Rachel Evans
In the Catholic Church, a blessing is a rite consisting of a ceremony and prayers performed by a qualified minister. Blessings are divided into two classes: invocative and constitutive. Invocative blessings bring spiritual or temporal good without changing the person or thing's former condition. An example of this is blessings given to people, including adults, adolescents, and children, as well as articles of food. Constitutive blessings, on the other hand, permanently dedicate persons or objects to Divine service, imparting a sacred character that assumes a new spiritual relationship. Blessings of this type include those given to churches and chalices during their consecration. The Catholic Church also recognizes the importance of blessing inanimate objects used in daily life, such as new ships, bridges, and emergency vehicles, as well as special occasions and seasons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rite | A ceremony and prayers performed in the name and with the authority of the Church by a duly qualified minister. |
| Purpose | To sanctify situations in life not explicitly indicated in the rites already given, such as a family gathering or a collection of contributions for the poor. |
| Who can give blessings? | The Pope, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and lay people. |
| Who can receive blessings? | Adults, adolescents, children, animals, inanimate objects, etc. |
| Blessings in the Bible | God blessed the living creatures that came from His hands, bidding them to increase and multiply and fill the earth (Gen., i-ii). |
| Types of blessings | Invocative and constitutive. |
| Meaning of blessings | A wish or desire that all good fortune, especially of a spiritual or supernatural kind, may go with the person or thing. |
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What You'll Learn
Blessings for people
In the Catholic Church, a blessing is a rite consisting of a ceremony and prayers performed in the name and with the authority of the Church by a duly qualified minister. Blessings may be given to people or things, and they are sanctified as dedicated to divine service or certain marks of divine favour are invoked upon them.
Blessings may be divided into two classes: invocative and constitutive. Invocative blessings are those in which Divine benignity is invoked to bring some temporal or spiritual good without changing their former condition. These include blessings given to adults, adolescents, children, and food. Constitutive blessings, on the other hand, permanently depute persons or things to Divine service by imparting to them a sacred character, which confers a sacredness that cannot be profaned. Examples include the blessings given to churches and chalices during their consecration.
The authority to give blessings varies depending on the person or object being blessed. Some blessings are reserved for the Pope, such as blessing the pallium for archbishops, Agnus Deis, and the Golden Rose. Bishops have the privilege of blessing abbots, priests, and virgins at their ordination or consecration. They also bless churches, cemeteries, and all articles used in connection with the altar. Parish priests are also empowered to grant blessings, especially those with external jurisdiction like rectors or parish priests. In some cases, laypeople can also give blessings, such as parents blessing their children.
- "Blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee."
- "May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord show his face kindly to you and have mercy upon you. May the Lord turn his countenance towards you and give you peace."
- "Lord, let the effect of your blessing remain with your faithful people to give them new life and strength of spirit, so they may accomplish what is right and good."
- "Bless your people, Lord, who wait for the gift of your compassion. Grant that what they desire by your inspiration they may receive through your goodness."
- "Everlasting God, you give life a nobler meaning when we try wholeheartedly to do your will; fill us with the spirit of your own holiness."
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Blessings for animals
In the Catholic Church, a blessing is a rite consisting of a ceremony and prayers performed by a qualified minister. Blessings may be divided into two classes: invocative and constitutive. Invocative blessings are those in which a temporal or spiritual good is invoked without changing the former condition. For example, blessings given to people, adolescents, children, and food.
Animals may have invocative blessings invoked upon them to increase their usefulness. Birds, beasts, bees, horses, and oxen are included in the formularies. The Creator is invoked to grant brute strength, health, and protection from sickness or plague.
> Wonderful are all God's works. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Now and forever. The animals of God's creation inhabit the skies, the earth, and the sea. They share in the ways of human beings. They have a part in our lives. Francis of Assisi recognized this when he called the animals, wild and tame, his brothers and sisters. Remembering Francis' love for these brothers and sisters of ours, we invoke God's blessing on these animals, and we thank God for letting us share the earth with all the creatures.
Another example of a blessing for animals is as follows:
> Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air, and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation.
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Blessings for objects
The Catholic Church uses the word "bless" in two ways. Firstly, God blesses his followers when he bestows a gift upon them, be it material or spiritual. Secondly, when followers ask a priest to bless an object, they are asking the priest to ask God to bless them in their interactions with the object. In other words, they are asking God to make the object a spiritual gift, or an occasion of grace.
Blessing an object is a way of setting it apart for a holy use. For example, water becomes holy water, a building becomes a church, and jewellery becomes a holy medal. Once an object has been blessed, it should be treated with respect and not be disposed of casually or disrespectfully.
