Which blessings from the Book of Blessings may lay people give?

[Crown_of_Thorns]

Hi All,

I understand that lay people may give certain blessings.

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless.172 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons). [CCC 1669]

However, I would like to have a clear list of which blessings lay people may give and the formulas for such blessings. I have read that “[t[he Church’s Book of Blessings lists the blessings that may be given by lay people (p.xxviii)” (http://aquietmoment.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/can-lay-people-give-blessings/), but I have been unable to find such a list.

Can anyone help me out?

 

[DCNBILL]

In the Book of Blessings (Copyright 1989) There are 71 chapters of blessings many of which have multiple blessings in them. For one to go through and give you a list that have parts for a lay minister to pray is asking a bit much.

I can tell you that apart from ones children I do not think that a layman can impart an actual blessing, this is reserved for the clergy, but the prayers and scripture readings that are associated with numerous blessings that can be done by a lay minister. For instance in the Order for the Blessing of a Family the rubrics for the actual blessing part state “A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstreched over the family members; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined”

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi All,

I understand that lay people may give certain blessings.

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless.172 Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons). [CCC 1669]

However, I would like to have a clear list of which blessings lay people may give and the formulas for such blessings. I have read that “[t[he Church’s Book of Blessings lists the blessings that may be given by lay people (p.xxviii)” (http://aquietmoment.wordpress.com/2009/04/16/can-lay-people-give-blessings/

), but I have been unable to find such a list.

Can anyone help me out?

The vocabulary here can cause some confusion. We use the word “blessing” to mean so many different things. It can range anywhere from a bishop solemnly dedicating a new church, to a completely secular use of the word (like saying “the manager gave his blessing to the new policy”).

If you mean blessing in the sense that a person or thing is actually “blessed” meaning that it is somehow different than it was before, then only a cleric can bless. For example, look at the prayer before meals. We can all say “Grace” before a meal, but the food isn’t actually blessed (some Catholics have taken to using Protestant vocabulary here and say “give the blessing” and that causes further confusion).

In the new Book of Blessings, this distinction is not made very clear (perhaps the English translators intended it that way?) because the introduction and the index pages don’t make much of a distinction. But as DCNBILL noted, when we look at the actual text of the rituals, the blessing properly speaking, is done only by a cleric. When a layperson presides, the gesture of blessing (making the sign of the cross over the person/object) is removed and the layperson makes the cross over himself.

So despite how things might appear at first-glance, the new Book of Blessings doesn’t have any proper blessings that can be done by the laity. Instead what we see are prayers said over the person or object which have value in themselves, but do not make them “blessed.”

Only a bishop, priest, or deacon can impart a blessing.

 

[Myqyl]

. For example, look at the prayer before meals. We can all say “Grace” before a meal, but the food isn’t actually blessed (some Catholics have taken to using Protestant vocabulary here and say “give the blessing” and that causes further confusion). .

I’m a little confused now. One of the first Catholic prayers I learned is “Bless us Oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to recieve from Thy bounty and through Christ our Lord, Amen.”

It seems clear we are asking for a Blessing from God on ourselves and our meal. Are you saying we don’t get that Blessing? Perhaps this prayer was just a creation of my Grandmother and is not truly a Catholic prayer?

Thanks and God bless… Oh wait… maybe I need to change the way I end posts…

 

[FrDavid96]

I’m a little confused now. One of the first Catholic prayers I learned is “Bless us Oh Lord and these Thy gifts which we are about to recieve from Thy bounty and through Christ our Lord, Amen.”

It seems clear we are asking for a Blessing from God on ourselves and our meal. Are you saying we don’t get that Blessing? Perhaps this prayer was just a creation of my Grandmother and is not truly a Catholic prayer?

Thanks and God bless… Oh wait… maybe I need to change the way I end posts…

Sarcasm aside, if you read what I posted, you can see that I was attempting to explain that we use the word “bless/blessing” in many different ways, and those different ways do not always mean the same thing. Just because we use the verb “bless” does not mean that an actual blessing is imparted.

Grace before meals is a laudable practice; however when we say this prayer, the food is not blessed. That’s what I am saying. The prayer of Grace does not impart any blessing upon the food–it is no different afterwards than it was before; even though saying this prayer is certainly a good thing. For the food to become “blessed food” it has to be blessed by a priest or deacon.

And no, readers here don’t receive any blessing by reading your signature line. But if you want to keep it, by all means feel free, because the use of that word in that context is not the same thing as a blessing. In fact, it’s a very good example of how we use the word “bless” in ways other than the meaning of imparting a blessing. Thanks for the example.

