Receiving a blessing instead of communion

[ntisawesome]

I have a question for the veterans:

Back at the parish that I attended RCIA at in my hometown, when going up during communion, I was taught to cross my arms on my chest and place my hands on my shoulders to indicate that I should not receive communion but instead receive a blessing.
(I have not been baptized yet.)

Now I’m on the other side of the country and attending a new parish for the first time today. I assumed this was standard and now I’m not so sure. When I got to the front, the lady handing out the body of Christ just said “the body of Christ” and acknowledged me. I wasn’t sure what to do or wait for since there was a HUGE line behind me (it’s much larger than the parish back home) so I moved on awkwardly and felt really stupid.

Did I do this right? I get very nervous about the whole ordeal every single time I do it.

 

[zab]

First of all, I am sorry that you have been placed in this awkward position after being taught something that has become such a heated and controversial topic that a moratorium has been placed on it at least on the*** Liturgy and Sacraments forum***. I don’t know if that moratorium extends to this forum as well. I will just suggest that I believe that it would be best to remain in your pew during Communion.
See post from moderator, Jean Anthony:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6241456&postcount=3

 

[ElizabethPH]

well since in your own parish this is done and you were never taught that this isn’t done in every parish it certainly wasn’t your fault. I did the same thing in a parish outside my state and with the priest; he refused to give me a blessing. I was rather embarrassed; but moved on and never did it again not even in my parish. Since, I’ve realized a blessing is given to everyone at the end of Mass and that communion is for communion not blessings.

 

[ElizabethPH]

First of all, I am sorry that you have been placed in this awkward position after being taught something that has become such a heated and controversial topic that a moratorium has been placed on it at least on the*** Liturgy and Sacraments forum***. I don’t know if that moratorium extends to this forum as well. I will just suggest that I believe that it would be best to remain in your pew during Communion.
See post from moderator, Jean Anthony:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=6241456&postcount=3

I didn’t know this was a banned topic. I can rather understand it has been discussed a lot.

 

[juno24]

Welcome to the Church!
Without commenting on whether asking for a blessing instead of receiving Holy Communion is proper or not, I would just like to say that only the priest can deliver such a blessing. Whether giving a blessing during Holy Communion is accepted as a practice in your parish or not, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is not capable of giving such a blessing, so she was behaving exactly as she should have by not giving you one.

 

[benedictgal]

Welcome to the Church!
Without commenting on whether asking for a blessing instead of receiving Holy Communion is proper or not, I would just like to say that only the priest can deliver such a blessing. Whether giving a blessing during Holy Communion is accepted as a practice in your parish or not, the extraordinary minister of Holy Communion is not capable of giving such a blessing, so she was behaving exactly as she should have by not giving you one.

Even a priest cannot do this within the context of the Mass. This is what the CDWDS specifically states on the matter:

1. The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.

1. Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; Canon 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).

1. Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands — which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here — by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.

1. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry”. To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.

5**. In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics **and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

No one has the authority, not even the celebrant, to invent a rite and imbed it within the Mass. When I last spoke to the a few months ago, I was told that this should not be happening. We form a line to receive Someone, Jesus in Holy Communion, not something, a blessing, which will be given to everyone at its proper time, at the final blessing.

 

[ProVobis]

Even a priest cannot do this within the context of the Mass. This is what the CDWDS specifically states on the matter:

No one has the authority, not even the celebrant, to invent a rite and imbed it within the Mass. When I last spoke to the a few months ago, I was told that this should not be happening. We form a line to receive Someone, Jesus in Holy Communion, not something, a blessing, which will be given to everyone at its proper time, at the final blessing.

BG, I don’t know how this practice started. I certainly never saw it during all the years I served. I’ve seen it lately, though, and I wonder if some saw the priest blessing the infants and thought anyone was entitled to this blessing. Goes to show how something uncorrected can easily lead to confusion.

 

[ConstantineTG]

BG, I don’t know how this practice started. I certainly never saw it during all the years I served. I’ve seen it lately, though, and I wonder if some saw the priest blessing the infants and thought anyone was entitled to this blessing. Goes to show how something uncorrected can easily lead to confusion.

