Odd thing at Mass today

[Magnum_V8]

I don’t think she’s leaving for good. Last I heard she’s on vacation in Europe.

I don’t, nor do I think any other Catholic does, have a problem with praying for someone else. Its just the act he had us do seemed, to me, something reserved for only the clergy.

 

[mchium]

This practice (the lay ‘blessing’), very common today in many parishes, is NOT ok. The laity cannot bless. Even a deacon cannot give any blessing other than the type specifically allowed him.

We have come to a place where we have so much misplaced compassion, kind feelings, love and such that we don’t even recognize it’s misplaced.

Yes, it’s very kind to ‘recognize’, in some way, an employee of the parish who has contributed much but those ways may not include the lay people or the congregation ‘simulating’ (because that’s what it is) a blessing. It confuses the priestly role with the role of the laity and is a grave error.

In addition, we can ask if it is fitting to make these thanks or recognitions of cantors and such during the liturgy (it is not) - as opposed to a simple announcement of a little gathering after Mass or something similar and then in THAT setting, thanks and recognition can be given.

The issue is not that recognition and thanks be or not be given to someone like the person mentioned here, the question is where and how that recognition should take place.

Just remember - it’s simple - lay people cannot bless. That should take care of it. The only exception to anything like a lay blessing is the personal/private one that a parent may do, for instance, in tracing the cross on the forehead of their child at bedtime, a ritual many parents practice. Even this is not a true blessing (conferring grace) but is more like a special parental prayer offered for their child - perfectly acceptable.

You do not have to comply if asked to raise your hand and ‘bless’ someone during the liturgy. It is not disobedience to legitimate authority. In this instance, the legitimate authority is Jesus, whose liturgy is still ongoing at that point, and the priest, for his part, abdicates his legitimacy as soon as he changes the liturgy like that or asks anyone to do something prohibited.

Shame on him.

 

[quiet52]

Of course lay people can bless others. Because of our baptisms, we bless ourselves when we dip our finger(s) into the holy water font and pray the Sign of the Cross. Many of us say “God bless you” to each other. When my daughter was younger, I’d bless her every night, with a sign of the cross on her forehead, after bedtime prayers.

Father Saunders addresses the issues of blessing others in this article: forums.catholic-questions.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=2419587

Some blessings can be invoked only by clergy. During mass in my parish, after the lector’s announcements and before the dismissal, the priest asks those celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or a special event in their lives to come forward. We all raise a hand toward them and bless them as the priest prays. It’s a beautiful custom.

 

[mchium]

Of course lay people can bless others. Because of our baptisms, we bless ourselves when we dip our finger(s) into the holy water font and pray the Sign of the Cross. Many of us say “God bless you” to each other. When my daughter was younger, I’d bless her every night, with a sign of the cross on her forehead, after bedtime prayers.

Father Saunders addresses the issues of blessing others in this article: forums.catholic-questions.org/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=2419587

Some blessings can be invoked only by clergy. During mass in my parish, after the lector’s announcements and before the dismissal, the priest asks those celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or a special event in their lives to come forward. We all raise a hand toward them and bless them as the priest prays. It’s a beautiful custom.

The custom(s) you mention are not valid or legitimate, nor is the liturgy permitted to be changed by their inclusion. They have worked their way into our worship and liturgy in many parishes because of what I stated before - the ‘misplaced’ sense of kindness or of being ‘nice’. I will repeat - the recognition and congratulations being shared with those having birthdays and anniversaries and such is a nice thing to do and is not the issue.

The issue is when and where they are done - and the liturgy is not the time or place.

As for blessings, Canon Law governs this. Can 1169 says:

Can. 1169 §1. Those marked with the episcopal character and presbyters permitted by law or legitimate grant can perform consecrations and dedications validly.
§2. Any presbyter can impart blessings except those reserved to the Roman Pontiff or bishops.
§3. A deacon can impart only those blessings expressly permitted by law.

Canon law 1168 says:

Can. 1168 The minister of sacramentals is a cleric who has been provided with the requisite power. According to the norm of the liturgical books and to the judgment of the local ordinary lay persons who possess the appropriate qualities can also administer some sacramentals.

This means, basically, that lay people, when designated individually by a priest or the ordinary, may assist in the blessings with things like the candles on St. Blaise’s feast day and/or with the reception of ashes on Ash Wednesday.

It is not, in any sense, a mass-deputization of all the congregation, anytime they want, to raise their hands and bless anyone.

This issue also has nothing to do with blessing yourself with Holy Water. You are permitted the use of a sacramental on your person and it’s the sacramental, combined with faith that imparts grace, not your blessing.

We need to see these ‘kind things’ we do as kind only when we do them properly. When we don’t they are a violation of the liturgy of the Lord and an inserting of our agenda into what is Christ’s.

I wonder why there is such resistance to shaking someone’s hand outside of Mass and wishing them happy birthday, assuring them of our prayers, thanking them for their service, whatever kindness we want to show. That would be charity in action.

But the insistence that we do it when we want and where we want even if it is not legitimate to do so, begs the question and betrays a lack of humble obedience. After all, what is so hard about doing what the Lord and the Church ask us to do? Is it really that difficult ? Why do we insist on having our way?

 

[mchium]

Quiet52: I mispoke about the Holy Water/blessing. When we make the Sign of the Corss using holy water that holy action and the holy water remind us of our baptism and awaken in us the presence of God and dispose us to receive His grace. It (sacramental), itself, does NOT confer grace but helps us to sanctify moments of our lives.

Also, although your link did not work for Fr. Saunders’ comments on blessings, I did find it. He does not disagree with what I have said, even though his article is general and doesn’t get into the specifics we are into here.

Fr Saunders says, in part:

Who can do a blessing? The states, “Every baptized person is called to be a ‘blessing’ and to bless. Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more its administration is reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priest, deacons)” (No. 1669).

This, in essence, agrees with what I said in my last post. (note Fr.'s mention of Can Law 1669). His reference to the fact that every baptized person is called to ‘be a blessing and to bless’ is vague at best and means the obvious. That we are called to be a ‘blessing’ to each other is not at all the same as conferring a blessing (and, therefore, the grace of the Holy Spirit) on each other. It means what it says - be a blessing to those around you.

He also says that lay people may preside at CERTAIN blessings, which I mentioned in my previous post as being the blessing of throats and the giving out of ashes on Ash Wednesday. These are permitted, but even for these, the lay person so chosen must be ‘appropriate’ to the task (and only the priest or the ordinary determines this) and the person(s) chosen are designated individually and for that time only.

Again, an entirely different situation than everyone in the congregation being able to ‘give a blessing’ (conferring grace) at any time and in any place and situation one wishes.

The point is that even if the arm raising and and such are **meant **(in the individual’s mind) to just be a nice gesture, its problem is that it confuses the roles of priest and laity and easily scandalizes or confuses others. This adds even another element to the abuse being allowed.

The point is also that we can be as kind and nice and congratulatory as we want to be - just in the right place and time.

None of these ‘extras’ belong as part of the liturgy. It’s that simple. We make it more complex than it needs to be by burrowing down into all kinds of nuances when there are none there. And it’s also the fault of the customs becoming so widespread - it makes my point. So many parishes and priests are allowing this that people come away thinking and believing it’s ok to do it.

It’s not popular to disabuse people of this opinion, but if no one does it, the abuse only continues.