Question regarding Dominican blessings

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marywel

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Sorry if this isn’t the right spot, but I didn’t see anything else more appropriate … anyway, my questions is this: Is it true that lay dominicans can only have religious articles blessed by a Dominican priest in order to keep with the Dominican rules?
My friend who is becoming a lay Dominican got a new rosary and was told by one of the Dominicans at the Monastery that he MUST have it blessed ONLY by a Dominican priest or it’s against the rules and promises?
Thanks for your time.
 
marywel said:
Sorry if this isn’t the right spot, but I didn’t see anything else more appropriate … anyway, my questions is this: Is it true that lay dominicans can only have religious articles blessed by a Dominican priest in order to keep with the Dominican rules?
My friend who is becoming a lay Dominican got a new rosary and was told by one of the Dominicans at the Monastery that he MUST have it blessed ONLY by a Dominican priest or it’s against the rules and promises?
Thanks for your time.
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I’m not sure exactly. I can ask when I’m at the Priory next 🙂
 
marywel said:
Sorry if this isn’t the right spot, but I didn’t see anything else more appropriate … anyway, my questions is this: Is it true that lay dominicans can only have religious articles blessed by a Dominican priest in order to keep with the Dominican rules?
My friend who is becoming a lay Dominican got a new rosary and was told by one of the Dominicans at the Monastery that he MUST have it blessed ONLY by a Dominican priest or it’s against the rules and promises?
Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...
I had not heard that but I am brand new so there is much that I don’t know. The Lay Dominican rule is available online so you may be able to search there to check it out. try www.3op.org.

Off the bat, I cannot imagine it would be true. There are multiple places where there are lay Dominicans but not any Dominican Friars locally. Lay Dominicans are to live their Rule and their Spirituality within the life of their local parish. With that in mind, anything that would cut off the Dominican from their local parish priest would seem to be against the whole idea.
 
Thanks so much for your kind responses … I will check out the link … but my friend said he already checked the rules online and didn’t see anything relating to such a rule. I wouldn’t think so, but will ask anyway … my friend is in Norway, not the USA … but that shouldn’t make a difference, right? Thanks again and God bless! 🙂
 
marywel said:
Thanks so much for your kind responses … I will check out the link … but my friend said he already checked the rules online and didn’t see anything relating to such a rule. I wouldn’t think so, but will ask anyway … my friend is in Norway, not the USA … but that shouldn’t make a difference, right? Thanks again and God bless! 🙂
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I doubt that would make a difference. We all fall under the Master of the Order and I believe share the same rule.

Your friend was told this by a Dominican at the Monastery? I have only read the rule completely through once but to my understanding Dominican Friars, Sisters, and Nuns can and do serve as spiritual directors and promoters but they do not have decision making authority over the chapter or its members.

Your friends Chapter Moderator would be able to clear any of that up for him. If his Chapter Moderator is not easily accessible, have him contact the Provincial Moderator who would certainly be able to answer that particular question.

In Christ,
 
Very interesting question.

I found this online:

Until the promulgation of Inter Oecumenici in 1964, the blessing of Rosaries was a reserved blessing, and only priests of the Dominican Order could bless them. That is why the older Roman Rituals did not contain a blessing for Rosaries. Today any priest or deacon may bless a Rosary using formulas in use from 1964 to 1984 or the formula found in the new Liber Benedictionum of 1984
dominican-liturgy.blogspot.com/2008/10/rosary-blessings-and-indulgences.html

I checked my 1964 copy of the Roman Ritual. Sure enough, the ritual for blessing a Rosary of Our Lady says “Formerly Reserved to the Order of Preachers” (aka Dominicans)

The short form of the same blessing says “Formerly reserved to the same Order” and “Approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites, Nov. 23, 1918”

There are other types of rosaries and the blessing of those also say that they were formerly reserved to certain orders.

So, while any priest may bless a rosary today, this was formerly reserved to Dominicans.

There may very well be some kind of restrictions requiring lay Dominicans to have their own rosaries blessed by a Dominican priest. Maybe, maybe not.

The webpage I referenced was last updated in October 09, but it seems they’re still accepting questions (the thread started in Oct 08, so they apparently do update older threads) It might be worthwhile to go there and inquire of the Dominican priest who responds to the questions.
 