> Let us pray to our Father in heaven, who has given us this/these [name of object(s)] for our use. (Moment of silence.) Blessed are you, Lord God, king of the universe: you have made all things for your glory. Bless this/these [name of object(s)] and grant that we may use it/them in your service and for the good of all your people. Father, we praise you through Christ our Lord. Amen!
It is not necessary for a priest to bless an object; anyone can do it. A blessing is essentially a prayer for something to remind us of Christ and our faith.
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Blessings for food
Blessing food is a beautiful tradition in the Catholic faith. It is a way to express gratitude for the food received and to acknowledge that all good things in life, including the food on our tables, are gifts from God.
Before Meals
Catholics often say grace before meals, which is a prayer to thank God for the food and to seek God's blessing. Here are some examples of prayers said before meals:
- "Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen."
- "God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hands, we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen."
- "Blessed are you, Lord God, who have showered all creatures with your blessings. Hear the prayers of these your servants: that whenever they eat this food (bread) (in honour of the blessed Virgin Mary or Saint N.) (in the celebration of this festival) they may be blessed with your heavenly blessing; that striving always for what is holy, they may continually grow in charity. We ask this through Christ our Lord."
- "O Christ God, bless the food and drink of Thy servants, for Thou art holy, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen."
After Meals
After meals, Catholics may offer a prayer of thanksgiving, expressing appreciation for the food received. Here are some examples of prayers said after meals:
- "We give Thee thanks, Almighty God, for these and all Thy benefits, which we have received from Thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord."
- "We thank Thee, O Christ our God, that Thou hast satisfied us with Thine earthly gifts; deprive us not of Thy Heavenly Kingdom, but as Thou camest among Thy disciples, O Saviour, and gavest them peace, come unto us and save us."
- "We give You thanks, almighty God, for all Your benefits, and for the poor, for whom we trust You will provide. Bless this food, as You have blessed us. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen."
Blessings of Specific Foods
In addition to general prayers before and after meals, there are also specific blessings for particular types of food, such as bread, water, wine, and oil. For example, when blessing bread, one might quote from the Bible: "Strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights" (1 Kings 19:3b-8).
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Blessings for special occasions
Blessings are an important part of Catholic life and can be given on many special occasions. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "every baptised person is called to be a 'blessing' and to bless". Blessings are usually given by ordained ministers, such as bishops, priests, and deacons, but there are some blessings that can be given by any baptised person.
The Catholic Church recognises various types of blessings, which can be broadly categorised into invocative and constitutive. Invocative blessings are those that invoke divine benignity to bring spiritual or temporal goods, without changing the former condition of the person or object being blessed. Examples of invocative blessings include those given to people of all ages, from infants to adults, as well as to articles of food. Constitutive blessings, on the other hand, permanently depute persons or things to divine service, imparting a sacred character that cannot be removed. Blessings given to churches and chalices through consecration are examples of constitutive blessings.
There are also blessings for special occasions, which can be adapted for various circumstances. These include blessings for baptisms, confirmations, marriages, birthdays, and anniversaries. The Pope can bestow these blessings, which come in the form of printed certificates or parchment with the names of the recipients and the occasion inscribed. Requests for these blessings must be submitted to the Papal Charities Office in Vatican City, along with the necessary information, including the occasion, date, names, diocese, and mailing address.
- "Everlasting God, you give life a nobler meaning when we try wholeheartedly to do your will; fill us with the spirit of your own holiness. (For this we pray: R.)"
- "You want us to increase your gifts and to return them to you and to our neighbour; accept the offering of our loving service. (For this we pray: R.)"
- "Blessed are you, O God, Creator of the universe, who have made all things good and given the earth for us to cultivate. Grant that we may always use created things gratefully and share your gifts with those in need, out of love for Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you for ever and ever."
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Frequently asked questions
Blessings are divided into two classes: invocative and constitutive. The former involves invoking divine benignity to bring spiritual or temporal good without changing the person or object's former condition. Examples include blessings given to people of all ages and to food. The latter involves deputing persons or things to divine service, giving them a sacred character. Examples include blessings given to churches and chalices.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "every baptised person is called to be a 'blessing,' and to bless". Lay people may preside at certain blessings, such as blessing themselves with holy water when entering a church, saying a blessing before a meal, or blessing their children before bedtime. However, blessings that concern ecclesial and sacramental life are typically reserved for ordained ministers such as bishops, priests, or deacons.
Blessings are often given during special occasions to sanctify the seasons of grace that God has given. For example, blessings may be given to a woman before and after childbirth, to boys and girls on the Feast of the Holy Infancy, and to children and adults on their presentation in church.
The Catholic Church holds that things used in daily life, especially those used in religious service, should be rescued from evil influences and endowed with a potency for good. Examples of inanimate objects that may receive a Catholic blessing include houses, schools, new ships, trains, bridges, and emergency vehicles.
