What Should I Respond When a Priest Blesses Me?

[fkjuliano]

I have returned to the Catholicism recently after a long period of atheism and agnosticism and I’m still learning about our faith. Today I went to Mass in a church in Miami Beach, FL, and afterwards two priests, two seminarians and a deacon lined up by the entrance to greet and bless the parishioners as they came out of the church, which I thought was a nice gesture. My question is, how should a parishioner respond to these blessings? When the deacon said, “God bless you,” I responded with something like, “Thank you, deacon, and you as well.” From his facial expression, I thought that may have been an improper response. Is it presumptuous for a layman to return a blessing to a member of the clergy, whether priest or deacon? Is there a specific formula that should be said, or perhaps just “Amen”?

I would appreciate some instruction on this question.

Thank you to all.

 

[MarkThompson]

I have returned to the Catholicism recently after a long period of atheism and agnosticism and I’m still learning about our faith. Today I went to Mass in a church in Miami Beach, FL, and afterwards two priests, two seminarians and a deacon lined up by the entrance to greet and bless the parishioners as they came out of the church, which I thought was a nice gesture. My question is, how should a parishioner respond to these blessings? When the deacon said, “God bless you,” I responded with something like, “Thank you, deacon, and you as well.” From his facial expression, I thought that may have been an improper response. Is it presumptuous for a layman to return a blessing to a member of the clergy, whether priest or deacon? Is there a specific formula that should be said, or perhaps just “Amen”?

I would appreciate some instruction on this question.

Thank you to all.

I think “thank you” is the best response, though I suppose “amen” would work fine too. But laypeople are unable to confer a blessing in the same way that clergy are, so “you too” doesn’t quite fit. The thought was nice, though! I’m sure God heard you either way.

 

[eucharisteo]

Don’t worry about it. If you feel compelled just say thank you. Remember that seminarians do not have faculies to impart blessings like deacons, priests and bishops. Otherwise my blessings would be more than I wish you well with God.

 

[Catholic1954]

A simple “Amen!” is fine.

 

[EasterJoy]

When the deacon said, “God bless you,” I responded with something like, “Thank you, deacon, and you as well.” From his facial expression, I thought that may have been an improper response. Is it presumptuous for a layman to return a blessing to a member of the clergy, whether priest or deacon? Is there a specific formula that should be said, or perhaps just “Amen”?

I would appreciate some instruction on this question.

Thank you to all.

There is also the little issue that some people don’t always respect or understand deacons and their faculty to impart blessings. Some of them, particularly the permanent deacons, are constantly being ping-ponged between being treated as if they were still laypeople or else being mistaken for priests. Unless the seminarians are transitional deacons, including them with the ordained clergy imparting blessings does not help this problem.

 

[FrDavid96]

I have returned to the Catholicism recently after a long period of atheism and agnosticism and I’m still learning about our faith. Today I went to Mass in a church in Miami Beach, FL, and afterwards two priests, two seminarians and a deacon lined up by the entrance to greet and bless the parishioners as they came out of the church, which I thought was a nice gesture. My question is, how should a parishioner respond to these blessings? When the deacon said, “God bless you,” I responded with something like, “Thank you, deacon, and you as well.” From his facial expression, I thought that may have been an improper response. Is it presumptuous for a layman to return a blessing to a member of the clergy, whether priest or deacon? Is there a specific formula that should be said, or perhaps just “Amen”?

I would appreciate some instruction on this question.

Thank you to all.

From what you’ve written, it’s hard to see what was happening there. We sometimes say “God bless you” as a form of farewell; of course, that’s not a blessing. It seems to me as if the deacon was actually blessing you, based on his reaction. If that was the case, then the deacon himself should have done a better job at making it clear that he was blessing, and if that happens then the appropriate response would be “amen.”

 

[Chatter163]

 

[Aramis]

Roman Clergy have the faculty to impart God’s blessing. That is, if they bless you, you kno that you have received a blessing from God through that cleric. This is, however, a suspendable faculty, tho rarely is it suspended.

In the Eastern Churches, only priests and bishops have that faculty of blessing. A Deacon may invoke the Saints in their rare role as leader of paraliturgical prayer… but may not bless unless grated a specific faculty to do so by the bishop, and that is not common at all.

A layperson or minor cleric may ask God to bless you, but one can never be certain that it was efficacious. Minor clerics should not, therefore, act as if giving a blessing except when specifically granted such as part of the rubrics of a reader service they are leading.

In the Reader services for the Byzantine rite, the final blessing is structured differently depending upon who gives it. A priest or bishop commands the holy spirit. A deacon asks the sainted Priests and Bishops to send the Holy Spirit. A layman begs God in his mercy to do so.