I self-consciously used when I did this)
It’s kind of like that *orans *(name?) position I’ve seen…when not done by the priest it looks kind of hinkey, more resembles a shrug 🤷
Click to expand...
:rotfl:Oh my gosh, I have tears in my eyes I’m laughing so hard!
 
Ghoti said:
The church I used to attend had a number of such innovations brought in by the progressive parish priest – he studied theology in Rome. He has since left the priesthood and has a wife an kids. Now that’s progress!😊
We did the “congregation blessing” thing. There was:
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This is HILARIOUS. After I stopped laughing, I tried a couple of these arm positions, it was even funnier then.
Thank you for adding a little humor to the thread. 😃
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