Yes, lay people can “bless” too!

  • Thread starter Thread starter TominAdelaide
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

TominAdelaide

Guest
Lay people can give certain blessings too! The “Book of Blessings” contains the official liturgical prayers for blessings in the Church and notes:

Other laymen and laywomen, in virtue of the universal priesthood, a dignity the possess because of their baptism and confirmation, may celebrate certain blessings, as indicated in the respective orders of blessings, by use of the rites and formularies designated for a lay minister. Such laypersons exercise this ministry in virtue of their office (for example, parents on behalf of their children) or by reason of some special liturgical ministry or in fulfillment of a particular charge in the Church, as is the case in many places with religious or catechists appointed by decision of the local Ordinary, after ascertaining their proper pastoral formation and prudence in the apostolate. But whenever a priest or deacon is present, the office of presiding should be left to him. (Book of Blessings, General Introduction, norm 18)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also confirms that lay people are permitted to bless in certain circumstances (although when lay people bless it is called a “sacramental”):

1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a “blessing,” and to bless.174 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).175 … Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first.

The “Book of Blessings” permits lay people to bless the following:
  • Bless their family or an individual member of the family (including on their birthday which has its own rite);
  • Bless their own marriage (for example on a wedding anniversary milestone) (and an engaged couple may also bless their union);
  • Bless themselves when expecting a child (and also after the birth of the child) (or after a miscarriage);
  • Bless an elderly member of their family (or any elderly person);
  • Bless a sick member of their family (or any sick person);
  • Bless a member of their family (or any person) suffering from an addiction;
  • Bless a member of their family (or any person) suffering from crime or oppression;
  • Bless a member of the family who is travelling or leaving home;
  • Bless their new home;
  • Bless a means of transportation;
  • Bless a boat and fishing gear;
  • Bless technical installations or equipment;
  • Bless tools or other equipment for work;
  • Bless animals;
  • Bless fields and flocks;
  • Bless seeds at planting time;
  • Bless on occasion of thanksgiving for a harvest;
  • Bless an athletic event;
  • Bless before and after meals;
  • Bless an advent wreath;
  • Bless a Christmas Manger or Nativity Scene;
  • Bless a Christmas tree;
  • Bless their home during Christmas and Easter seasons;
  • Bless throats on the feast of St Blasé;
  • Bless a St Joseph’s table;
  • Bless food for Easter;
  • Bless when visiting a Cemetery;
  • Bless food for Thanksgiving Day;
  • Bless in Thanksgiving.
continued….
 
Last edited:
Let’s not get carried away. Blessings by laypeople are not the same as blessings by priests or deacons.
On your list, for example, it says bless their new home. That is a totally different blessing than that of a priest coming to your house to do a house blessing.
 
Sometimes I do bless my mama. I make a sign of the cross on her or make a cross on her forehead using water from Lourdes. Of course the intention is that God and our Lady will be with her and protect her…
 
Yes. Laypeople can bless, and their state in life gives them authority to bless certain things. Like a father blessing his home and family.

But let’s not get mixed up either…priests and deacons have a specific power to bless and that is why people call on priests to bless bars, boats, homes etc. The priestly blessing is different from a laypersons blessing because the priest is vested with the authority of the Church to bless.
 
This often gets carried away during the Ordinary Form of the Mass, where the eager hands of some EMHCs become lay blessing machines.
 
Yes, I do agree, I would much prefer a priest to bless my home (and stay for lunch too!) rather than do it myself. (I included it for the sake of completeness as I included all the blessings permitted for lay people from the Book of Blessings, have attached the order for the house blessing as a sample and example for any readers who are interested to see how the rite is adapted for lay people):

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
Last edited:
Isn’t the difference that in the lay-led options, the lay person asks God to bless, rather than actually doing the blessing themselves - with the exception of those blessings specifically authorized for lay leadership, like a father blessing his children?
 
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) also produced an excellent resource called “Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers”. It includes a number of the blessings from the “Book of Blessings” but also has other prayers and blessings specially drafted for Catholic families. All the blessings in this book a permitted to be said by lay people. I have the bonded leather hardback edition but it is also available in a paperback edition:

https://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Hou...93096291&sprefix=catholic+hous,aps,398&sr=8-3

https://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Hou...93096291&sprefix=catholic+hous,aps,398&sr=8-1
 
Last edited:
Pitcairn17 said:
Isn’t the difference that in the lay-led options, the lay person asks God to bless, rather than actually doing the blessing themselves - with the exception of those blessings specifically authorized for lay leadership, like a father blessing his children?
Click to expand...
TominAdelaide said:
I’m not 100% sure how it works, however where lay people are permitted to say a blessing in the Book of Blessings, the rite itself has specifically drafted prayers for them to say (which are different from the prayers said by a priest or deacon).
Click to expand...
Both cases God is the one performing the blessing, the difference is a priest or deacon would be more righteous because of their devotion to God. But the power of the blessing is from God and God alone.

