Catholic Liturgy - More on Blessings for Non-communicants

Regarding our comments on blessings for non-communicants (see May 10), a reader asked if my opinion contradicted the following observations made by Archbishop Chaput of Denver, Colorado, in an article from 2003:

"As members of the community move forward to receive holy Communion during Mass, parents will often bring their small children along. Over the years, it has become a custom in many parishes for these children to receive a blessing. I don't really know where this practice began, but it's worth some reflection.

"Usually the children in line will look up expectantly at the person distributing holy Communion. The minister then responds by doing one of several things: He or she may pat the child's head, or touch the head in a sign of blessing, or mark the child's forehead with a sign of the cross. As warm and well intentioned as the gesture may be, in the context of the liturgy, the Communion procession really isn't the time for a blessing of children or adults who are unable to receive Communion.

"There are times in the liturgical year when the laity assist in specific acts of blessing, such as the blessing of throats or the distribution of ashes. These are clearly indicated in the Book of Blessings. But extraordinary ministers of holy Communion do not ordinarily have a commission to bless in the name of the Church, as priests and deacons do. At this point in the liturgy, they have a very specific function: to collaborate with the clergy in the distribution of holy Communion.

"As we'll explore in a later column, the blessing of the assembly properly occurs at the end of the Mass. As the body of Christ, the assembly is blessed together before we depart to live the fruits of the liturgy.

"What would be appropriate for children to do who accompany their parents in the Communion procession, and adults who do not receive Communion?

"The Communion procession is an opportunity for parents to begin to teach their children about the great gift of the Eucharist. First of all, children could learn to give reverence to the Lord hidden under the forms of bread and wine. Children can already learn from their parents, and others receiving holy Communion, to give honor to the Lord by bowing reverently.

"Parents and catechists should start teaching the mystery of the Eucharist at an early age. Children will soon begin to desire to receive holy Communion. This earnest desire to receive our Lord sacramentally is traditionally called a 'spiritual communion.' Regrettably, we don't talk about spiritual communion as we once did. But Thomas Aquinas, Alphonsus Liguori and many other great saints strongly encouraged spiritual communion as a practice.

"Both children and adults can make a spiritual communion. They may come forward with their arms crossed and bow before the Eucharist. Then the priest, deacon or extraordinary minister could say to them kindly, 'Receive the Lord Jesus in your heart.' This is not a blessing, but an invitation to worship, so no gestures are made.

"This spiritual communion would more authentically carry out the spirit of the liturgy. Being faithful to the truths of the sacramental celebration allows all of us, young and old, to enter more deeply into worship."

Does it contradict my previous article? All I can say, in typical Irish fashion is, well, yes and no.

The previous question did not refer to my personal opinion regarding the appropriateness of these blessings, but to whether they were permitted or not. The essence of my answer to that question was that the issue was not clear from a legal point of view and, barring an authoritative statement from the Holy See, it depended on the local authorities to judge the opportunity of accepting or rejecting this practice.

The admirable Archbishop Chaput has taken a characteristically lucid position on the issue, and, while his article is not a formal liturgical norm, it both clarifies the question for his archdiocese, and provides guidance to other pastors weighing the pros and cons of this still nascent custom.

However, the fact remains that many bishops have made approving comments regarding it and some have actually participated in such blessings. Thus the legal issue at the heart of the original question remains doubtful. Indeed, as one reader has helpfully informed me, the bishops' conference of England and Wales has published a fairly authoritative statement on this issue, to wit:

"Even though some in the assembly may not receive 'sacramental' Communion, all are united in some way by the Holy Spirit. The Traditional idea of spiritual communion is an important one to remember and re-affirm. The invitation often given at Mass to those who may not receive sacramental communion -- for example, children before their first communion and adults who are not Catholics -- to receive a 'blessing' at the moment of Communion emphasizes that a deep spiritual communion is possible even when we do not share together the Sacrament of the Body and blood of Christ" (the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, "Celebrating the Mass: A Pastoral Introduction," (Catholic Truth Society, April 2005, In number 212, pg 95)."