This seems to be a purely North American thing as I don’t see it in parishes outside of North America

 

[stormy99]

During our RCIA classes, we were required to attend Mass every Sunday and other days…after the readings, before the gifts are received, we were called to the altar and our parish priest blessed us all…and the choir sang for us as we left to discuss the readings with a Deacon…we were told, we could cross our arms and receive a blessing, but I never did it…well that would hard since I wasj’t there…

stormy

 

[benedictgal]

During our RCIA classes, we were required to attend Mass every Sunday and other days…after the readings, before the gifts are received, we were called to the altar and our parish priest blessed us all…and the choir sang for us as we left to discuss the readings with a Deacon…we were told, we could cross our arms and receive a blessing, but I never did it…well that would hard since I wasj’t there…

stormy

Now that blessing and dismissal is part of the RCIA ritual; however, the actual blessing in lieu of receving Holy Communion is found nowhere in the authoritative liturgical documents nor liturgical books of the Church. It was not up to the deacon to give that direction since it is not part of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[ConstantineTG]

During our RCIA classes, we were required to attend Mass every Sunday and other days…after the readings, before the gifts are received, we were called to the altar and our parish priest blessed us all…and the choir sang for us as we left to discuss the readings with a Deacon…we were told, we could cross our arms and receive a blessing, but I never did it…well that would hard since I wasj’t there…

stormy

This is the dismissal of the Catechumens. Traditionally non-Catholics are not to take part in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Catechumens are dismissed. Of course today it only happens with RCIA and only if the rite itself is followed. We already know a lot of non-Catholics stay throughout the Mass, even sometimes receive unworthily.

 

[MtnDwellar]

I am a bit confused. A non-Catholic friend of mine asked if he could attend a Mass with me. I agreed. First, that wasn’t wrong, was it?

Second, as everyone in the Church was getting in line for Communion I told him to go with the flow. He received a blessing from the priest. I thought that it was wonderful. Leaving him behind in the pew with people climbing over him on their way in and out would have been awkward. I think that going up to the altar and receiving a blessing from the priest was the highlight of his experience. Was that wrong?

 

[ProVobis]

Leaving him behind in the pew with people climbing over him on their way in and out would have been awkward.

Yes, that can be a problem and some people can get downright obnoxious. I always try for an aisle seat so at least I can step out and allow them to move in and out.

 

[xformer7]

When I receive communion with my 2 year old in tow, the priest regularly gives a blessing to my child. No good?

 

[zab]

I am a bit confused. A non-Catholic friend of mine asked if he could attend a Mass with me. I agreed. First, that wasn’t wrong, was it?

Second, as everyone in the Church was getting in line for Communion I told him to go with the flow. He received a blessing from the priest. I thought that it was wonderful. Leaving him behind in the pew with people climbing over him on their way in and out would have been awkward. I think that going up to the altar and receiving a blessing from the priest was the highlight of his experience. Was that wrong?

It was good of you to accompany your non-Catholic friend to Mass. But in regards to your second question, there has been big heated discussions over the reception of blessings in the Communion line. This is not done in other countries and has only been begun here in the United States after Mass in the vernacular became the norm. I don’t believe that one should assume that the origin of this practice. was due to any selfish, prideful, or sinful inclinations including the assumption that some felt “entitlement” to receive something if they could not receive Communion. In fact there has been some positive remarks like that of your friend. We do not know how or why this practice started. But it is very common in some places now. The Congregation For Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (CDWDS) at the Vatican has responded to some queries two years ago about this. They replied that they are studying the matter. They never came right out and said , "Don’t do this!"but they provided some explanation from existing church law and discipline why it shouldn’t be done (posted in the link that I provided above).

 

[benedictgal]

I am a bit confused. A non-Catholic friend of mine asked if he could attend a Mass with me. I agreed. First, that wasn’t wrong, was it?

Second, as everyone in the Church was getting in line for Communion I told him to go with the flow. He received a blessing from the priest. I thought that it was wonderful. Leaving him behind in the pew with people climbing over him on their way in and out would have been awkward. I think that going up to the altar and receiving a blessing from the priest was the highlight of his experience. Was that wrong?

Sadly, this is wrong. There may be some who will interpret the response from CDWDS as a “go ahead and do this anyway”, but, we need to examine some very key phrases that the CDWDS uses:

1. The liturgical blessing of the Holy Mass is properly given to each and to all at the conclusion of the Mass, just a few moments subsequent to the distribution of Holy Communion.

