Posted on 11/11/2008 2:53:46 PM PST by Lorianne
The U.S. bishops approved the Order for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb for use in the dioceses of the United States with a 223-1 vote November 11, at their General Assembly in Baltimore. The bishops also approved a Spanish version of the blessing with a 224-0 vote.
The Blessing of a Child in the Womb was prepared by the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities after receiving requests from dioceses for such a blessing and not finding an existing blessing for a newly conceived child. In March, 2008 a blessing was prepared and submitted to the Committee on Divine Worship. The proposed blessing is distinct from the Blessing of Parents before Childbirth found in the Book of Blessings.
The Blessing of a Child in the Womb Within Mass and Outside Mass, in English and in Spanish, upon recognitio by the Congregation on Divine Worship and the Sacraments in Rome for use in the dioceses of the United States of America, will be included in future editions of the Book of Blessings when the text is revised.
The vote of 223 to 1 was a bit surprising. What made that one bishop vote against the order? Also, given the church's long-held view that human life begins at conception, it seems like such a blessing would've been approved decades ago.
This decision by the bishops is a reminder that even though so much of the nation's attention is almost singularly focused on the economy, there are those who have their eyes on what they consider to be more transcendent concerns, the so-called cultural issues like abortion and gay marriage.
(Excerpt) Read more at swamppolitics.com ...
Who voted against it?????????????
Here is a prayer which Orthodox mothers to be in this country have been saying in one form or another for many years:
“O Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ our God, the Source of life and immortality, I thank Thee, for in my marriage Thou has blest me to be a recipient of Thy blessing and gift; for Thou, O Master, didst say: be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. I thank Thee and pray: Bless the fruit of my body that was given to me by Thee; favor it and animate it by Thy Holy Spirit, and let it grow a healthy and pure body, with well formed limbs. Sanctify its body, mind, heart, and vitals, and grant this infant that is to be born an intelligent soul; establish him in the fear of Thee.
A faithful angel, a guardian of soul and body, do thou vouchsafe him. Protect, keep, strengthen, and shelter the child in my womb until the hour of his birth. But conceal him not in his mother’s womb; Thou gavest him life and health.
O Lord Jesus Christ, into Thine almighty and paternal hands do I entrust my child. Place him upon the right hand of Thy grace, and through Thy Holy Spirit sanctify him and renew him unto life everlasting, that he may be a communicant of Thy Heavenly Kingdom. Amen.
O All-Merciful Christ our God, look down and protect me, Thy handmaiden, from fear and from evil spirits that seek to destroy the work of Thy hands. And when my hour and time is come, deliver me by Thy grace. Look with compassionate eye and deliver me, Thy handmaiden, from pain. Lighten mine infirmity in the time of my travail and grant me fortitude and strength for birth giving, and hasten it by Thine almighty help. For this is Thy glorious work, the power of Thine Omnipotence, the work of Thy grace and tender-heartedness. Amen.
My most gracious Queen, my hope, O Mother of God, the joy of those in sorrow, help me, for I am helpless. Intercede thou and pray thy Son, Christ our God, that He lighten for me this season while I am giving birth. For I know no other help save thee, no other hope save thee, O Mother of God, that will guard and protect me and my child. For by thine intercession and help we send up glory and thanksgiving for all things unto the One God in Trinity, the Creator of all, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
That’s beautiful!
Odd. Why would a child in the womb be any different than a child out of the womb with regards to prayer? When I pray for the healthy and safety of my child I never thought anything different before she was born or after she was born.
I have had priests bless my unborn children before. I didn’t realize it had to be sanctioned by the church somehow. I’ve never met a priest who wouldn’t do that.
When people we know are pregnant, we always pray for the child. Why wouldn’t we? Why would we need some guy to say it’s OK?
These bishops are to be heartily commended.
We don't need some guy to say it's OK. Anyone could always do it. What this means, however, is that there is now an official prayer for the purpose, which will be included in the official Book of Blessings.
“..official Book of Blessings.”
Oh; we just use the Bible.
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Your name wouldn’t be Rip Van Winkle by any chance.
I don’t see why the Bishops should had to have approved such a blessing. I received a blessing for each of our kids from my b-i-l who is a priest. He certainly wasn’t waiting around for a committee to decide if it was appropriate!
Oh; we just use the Bible.
Nothing wrong with that. But rather than try to compose a prayer for a particular occasion, I always check to see of the Bishops have already composed one. Saves time and keeps me from inadvertent heresy.
See? That’s how I feel. Why do we need approval to pray for ANYONE much less an unborn child waiting to come into our world? Some things are just silly sometimes and waiting for approval to pray for someone is just that. It still and always will come down to that one line I read somewhere where it says in the end: “It is between you and God and...always has been!” That’s how I feel too. Everyone should be prayed for and we do. That said...I hope there is a miracle and this little child will be born and can live a healthy, whole life. What a story and to think there are people out there having abortions . Horrid..
can’t imagine ANY PRAYER for anyone could be heresy inadvertant or otherwise.
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