 

[Abba]

I can tell you that apart from ones children I do not think that a layman can impart an actual blessing, this is reserved for the clergy…

This is incorrect. There are societies where the Catholic formality in greeting a grandmother, grandfather, aunt or uncle is to ask for the blessing. This is from of old. It is not only when children but always. If I go to my mother’s house now and she is present and I do not say: The blessing mother, someone will remind me. The same with my aunts and uncles.

Yesterday, I saw my nephew and the first thing he said to me was: La bendicion Tia - The blessing aunt. The response is: May God bless you. This may continue on… depending on the situation. “May he protect you and guide you…”

Depending on the situation and occasion, if it is not too casual, the person giving the blessing (which is really a prayer) does the sign of the cross in front of the person receiving the blessing.

 

[benedictgal]

This is incorrect. There are societies where the Catholic formality in greeting a grandmother, grandfather, aunt or uncle is to ask for the blessing. This is from of old. It is not only when children but always. If I go to my mother’s house now and she is present and I do not say: The blessing mother, someone will remind me. The same with my aunts and uncles.

Yesterday, I saw my nephew and the first thing he said to me was: La bendicion Tia - The blessing aunt. The response is: May God bless you. This may continue on… depending on the situation. “May he protect you and guide you…”

Depending on the situation and occasion, if it is not too casual, the person giving the blessing (which is really a prayer) does the sign of the cross in front of the person receiving the blessing.

Abba, with all due respect, that is not a real blessing, per se. Even though my late grandmother used to “bless me”, it was not really a blessing, but, more along the lines of a prayer.

Inasmuch as we tend to have sentimental attachments to things because of family tradition or culture, what we say and do may not necessarily be what the Church intends to say or do. That is why Fr. David’s explanation is on target.

 

[Abba]

Benedictgal, I noted that it is a prayer. But, it is a special prayer. I wish there was a priest from Spain participating on this forum that can explain it. I am not well educated in catholicism. What I can add is that, whenever I encounter a priest I ask for his blessing.

Several months ago, I called a priest I know from Spain. We are working on a project together. I had not spoken with him in sometime and the automatic greeting was me asking for the blessing. In person, the response is with a bright smile, usually, and the blessing. It shows that the person giving the blessing wishes the receiver well and is asking God to bless the person. You see, the response is not: I bless you. It is May God bless you. It is part of the Catholic tradition in some societies.

Of course, the blessings of a priest are more special. A priest is a priest.

Peace,

Abba

 

[Abba]

I wish to add that I have received the graces from the blessings all my life. It is not for nothing. When a blessing is giving at a family gathering, let’s say, immediate graces are received because of the peace and harmony that it brings to all and the blessed. This aside from the petition to God for the blessed.

 

[benedictgal]

I wish to add that I have received the graces from the blessings all my life. It is not for nothing. When a blessing is giving at a family gathering, let’s say, immediate graces are received because of the peace and harmony that it brings to all and the blessed. This aside from the petition to God for the blessed.

However, Fr. David makes a very important distinction. As laity, you and I cannot bless anything or anyone, per se. We can pray for them, but, we do not have the sarcedotal charism of imparting a blessing. That is where I think folks may have difficulty in making the distinction. As much as I love my late grandmother, her blessing was not a blessing as the Church would see it, but, more along the lines of a petition. She understood that.

 

[Abba]

However, Fr. David makes a very important distinction. As laity, you and I cannot bless anything or anyone, per se. We can pray for them, but, we do not have the sarcedotal charism of imparting a blessing. That is where I think folks may have difficulty in making the distinction. As much as I love my late grandmother, her blessing was not a blessing as the Church would see it, but, more along the lines of a petition. She understood that.

Heaven forbid that I should debate with a priest online! I also did not know that FrDavid96 is a priest. I even checked and could not tell. I thought the FR stood for something else.

I was responding to a post inwhere it was stated that we can only bless our children. I understand that we do not have the sacerdotal charism - I am not saying that we are ordained priests. I already said that it is a prayer. But, it is a special prayer or you can call it a petition if you prefer.

This tradicion is rooted in Jewish culture. It is as I said, I do not know enough to present this Catholic tradition clearly. Perhaps, someday, I can ask a priest from Spain to help me to express it.

Thank you,

Abba

 

[FrCorey]

What are lay people even doing with a clergy book anyways?

 

[Diaconia]

This is covered in a similar (and slightly older) thread:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=476777

God bless,

 

[FrDavid96]

Heaven forbid that I should debate with a priest online! I also did not know that FrDavid96 is a priest. I even checked and could not tell. I thought the FR stood for something else.