I would note that the bishops here interpret the blessing itself as a kind of spiritual communion and so the basic thrust of their thinking is the same as that of Archbishop Chaput.

As the gauntlet has been hurled, so to speak, regarding my personal view, I admit to sharing Archbishop Chaput's misgivings as to the appropriateness of some practical aspects of imparting these blessings.

For example, since lay extraordinary ministers of Communion are not authorized to give liturgical blessings, in situations where there are numerous non-communicants the practice could result in a seeming paradox in which they receive blessings from the ordinary ministers of Communion while the Catholic faithful receive the sacred host from extraordinary ministers. Perhaps a lay minister could pronounce a generic formula calling down God's blessing, but it is rather short shrift compared to Communion.

I am also rather queasy about touching people on the head, while simultaneously administrating the sacred host on the tongue of the next person in line.

My most serious hesitations, however, stem from a fear that, over time, the practice of giving blessings to non-communicants could create a new perception or mentality regarding Communion itself that makes it somehow equivalent to a blessing, thus weakening the special value that Communion should have for Catholics. This danger could be especially present in a school environment with a high proportion of non-Catholics who receive only a blessing. On the other hand, some priests have mentioned that it can lower the danger of sacrilegious communions in predominantly Catholic schools as children and adolescents find it easier to ask for a blessing than to stay (alone) in their pews.

Likewise, other priests have written to comment on the pastoral effectiveness of being able to offer Catholics in irregular situations an alternative to not approaching the Communion rail. One commented that one couple's receiving the blessing awoke a hunger for the Eucharist which spurred them to regularize their situation with the Church.

For the above situations I believe the archbishop's suggestion regarding formation in spiritual communion, or that of the British bishops in interpreting the invitation to receive a blessing as spiritual communion, are invaluable and may be even more pastorally effective than a simple blessing per se. It may be harder to apply, however, to non-Catholics.

This brings us to a related question of some members of the Legion of Mary in California who generously offer their services as extraordinary ministers of Communion in an assisted-living facility with a large proportion of non-Catholics.

They ask: "We also know that, as extraordinary ministers of Communion, we cannot bless anyone, but we do ask Jesus or God to bless them. What is the proper form of blessing that we can offer our Protestant brethren? We customarily offer this type of blessing in lieu of sharing Communion: 'May God Bless you and keep you close to him.'

"Is it proper for extraordinary ministers to lay on hands or to make the sign of the cross on the head, or over the head, of the person receiving the blessing? Is it proper to anoint the head of the person receiving the blessing with holy water?

"We want to act properly in the full spirit of the Holy Father's call for evangelization by the lay apostolates, without overstepping into ritual behavior that is the proper domain of the consecrated priesthood."

From what has been said above I would suggest that you avoid ritual gestures that might cause confusion, especially to the Catholics present. However, the formulas provided for the extraordinary ministers of Communion in the ritual for Communion outside of Mass could also be used in the presence of non-Catholics. They usually have a third person plural formula such as "May the Lord bless us, keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life."

If you wish to offer some spiritual activity to all present beyond the Communion service, then, with the permission of the parish priest, you could offer some acceptable common prayer once the Communion service has been finished -- for example, praying an hour of the Divine Office, which is almost totally scriptural, would be one possibility.

While liturgical law restricts to ordained ministers the imparting of liturgical blessings, lay people are not forbidden from using similar gestures in non-liturgical settings. For example, in some counties parents commonly make the sign of the cross over and bless their children as they leave for school.

While on the subject of blessings, a deacon requested if "the deacon may use the same formula as the presbyter and perform the same action of making the sign of the cross over the person(s) to be blessed?"

The short answer is yes. The deacon may impart most of the same blessings as a priest and uses the same liturgical gestures. If a priest is present however, he should defer to him.

Finally, a lay woman from Canada asks: "At the opening of the Mass and its closing we are blessed by the priest. I have traditionally blessed myself following reception of the Eucharistic species. However, I recently read that this is inappropriate in that it interferes with the unifying theme of the initial and closing blessings by the priest. What is the meaning of blessing oneself after reception of Eucharist? And, what is considered appropriate at this time in our Church's history?"