Same with prayers… The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. James 5:15-16
 
AdamP88 said:
But let’s not get mixed up either…priests and deacons have a specific power to bless and that is why people call on priests to bless bars, boats, homes etc.
Click to expand...
Yes, whenever possible I would much prefer a priest or deacon to do the blessing (rather than doing it myself when permitted)
 
In addition to what has been said, the blessings of a lay person is only effective if they are in the state of grace.
 
TominAdelaide said:
Unfortunately, only priests and deacons are permitted to bless religious articles (other than the ones mentioned above) such as rosaries, crucifixes, medals etc.
Click to expand...
Please note that I posted this information on another thread discussing blessings by lay people. One reader asked why I said “unfortunately” as it seemed to imply that I am somehow disappointed with this practise. Please note that I am not disappointed with this practise, it was a very poor choice of words on my part and I should have used the words “Please note” rather than “unfortunately”. To me it is yet one more reason to be grateful for our priests and deacons that only they can bless our religious articles! (I would change my post too but I am no longer able to edit it)
 
Last edited:
Why would a priest or deacon be more “devoted” to God necessarily? I have met many devoted lay people, and even some lukewarm clergy.

God blesses, we may call on God to bless, but it is He who gives divine blessing.
 
I’ve blessed people a few times simply by saying : “Bless your heart!”, but according to their reactions, it doesn’t exactly mean the same thing, huh?
 
TominAdelaide said:
Yes, whenever possible I would much prefer a priest or deacon to do the blessing (rather than doing it myself when permitted)
Click to expand...
I think the limit of a lay person “blessing” is maybe to sprinkle holy water on someone before a long journey or making the sign of the cross on a child’s head before they sleep. I’ve seen laypeople who are administering the Eucharist giving a blessing to people as if they were a priest.
 
AdamP88 said:
I think the limit of a lay person “blessing” is maybe to sprinkle holy water on someone before a long journey or making the sign of the cross on a child’s head before they sleep. I’ve seen laypeople who are administering the Eucharist giving a blessing to people as if they were a priest.
Click to expand...
Actually believe it or not, all the examples I listed in the first post from the “Book of Blessings” actually permit lay people to “preside” at a blessing service (when permitted). The Catechism actually mentions that lay people may “preside” at such services at #1669: “Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings.” The “Book of Blessings” is the official liturgical book containing the rites for blessings within the Church and within it there are prayers specifically drafted for “lay minsters” who can preside at blessing services when permitted. However, having said that, I would much prefer a priest or deacon to preside at a blessing service whenever possible and norm 18 in the general introduction to the “Book of Blessings” specifically notes that “whenever a priest or deacon is present, the office of presiding should be left to him.”

With regard to extraordinary ministers of holy communion blessing during Mass, there is no mention of such persons having power to do this within the Roman Missal (or within the General Instruction to the Roman Missal, the Ceremonial of Bishops, etc) so I don’t support this practice.
 
SeekHisFace said:
Why would a priest or deacon be more “devoted” to God necessarily? I have met many devoted lay people, and even some lukewarm clergy.
Click to expand...
Not sure how to say it without sounding disrespectful, but it’s more like an assumption… sorry cant think of any other way of saying it.

What you said is absolutely true, but I was trying to explain a blessing comes from God. A priest doesnt have a special power, to bless things the blessing is still coming from God.

God says a righteous persons prayer is more powerful then an unrighteous person… so, you would believe a priest would be one of the more righteous then anyone else because they have devoted their lives to God.

That doesn’t mean a person who isnt a priest can’t be just as, if not more righteous. Kind of like you would believe a college professor would know more then a kingdergarden teacher but that does not mean it’s TRUE, it just presumed to be true because of their titles.
 
Last edited:
annad347 said:
God says a righteous persons prayer is more powerful then an unrighteous person… so, you would believe a priest would be one of the more righteous then anyone else because they have devoted their lives to God.
Click to expand...
Fr Marin in “The Theology of Christian Perfection” says that a diocesan priest should surpass a religious (and by deduction also a lay person) in holiness of life (unfortunately as can be seen from the scandals in the Church not every priest lives up to this ideal):

The diocesan priest, although he is not in the canonical state of perfection, is obliged, in virtue of his priestly ordination and his ministerial office, to tend to perfection properly speaking and to surpass in perfection the non-clerical or lay religious. (cf. St. Thomas, Summa, II-II, q. 184, a. 8.) …

The priest also is especially obliged to strive for Christian perfection. He is not de jure in the state of perfection as is the religious, but by reason of the lofty dignity of the priestly functions there is required of him a sanctity which is much higher even than that of the lay religious. “The worthy exercise of orders,” says St. Thomas, “requires, not any kind of goodness, but excellent goodness, so that as they who receive orders are set above the people in the degree of order, they may also be above them by the merit of holiness.” (Suppl., q. 35, a. 1., ad 3.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top