I was responding to a post inwhere it was stated that we can only bless our children. I understand that we do not have the sacerdotal charism - I am not saying that we are ordained priests. I already said that it is a prayer. But, it is a special prayer or you can call it a petition if you prefer.

This tradicion is rooted in Jewish culture. It is as I said, I do not know enough to present this Catholic tradition clearly. Perhaps, someday, I can ask a priest from Spain to help me to express it.

Thank you,

Abba

I believe the 3 of us are all saying the same thing. It comes down to what I keep saying, that in English, the word “blessing” can have many different levels of meaning. As you mentioned in your first post here, the family “blessings” are actually prayers–they aren’t blessings like a priest/deacon blesses. The problem is with the vocabulary. We don’t have a single word to refer to a proper-blessing given by a cleric as distinct from a prayer said for someone by a layperson, and sometimes the word “blessing” is used to refer to both examples.

 

[FrDavid96]

What are lay people even doing with a clergy book anyways?

The new “Book of Blessings” combines the clergy’s rituals with the laity’s rituals. The book itself has a lot of “issues” and has led to many unintended negative consequences (as you can read here).

In Eastern vocabulary, you don’t have the same problem we do in the West. In the East (for the benefit of other readers) there’s a clear and unambiguous distinction between a proper blessing (reserved to bishops and priests), and prayers said for someone. In the West, these two concepts are sometimes merged into the one word “blessing.” I know: to an Eastern Orthodox or E. Catholic, it just doesn’t make any sense.

 

[porthos11]

The Book of Blessings is quite defective, as it hardly blesses anything, even by a cleric. Most of what’s asked for is to “bless the person using this thingy, etc.” but not “bless this thingy itself”.

We can all say “Grace” before a meal, but the food isn’t actually blessed (some Catholics have taken to using Protestant vocabulary here and say “give the blessing” and that causes further confusion).

I wouldn’t call this phrase Protestant, since “give the blessing” is quite Catholic, often heard in the ancient Eastern Rite liturgies.

 

[FrDavid96]

The Book of Blessings is quite defective, as it hardly blesses anything, even by a cleric. Most of what’s asked for is to “bless the person using this thingy, etc.” but not “bless this thingy itself”.

I wouldn’t call this phrase Protestant, since “give the blessing” is quite Catholic, often heard in the ancient Eastern Rite liturgies.

I’m laughing to myself here…I didn’t mean it that way. No, I wouldn’t call the phrase itself Protestant–I wasn’t referring to the words themselves, but the context of the words. What I mean is that the phrase “give/say the blessing” is used by Protestants to refer to anyone who says/leads the prayer before a meal, and that Catholics have adopted that phrase in the same context of a prayer led by a layperson. Certainly, the phrase itself is very Catholic.

What I meant to say (what I was trying to say) is that Catholics have traditionally used phrase like “say Grace” while Protestants used words like “give the blessing” but lately more Catholics have adopted the Protestant phrasing. Growing up Catholic, my parents taught us to “say Grace” before a meal, but would never have told us to “give the blessing” because we would not have understood; knowing that only a priest could actually bless anything (not to mention that they just wouldn’t have said it that way to begin with).

Of course, if there was a priest/deacon present, Catholics would have aksed him to “give the blessing”–and still should.

 

[Abba]

I believe the 3 of us are all saying the same thing. It comes down to what I keep saying, that in English, the word “blessing” can have many different levels of meaning. As you mentioned in your first post here, the family “blessings” are actually prayers–they aren’t blessings like a priest/deacon blesses. The problem is with the vocabulary. We don’t have a single word to refer to a proper-blessing given by a cleric as distinct from a prayer said for someone by a layperson, and sometimes the word “blessing” is used to refer to both examples.

Father David,

Please send your blessing to me and my children,

Father, the situation that I have is that some of my catholic customs and traditions are ancient. They were brought to the new world by the Spanish priests who brought christianity and helped to spread it in the new world. In another forum I participated on a thread about the sign of the cross. I described how I do the sign of the cross. No one had ever heard of such a way. You could hear the crickets.

Now, you know how difficult it can be to participate in forums. I participate to learn and to share and to pray. If I with my ignorance can be of service to anyone: the glory belongs to God. I am going to cut down on my participation. My grandmother, for instance, did not invent what I am saying. No matter how many people join the chorus and try to get recognition for their knowledge.

Regarding the sign of the cross, a poster found an ancient document dating back to the 16th century which was a translation to English from the latin that showed how to do the sign of the cross and it was the way I do it. So, everyone was happy. In fact, Saint Teresa of Avila never wrote about how she did the sign of the cross but I am sure she did it the way I do it.

