You're a priest (or a deacon or an EMHC) and someone comes up during communion for a blessing. What would you do?

[lizaanne]

All these "ought to"s and "have seen"s and "have never seen"s kind of get away from the point.

What should a distributer of communion (say an EMHC) do if someone (say an adult) comes up with arms crossed in order to get a blessing? Stand there and look confused? Say, “Sorry, I’m not allowed to do this”? Put a hand on the persons head and say, “God bless you”?

I would simply and politely say to them, quietly so the world doesn’t hear me and embarrass them: I’m sorry, but only the priest can give a blessing. You may go to him for a blessing if you like.

Personally, I think it is a silly practice when we are blessed at the end of Mass anyway. I see no need to mix a blessing like this with receiving the Eucharist. We can participate in spiritual communion from our seats just fine if we are not able to receive.

~Liza

 

[Eilish_Maura]

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=235147

 

[Shoshana]

I only stated that I bless children and there is no law out there that does not allow it. My pastor is very orthodox and has not said anything about it. So I look to him for guidance when there is no clear cut answer to anything. And I guess, Jimmy Akin agrees:

The same considerations apply. If you have a child being brought up for a blessing and one is denied then either the parents or the parents and the child may go away disappointed, angry, and disaffected, which strike me as legitimate reasons to pause to give a blessing.
3) If a blessing is allowed and/or proper/encouraged, what would you recommend as supporting evidence to the pastor?
Since this practice is not provided for in liturgical law, there isn’t really any documentation on it, but feel free to show him this blog post as a liturgical law opinion.

 

[mtnutt]

Our parish did not have a permanently assigned Priest until about a year ago, when he was assigned he started a policy of announcing at the beginning of mass that anyone who was not receiving communion, catholic or other church traditions, could come up and receive a blessing. I think he does this so nobody feels left out of any part of the service. I am a new Catholic, confirmed this past Easter after going through RCIA, and I always felt uncomfortable at mass when I could not go up with everyone else for communion. Partly because I was being left out and partly because people had to trip over me to get out of the pew to get in line. I always felt people were thinking to themselves “Why isn’t he going to get communion?”. Probably just self conciousness on my part, but it was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. I did feel slightly uncomfortable going for the blessing, but less so than remaining in the pew. My 5 year old daughter also enjoys going up to receive the blessing since she is not old enough to have had her first communion yet.

 

[MrS]

Out of respect for the liturgical books I would not bless them, whether I was a priest, deacon, or EMHC.

According to the Book of Blessings:
“28. Because some blessings have a special relationship to the sacraments, they may sometimes be joined with the celebration of Mass.
This book specifies what such blessings are and the part or rite with which they are to be joined; it also provides norms that may not be disregarded. No blessings except those so specified may be joined with the eucharistic celebration.”
(Book of Blessings, Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1875-8, page xxx).

Of course the Book of Blessings does not include a blessing for those in the Communion procession.

How should this be communicated to people? Some ideas: Notices in Mass sheets.
Part of the RCIA classes.
Letters by bishops.
Announcements by priests before Communion.

But unfortunately people are often not provided with this correct information. They are given the wrong instructions, that it is appropriate for them to come forward in the Communion Procession for a blessing.

Pretending to bless the person does nothing to correct the situation. So my approach would be to say a greeting, like “Good Morning”. If they start discussing the blessing, to suggest seeing them about it after Mass.

The parish priest decides who the EMHCs are to be (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, n. 107, assuming there are no instituted acolytes). So it would make sense to make him aware of what the Book of Blessings says and of one’s intention to follow it.

Thanks for the common sense John. Hopefully the posts that followed yours will reconsider their position. Not unexpected though, considering that EMHC are overused way too often.

Some want to help distribute communion, some want to add a blessing, … what next?

 

[hilde_the_dog]

About seven years ago when I began RCIA I went up for a blessing the next week the pastor said no to blessings. I believe this was a doicese push, since after that we began to use patens when receiving, bowing before receiving etc.

MCNUTT why do you care what people think of you for not getting up. If you can’t have courage in church where will we?

 

[Lepanto]

To answer my own question in the original post:

If I was a priest or deacon: I would bless them so as not to embarass them, but I would educate the congregation, as often as it takes (from the pulpit, the bulletin, etc.) that the communion line is for communion only. If there is a reason that one can not receive communion, he should make a spiritual communion for now, and work to correct the issue (go to confession, become a Catholic, etc.) so that he can start receiving communion.

If I was an EMHC: I would merely say to the person “May God bless you.” (There is no way that I would dare attempt to bless anybody, so this would be a good way out of doing so without embarassing the person.) And then after Mass I would ask the priest to remind people that the communion line is just for communion.

 

[ElizaCatherine]

I for one, never give it a thought when others don’t go up to receive communion. There are a number of reasons why one would not be able to receive, including not being Catholic. Furthermore, if I am in a position that I should not receive, remaining in my seat helps push me to the confessional so that I am not in that position again, because I am missing out on more than just a blessing. I too am a convert, and I would never have considered going up for a blessing. Before I was confirmed, I sat on the aisle so it was easy for me to let others out or in. I think the whole feeling left out thing is really the crux of the problem here. Our society thinks that everyone should be included and “feel good”. The fact of the matter is that if you are not in a state of grace, you are separated from God and therefore you cannot receive the sacrament. IMO by encouraging people to come up for a blessing its like saying it’s not that imperative that you go to confession (or convert, or observe the fast, etc), because you can still receive a blessing. To me receiving a blessing in the communion line is like getting a reward for not doing the right thing.