Thanks so very much Father for taking the time to post about this! I will certainly pass this along to my friend! God bless! 🙂
 
No, this IS NOT the case at all. It is sad that sometimes well meaning Monk’s, Priests, Nun’s and Brother’s tell people misleading things like this.
 
Here’s a followup quote.

QUESTION: Father, must the blessing be given by a specifically Dominican friar?

And, can this blessing be given for a Rosary to be used by a non Dominican like myself.

While I am not a Dominican I have a great interest in the Lay Dominicans and would seek discernment in becoming one were there a chapter in our area of Canada, which sadly there is not.

For the record, I am a former Protestant minister of nearly 20 years and convert to the Catholic Church along with my whole family in January of 2006.

OCTOBER 5, 2009 9:50 AM
Fr. Augustine Thompson O.P. said…
Dear Owen,

There are no longer any blessings reserved to members of the religious orders. Those “privileges” were abolished in the 1965 legislation on indulgences. Any priest can give this blessing today. And under Summorum Pontificum, of course, this old form may be used by any priest.

Keep in mind that the question was asked specifically about one who is not a lay Dominican. Fr Thompson did not volunteer a specific answer with regard to lay Dominicans having their rosaries blessed.
 
The_Old_Medic said:
No, this IS NOT the case at all. It is sad that sometimes well meaning Monk’s, Priests, Nun’s and Brother’s tell people misleading things like this.
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well what IS the case please? Odd to see someone discredit someone else without giving the ‘correct’ information … please elaborate, thank you.
 
FrDavid96 said:
Here’s a followup quote.

QUESTION: Father, must the blessing be given by a specifically Dominican friar?

And, can this blessing be given for a Rosary to be used by a non Dominican like myself.

While I am not a Dominican I have a great interest in the Lay Dominicans and would seek discernment in becoming one were there a chapter in our area of Canada, which sadly there is not.

For the record, I am a former Protestant minister of nearly 20 years and convert to the Catholic Church along with my whole family in January of 2006.

OCTOBER 5, 2009 9:50 AM
Fr. Augustine Thompson O.P. said…
Dear Owen,

There are no longer any blessings reserved to members of the religious orders. Those “privileges” were abolished in the 1965 legislation on indulgences. Any priest can give this blessing today. And under Summorum Pontificum, of course, this old form may be used by any priest.

Keep in mind that the question was asked specifically about one who is not a lay Dominican. Fr Thompson did not volunteer a specific answer with regard to lay Dominicans having their rosaries blessed.
Click to expand...
Thanks again Father .,… passed that along too … and I also was under the impression that any priest could bless any religious object … additionally, deacons can bless too, yes? I was schooled by Dominicans and had all my Sacraments in a Dominican parish … I didn’t remember this special blessing thing at all and I do go back to pre Vatican II 🙂
 
marywel said:
My friend who is becoming a lay Dominican got a new rosary and was told by one of the Dominicans at the Monastery that he MUST have it blessed ONLY by a Dominican priest or it’s against the rules and promises?
Thanks for your time.
Click to expand...
I have encountered this question before somewhere in the course of my life. This is the answer that was given.

At one time Rosaries could only be blessed by Domincan priests.

This is no longer the case, and hasn’t been so for some hundred years.

The Rosary is fitting to all Christians since all Christians are meant to be the Children of Mary.

I am not a Dominican nor a priest. I am sentenced to work by the sweat of my brow. Perhaps there is a particularly efficacious form of the blessing that is a privelege Dominican priests are given. Here, I am thinking of how much more efficacious are some of the prayers from the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
 
JimmytheButcher said:
I have encountered this question before somewhere in the course of my life. This is the answer that was given.

At one time Rosaries could only be blessed by Domincan priests.

This is no longer the case, and hasn’t been so for some hundred years.

The Rosary is fitting to all Christians since all Christians are meant to be the Children of Mary.

I am not a Dominican nor a priest. I am sentenced to work by the sweat of my brow. Perhaps there is a particularly efficacious form of the blessing that is a privelege Dominican priests are given. Here, I am thinking of how much more efficacious are some of the prayers from the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
Click to expand...
Thanks Jimmy, for taking the time to reply to this! Passing it along to my friend! God bless 🙂
 
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