What I am trying to say is that it is difficult for me to just accept that millions of people that have the Catholic traditions that I have are wrong and have been wrong for centuries. I have to ask myself; if the blessings of my elders do not have any value and are equivalent to anyone in the world who wishes to pray for me - then why the tradition? This tradition, Father, is rooted in the latin culture, there are poems and songs. It is embedded in the language it is part of family life and societies. Why? If it has no meaning?

---

I asked the question in a spanish forum and I received one answer. The poster said that all blessings are prayers and that the faithful can give blessings. Cited from the CCC was 1671 and 2626 and presentation of how marriage is a sacrament and how because it is so the parents can bless their children.

1671 Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father “with every spiritual blessing.” This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ.

2626 Blessing expresses the basic movement of Christian prayer: it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God’s gift and man’s acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other. The prayer of blessing is man’s response to God’s gifts: because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing.

May God bless you and May Our Blessed Mother Mary protect you and guide you to her son,

Abba

 

[Abba]

continue…

Father, here is the post describing how the sacrament of marriage makes it possible for a parent to bless their children: ( it is a google translation but you can pretty much figure out what it being presented)

The men can bless because God has blessed to them. However, we remember that: 1. The marriage is a Sacrament. And a Sacrament is a sensible sign by means of which God communicates its Grace. 2. We remember that the aims of the marriage are unifying and the procreator, being the procreator the primary aim by means of which the spouses put themselves to the service of the Life by means of their fecundity. But we also remember that it is an error to limit that fecundity the purely biological aspect, as if the collaboration of the man with God with respect to the new life would be limited to conceive and to give to light the new being, which from was left there by chance. No, the fecundity of the Christian spouses is not limited that, but it still extends and it finds expressions more sublime than the one of the biological conception of the very small one, in which " is his; concepción" to the life of the spirit, work in which the Baptism and all the Christian formation to which the parents commit themselves there occupy a very outstanding place. Thus, the marriage is Sacrament because by means of the same the spouses receive the Grace necessary to be images of Christ before the others, and instrument by means of which Christ communicates his Grace to them. This makes in first instance each spouse before the other, which constitutes the unifying aim of the marriage; but it is evident that the marriage cannot be limited that, and that, by the same, the unifying aim IS NOT the main aim at which watches the marriage; but the parents, having conformed that unit of love, must together, by means of this unit, to primarily transmit that Love of Christ who they live towards the others, towards the children who God entrusts to its care. For that reason the procreative aim is the primary or more important aim of the marriage: because a supposed unit of love between the Christian spouses whom that Grace of Christ does not communicate towards the others, is a dead unit that truly is not founded on Christ. , If the man blesses because he has been blessed by God, thus then in the particular case of the marriage, the parents, image of God before the children, when blessing to his children transmit the Grace to them of the Marriage, that is indeed the Grace who God has given them to be fecund by means of its unit, generating to its children not only to the biological life, but to the life of the spirit. In a word, the blessing of the parents entails the Grace that God has given them to generate to its children to the life of the spirit, reason why in it constitutes itself in a privileged act by which the parents help their children to find God and to receive their goods. es.catholic.net/foros/viewtopic.php?f=95&t=9208

Peace,

Abba

P.s. In the tradition I am mentioning, allow me to add to the list of who gives blessings the god parent

 

[Myqyl]

Sarcasm aside, if you read what I posted, you can see that I was attempting to explain that we use the word “bless/blessing” in many different ways, and those different ways do not always mean the same thing. Just because we use the verb “bless” does not mean that an actual blessing is imparted.

Grace before meals is a laudable practice; however when we say this prayer, the food is not blessed. That’s what I am saying. The prayer of Grace does not impart any blessing upon the food–it is no different afterwards than it was before; even though saying this prayer is certainly a good thing. For the food to become “blessed food” it has to be blessed by a priest or deacon.

And no, readers here don’t receive any blessing by reading your signature line. But if you want to keep it, by all means feel free, because the use of that word in that context is not the same thing as a blessing. In fact, it’s a very good example of how we use the word “bless” in ways other than the meaning of imparting a blessing. Thanks for the example.

I’m sorry you felt I was being sarcastic. I was actually being very sincere. At this point I’m not at all sure I should be saying “Bless us oh Lord and these Thy gifts…” anymore and am VERY worried that I have passed this down to my children. Last night was the first meal I’ve had with my children where I simply said “Lord, thank you for this food. Amen”. It felt unnatural. I’ve been trying to figure out how I should tell them that we, as non-clergy, can not ask for God’s blessing on each other, ourselves, or our meals and that we must have clergy do it for us. This is likely the biggest crisis of faith I’ve had in a decade.

Going forward, and until I figure this all out, i will sign my post simply…

Mike