Strictly speaking, the priest does not bless us at the beginning of Mass; rather, we all make the sign of the cross together as a sign of faith. The only proper blessing is that at the end of Mass which is a concluding blessing before the faithful are sent forth to continue their Christian mission in the world.

Your custom of crossing yourself (also sometimes called blessing oneself) after receiving Communion is simply an act of private devotion and an expression of faith in what one has received. It does no harm whatsoever to the symbolism of the Mass and probably does you a lot of spiritual good.

The Communion procession is an opportunity for parents to begin to teach their children about the great gift of the Eucharist. First of all, children could learn to give reverence to the Lord hidden under the forms of bread and wine. Children can already learn from their parents, and others receiving holy Communion, to give honor to the Lord by bowing reverently.

When my daughter was quite young, she would accompany me up for communion and come away forlorn at not having received anything from the priest. She eventually resorted to making her own "hosts" from white bread, flattened with the palm of her hand and into which she carved a cross. She would bring this with her to mass and consume it after we returned to the pew.

In the Maronite Tradition, each and every child accompanies their parents and/or family members up to the priest. He administers communion to the adults and then places the communion cup on the head of the child. They all come away with a big smile on their face (which matches the one worn by Father). Even infants are blessed in this manner. It is such an awesome sight and one that leaves a cherished mark on the child. They eagerly await this special moment each week.

My son, who is a couple months shy of three years old, accompanies me (or Mom) in line, but I don't have him go up to get a blessing.

He does, however hold his arms across his chest, and bows (sometimes several times). :-)

As far as making the sign of the cross after receiving, I have always done that. I think some "progressives" and "liturgists" dislike it, as it "disrupts the flow."

I'll put my 2 cents in here since I have some experience with it.
As some of you know, my husband is converting and we are both in the annulment process. As such, we cannot take Communion (or any Sacrament). The Deacon suggested early on, in response to our question on how fully can we participate, that we could receive a blessing from the priest. Although there was some confusion initially about proper form- we were told by the Deacon to cross arms, but the priest let us know we needed to approach with finger over lips, since then we have done this every Mass. We always sit in the same place so we can be in our priest's line. We have had a couple of other priests who had different Blessing than our Pastor who makes the sign of the cross and says a Blessing. Others have touched the head, or in one case, made a cross on the forehead and said "you are the temple of Christ" which was really awesome.
I think for those converting or Catholics like myself who are not Confirmed, the Blessing is really special. As for children who haven't yet had first Communion, I think approaching for a Blessing, or simply to accompany a parent, is good "training" in teaching proper reverence and behavior. I also believe children are so special to our Lord that they are welcome, and I myself enjoy seeing the children.
I do not think it appropriate for non-Catholics who are simply "visiting".

As far as making the sign of the cross after receiving, I have always done that.

Me too

I think some "progressives" and "liturgists" dislike it, as it "disrupts the flow."

They dislike it? Ahhhh, an added blessing.

We were told this last Sunday that the priest, and only the priest, can make the Sign of the Cross and give the non-communicant a blessing.

What we can do is touch their forehead or shoulder and say, "May God bless you." (Or some personalized statement.) We cannot trace the Sign of the Cross as the priest does either in the air or on their foreheads.

I didn't read the article, but will go back and read it now. Maybe this is what it says.

**Perhaps a lay minister could pronounce a generic formula calling down God's blessing, but it is rather short shrift compared to Communion.**

Exactly what we were taught. I am so thankful we finally have an orthodox priest who is up to date on things.

Thank you, God, for bringing us this priest. Amen.

I'm guessing you mean annulment from a previous spouse

Yes lol, we were both previously married.
Thank you for the prayers!
In my favor, it turns out, is that my first husband, who is Greek Orthodox, had been married before, and so it seems he wasn't free to marry me.
The whole thing'll turn your brain in knots.

lay extraordinary ministers of Communion are not authorized to give liturgical blessings

This is correct, absolutely correct. I may bless my children, as a father I am commissioned as the head of my "Domestic" Church. A stranger has no such commission.

I usually take my young daughter around and for myself to take communion from the Priest, and she gets a proper blessing.