1. Lay people, within the context of Holy Mass, are unable to confer blessings. These blessings, rather, are the competence of the priest (cf. Ecclesia de Mysterio, Notitiae 34 (15 Aug. 1997), art. 6, § 2; Canon 1169, § 2; and Roman Ritual De Benedictionibus (1985), n. 18).

1. Furthermore, the laying on of a hand or hands — which has its own sacramental significance, inappropriate here — by those distributing Holy Communion, in substitution for its reception, is to be explicitly discouraged.

1. The Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris Consortio n. 84, “forbids any pastor, for whatever reason to pretext even of a pastoral nature, to perform ceremonies of any kind for divorced people who remarry”. To be feared is that any form of blessing in substitution for communion would give the impression that the divorced and remarried have been returned, in some sense, to the status of Catholics in good standing.

1. **In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law, the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics **and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

Thus, as I see it, it was not a good idea to encourage your friend to go. As I have said repeatedly in this and in other threads when the subject comes up, we cannot invent rites and imbed them into the Mass. While your intentions may have been good, they might cause confusion. Your friend certainly has the right to attend Mass. The Holy Sacrifice is open to everyone; however, when the priest prays the words: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to His Supper”, it is an invitation to receive Holy Communion, not a blessing.

 

[zab]

zab;7152089We do not know how or why this practice started. But it is very common in some places now. The Congregation For Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (CDWDS) at the Vatican has responded to some queries two years ago about this. They replied that they are studying the matter.
Sadly, this is wrong. There may be some who will interpret the response from CDWDS as a “go ahead and do this anyway”, quote]

For clarification, I was paraphrasing what the original recipient of the letter from the CDWDS wrote and I added a link to his post which I will quote here:

originally posted by **japhy: *"***It’s really quite possible that priests are unaware about whether the practice should or should not be done. Priests can’t be expected to know everything, and there has never been (to my knowledge) a document from Rome saying “do not give blessings during the Communion procession”, and even the letter that benedictgal posted doesn’t come straight out and say “do not give…”, but simply provides explanations from existing Church law and discipline for why they should not be given. (I was the original recipient of that letter, so I’m very familiar with this issue.) The letter also doesn’t say what should be done when someone presents himself for such a blessing, only what shouldn’t be done."
[/QUOTE]

 

[benedictgal]

Sadly, this is wrong. There may be some who will interpret the response from CDWDS as a “go ahead and do this anyway”, but, we need to examine some very key phrases that the CDWDS uses:

Thus, as I see it, it was not a good idea to encourage your friend to go. As I have said repeatedly in this and in other threads when the subject comes up, we cannot invent rites and imbed them into the Mass. While your intentions may have been good, they might cause confusion. Your friend certainly has the right to attend Mass. The Holy Sacrifice is open to everyone; however, when the priest prays the words: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are called to His Supper”, it is an invitation to receive Holy Communion, not a blessing.

To restate the point that I made, the Holy See actually said, in its reponse, that:

1. In a similar way, for others who are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in accord with the norm of law,** the Church’s discipline has already made clear that they **should not approach Holy Communion nor receive a blessing. This would include non-Catholics and those envisaged in can. 915 (i.e., those under the penalty of excommunication or interdict, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin).

The fact that the same document states that such practices are “explicitly discouraged” does not leave much wiggle room, contrary to what some might think. When I contacted the CDWDS on another matter, I posed the question to them about blessings in lieu of Holy Communion and they referred me back to the document they issued and reiterated that these should not be done.

 

[ConstantineTG]

To restate the point that I made, the Holy See actually said, in its reponse, that:

The fact that the same document states that such practices are “explicitly discouraged” does not leave much wiggle room, contrary to what some might think. When I contacted the CDWDS on another matter, I posed the question to them about blessings in lieu of Holy Communion and they referred me back to the document they issued and reiterated that these should not be done.

I wonder why most dioceses hasn’t done anything to curb the practice.

 

[Orleans_Attny]

I am a bit confused. A non-Catholic friend of mine asked if he could attend a Mass with me. I agreed. First, that wasn’t wrong, was it?

Second, as everyone in the Church was getting in line for Communion I told him to go with the flow. He received a blessing from the priest. I thought that it was wonderful. Leaving him behind in the pew with people climbing over him on their way in and out would have been awkward. I think that going up to the altar and receiving a blessing from the priest was the highlight of his experience. Was that wrong?

Yes.

Pax,
OA