 

[John_Lilburne]

…If I was an EMHC: I would merely say to the person “May God bless you.” (There is no way that I would dare attempt to bless anybody …

It sounds like a blessing to me. So it seems a contradiction to say you are not blessing them. Similar words to the blessing at the end of Mass: “May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.”

 

[down_under]

Our parish did not have a permanently assigned Priest until about a year ago, when he was assigned he started a policy of announcing at the beginning of mass that anyone who was not receiving communion, catholic or other church traditions, could come up and receive a blessing. I think he does this so nobody feels left out of any part of the service. I am a new Catholic, confirmed this past Easter after going through RCIA, and I always felt uncomfortable at mass when I could not go up with everyone else for communion. Partly because I was being left out and partly because people had to trip over me to get out of the pew to get in line. I always felt people were thinking to themselves “Why isn’t he going to get communion?”. Probably just self conciousness on my part, but it was a somewhat uncomfortable feeling. I did feel slightly uncomfortable going for the blessing, but less so than remaining in the pew. My 5 year old daughter also enjoys going up to receive the blessing since she is not old enough to have had her first communion yet.

sham on all of you.

Welcome Home. welcome home. welcome home. congratulations glad you made it across the Tiber. The current is strong I hear. Glad you are with us.

 

[Lepanto]

It sounds like a blessing to me. So it seems a contradiction to say you are not blessing them. Similar words to the blessing at the end of Mass: “May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.”

Good point. Maybe something better would be to say: “Go in peace and pray that God blesses you” (or something like that), all without making any special gestures.

 

[down_under]

Good point. Maybe something better would be to say: “Go in peace and pray that God blesses you” (or something like that), all without making any special gestures.

he did not give a blessing not because of whatever words he might have used but simply because he is not a priest or a deacon. it doesn’t matter what he says he lacks the authority. so it really does not matter what he says. he is not granting a blessing. weather or not that point is clear to the people he is talking to is another matter entirely. and an important one. but this issue will not be resolved in the 10 seconds the person will be standing in front of you at communion. so better to understand that you are not responsible for what they assume and deal with the theological point after mass when we all have plenty of time.

 

[kristie_m]

he did not give a blessing not because of whatever words he might have used but simply because he is not a priest or a deacon. it doesn’t matter what he says he lacks the authority. so it really does not matter what he says. he is not granting a blessing. weather or not that point is clear to the people he is talking to is another matter entirely. and an important one. but this issue will not be resolved in the 10 seconds the person will be standing in front of you at communion. so better to understand that you are not responsible for what they assume and deal with the theological point after mass when we all have plenty of time.

Okay, so not to hijack the thread or anything, but should we not say “God Bless You” then, when someone sneezes?

 

[Cristiano]

When I am asked to serve as an EMHC I just keep my hands on the chalice or on the ciborium, look at the person and simply say “Receive the spirit of Jesus Christ in your heart”. To me that is a simple invitation to remind people about spiritual communion. It also serve to purposes: 1- it clearly shows that it is not a blessing and 2- it shows that they are not ignored. I just wish that people would not show up for a blessing, especially grown up Catholics.

 

[down_under]

Okay, so not to hijack the thread or anything, but should we not say “God Bless You” then, when someone sneezes?

no thats the point you can say that but it is not a “blessing”. that is a tradition steming from the fact that you stop breathing when you sneeze. However technically only an ordained person can give a blessing. So it does not really matter what you tell the person in the time that you have. you are probably not going to make your point clear anyway.

 

[cricker]

In our EMHC training (which I received so that I can take HC to the hospital), we were instructed to either raise the Host or the Cup and say “May you receive the Lord in your heart” to anyone who wanted a blessing … we were NOT to bless them, however.

I think it sounded like a very appropriate thing to say, and seemed to satisfy the person coming up (normally they answer ‘amen’ and walk away as if they had actually received). Does that sound like a good solution??

-Cricket

 

[Lepanto]

I think it sounded like a very appropriate thing to say, and seemed to satisfy the person coming up (normally they answer ‘amen’ and walk away as if they had actually received). Does that sound like a good solution??

-Cricket

I suspect that the recipients think that they actually got what they wanted – a blessing.

 

[AHapka]

However technically only an ordained person can give a blessing.

I thought that we as parents could bless our own children based on our position as their religious superior??

Not that I would do it in the context of Mass as an EMHC, as I believe it would be giving scandal.

Not to be splitting hairs, but if we can’t…my boys have missed many a blessing given to them at night.

Now whether or not I can bless my wife is yet another debate.

 

[Lepanto]

I thought that we as parents could bless our own children based on our position as their religious superior??

Not that I would do it in the context of Mass as an EMHC, as I believe it would be giving scandal.

Not to be splitting hairs, but if we can’t…my boys have missed many a blessing given to them at night.

Now whether or not I can bless my wife is yet another debate.

Yes, parents can bless their children.

There is an official Church book called the “Book of Blessings” and it contains numerous blessings, and I believe it includes this.

 

[down_under]

I thought that we as parents could bless our own children based on our position as their religious superior??

Not that I would do it in the context of Mass as an EMHC, as I believe it would be giving scandal.

Not to be splitting hairs, but if we can’t…my boys have missed many a blessing given to them at night.

Now whether or not I can bless my wife is yet another debate.

yes parents have the athority to bless there children. they are there Fathers. (mothers to) and so are in that position but only to THERE children as you stated.