I may bless my children, as a father I am commissioned as the head of my "Domestic" Church.

Interesting. I've often wondered about this. Is there a source for more information? As parents, my wife & I trace the Sign of the Cross on our childrens' foreheads, but this is something entirely different from a blessing one would receive from a priest, no?

As far as the topic of the thread, we go to the TLM, and thus have no such worries about some layperson "giving a blessing" by patting them on the head, with what they are supposed to believe are particles of the Blessed Sacrament on their fingers. Our SSPX priest does bless children at the Communion rail by silently making the Sign of the Cross over them.

But suppose it happened that Sister Pat "blessed" your child and you, arriving back at your pew, noticed a Particle in his hair? What would you do?

As there is nothing in the rubrics that deal with this, it is left up to each pastor and/or bishop to decide the issue. I can see relatively little harm in it, other than the fact it emphasizes again why laymen and women should NEVER be distributing Holy Communion, as it takes away from the dignity of the priesthood, whom St. Thomas Aquinas said, "Only consecrated hands should ever touch the SACRED VESSELS." Imagine his horror at what goes on now.

The other thing to consider is that the priest gives all of us his blessing at the end of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which accomplishes the same thing as the blessing in line. An appropriate "spiritual communion," even if done in one's seat (which is what I do when I am not properly disposed to receive) unites one directly with Christ through our desire for receiving Him.

Again, this comes back to confusion being added because "extraordinary" ministers of Holy Communion have no authority nor power to bless non-Communicants.

Interesting. I've often wondered about this. Is there a source for more information? As parents, my wife & I trace the Sign of the Cross on our childrens' foreheads, but this is something entirely different from a blessing one would receive from a priest, no?

I do this too, but the priest's blessing carries the blessing of the Church with it (I've read somewhere). Pinging someone who would know and be able to give a better explanation.

we go to the TLM, and thus have no such worries about some layperson "giving a blessing"

I am occasionally called upon to serve as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and for some time have worried about what to do if a non-communicant were to present himself for a blessing. This is a real possibility, as one of my RCIA students from last year did not convert at Easter but continues to attend our indult Mass. In distributing Holy Communion to Catholics at trad Masses of course I use the trad formula ("Corpus Domini nostri..."). This strikes me as intercessory prayer rather than a blessing, and thus not inappropriate for me as a lay man to pronounce. In this same spirit, is presented with a non-communicant at the communion rail, I plan to alter the prayer thus: "Dominus noster Jesus Christus custodiat animam tuam in vitam aeternam, amen." I won't touch or make any gesture, for the reasons already noted, but instead, I think I might make a slight bow of the head.

My pleasure Te Lucis:

CCC 2685:
"The Christian family is the first place of education in prayer. Based on the sacrament of marriage, the family is the "domestic church" where God's children learn to pray "as the Church" and to persevere in prayer."

CCC 1656:
"In our own time, in a world often alien and even hostile to faith, believing families are of primary importance as centers of living, radiant faith. For this reason the Second Vatican Council, using an ancient expression, calls the family the Ecclesia domestica. [Domestic Church -Dominick] It is in the bosom of the family that parents are 'by word and example . . . the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children.'"

In this sense my wife and I can and (I think) have an obligation to bless our children as a sign of Gods Grace, and as a Prayer that they are safe as they go about in the World. Generally I use the formula, "May God bless you, (child's name)"

Really in that, I am praying that God blesses my Children, and impart in my case a Fatherly Blessing of a Parent. Maybe this is a Sicilian or Latin ( Mediterranean culture) thing, I am surprised that this isn't pretty universal.

I have alway taken the Blessing from a Priest in an entirely different sense, that is, it his his Priestly Blessing, from the Church. Even at that it isn't Fr. Smith Blessing me, but the Church.

and impart in my case a Fatherly Blessing of a Parent.

That's where you lose me. There's a difference between asking God to bless someone, and imparting a blessing in the name of God, as a priest with the power to bless people & things does. The quotes you provide from the CCC don't seem to say that we have this power by virtue of our status as fathers of families. In fact, you only draw this conclusion from them. A quote from the Roman Rituale would really set me at ease.

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