Receiving blessing in Communion line

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My RCIA director told the people in RCIA to go up and get a blessing. I knew that you technically aren’t supposed to do this, but he was sitting right next to me and the RCIA people went up together, so I went too. Did I commit any sin? I don’t think I did, as I highly doubt that our priest would aid someone in committing a sin.
 
I doubt it’s a sin, but if you know you shouldn’t go then you shouldn’t go.
 
My priest and rcia teachers and sponsor all tell anyone not receiving communion to get a blessing!! Its not a sin!
 
I, also have been told by the priest and RCIA director to go up and recieve a blessing. Why would they tell us to do this if we are not supposed to?
 
MyPseudonym said:
I knew that you technically aren’t supposed to do this
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That is not the case. The practice is neither explicitly endorsed or prohibited, except possibly at a local level. You may follow the custom in your own parish, without compunction.
 
Edmundus1581 said:
That is not the case. The practice is neither explicitly endorsed or prohibited, except possibly at a local level. You may follow the custom in your own parish, without compunction.
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Am I reading this wrong? Particularly point 5.

"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).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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)."
adoremus.org/0209CDW_Blessing.html
 
The congregation receives a final blessing at the end of mass. I don’t see why one would receive a blessing during communion. Maybe people see it as a substitution. Do people receiving communion also receive a blessing at the same time? I don’t mean to confuse the matter. But I don’t see the purpose of a receiving a blessing during communion.
 
MyPseudonym said:
My RCIA director told the people in RCIA to go up and get a blessing. I knew that you technically aren’t supposed to do this, but he was sitting right next to me and the RCIA people went up together, so I went too. Did I commit any sin? I don’t think I did, as I highly doubt that our priest would aid someone in committing a sin.
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You did not commit any sin. Your obedience to your RCIA director will be rewarded. 🙂
 
MyPseudonym said:
Am I reading this wrong? Particularly point 5.

"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).
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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)."
adoremus.org/0209CDW_Blessing.html
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You are only imposing this on yourself so I won’t argue with you. There is more information on this matter available on the web, including here in CAF, if you are interested.

The best way to search CAF is with google, as follows:

Enter, into google: site:forums.catholic-questions.org blessing communion

You can then narrow it down with other search terms, such as the title of the document you cited.

Also:

Blessings at Holy Communion
 
april32010 said:
obedience to a RCIA director is neither expected nor rewarded.
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CCC

1899 The authority required by the moral order derives from God: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."17

1900 The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will.
 
MyPseudonym said:
Huh?
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You seem to understand that you should not approach for a blessing, yet you followed the direction of your RCIA instructor. You asked if you committed a sin. When people try to answer your question, you put up more of a defense of why you should not have approached by quoting from the adoremus website. So what more can we say? I agree with Edmundus 1981 that “You are imposing this on yourself, so I won’t argue with you.”
 
JM3 said:
CCC

1899 The authority required by the moral order derives from God: "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment."17

1900 The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will.
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this is speaking to civil authority
1897 “Human society can be neither well-ordered nor prosperous unless it has some people invested with legitimate authority to preserve its institutions and to devote themselves as far as is necessary to work and care for the good of all.”15
By “authority” one means the quality by virtue of which persons or institutions make laws and give orders to men and expect obedience from them.
1898 Every human community needs an authority to govern it.16 The foundation of such authority lies in human nature. It is necessary for the unity of the state. Its role is to ensure as far as possible the common good of the society
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april32010 said:
this is speaking to civil authority
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1899 reference 17 states “Romans 13:1-2; cf. 1 Peter 2:13-17”

Here is 1 Peter 2:13-17;
13 Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God’s sake: whether it be to the king as excelling;
14 Or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of the good:
15 For so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
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Here is 18-22;
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if for conscience towards God, a man endure sorrows, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if committing sin, and being buffeted for it, you endure? But if doing well you suffer patiently; this is thankworthy before God.
21 For unto this are you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps.
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rcia directors are neither masters nor governors,the Catechism is clear that it speaking of civil authorities .i’m through with this nonsense.
 
zab said:
You seem to understand that you should not approach for a blessing, yet you followed the direction of your RCIA instructor. You asked if you committed a sin. When people try to answer your question, you put up more of a defense of why you should not have approached by quoting from the adoremus website. So what more can we say? I agree with Edmundus 1981 that “You are imposing this on yourself, so I won’t argue with you.”
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Thankyou. Yes, that is my point. MrPseudonymn has found a resource which supports his stance, and, on the basis of that, is overriding the advice of his RCIA director and priest. I have been in several debates here in CAF about this topic, and the article MrP cited is always invoked. It is not a final authority on the matter, due to its origins and authorship, however there is no simple statement from a higher authority on the practice - except in particular regions which either approve or reject it (the practice). So, if MrP chooses to follow it for himself then I won’t argue with him. I just pointed him to further information.

I contrast this with the case of posters who use this reference to insist that others not go forward for a blessing when it is approved in their parish. I have argued against this in the CAF.
 
Thanks for the responses!

Also, what exactly is that quote that I posted?
 
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