Hi Kathy,

I don't think there is any problem with this practice but don't know if this is universality accepted by all priests. Maybe Fr. Nick can chime in.

I wouldn't let the negativity and righteousness of responders get you too down. People in life come from all different backgrounds and levels of maturity.

In reference to the e-mail issue. We removed all e-mails linked to any name from our site over six years ago (2002) for privacy reasons. I initially linked the e-mails so people could connect with other people. If you see a linked name in our knowledge base it is because the person has given us permission to link [his or her] name to their e-mail address.

I strive to take privacy issues very seriously, as the paragraphs preceding the name and question fields on the Ask Us page attest to. If a questioner submits a question with [his/her] name and latter decides they don't want it posted, I can easily change it to an Anonymous name like:

• Anonymous Adam
• Anonymous Anna, or
• a similar anonymous pseudonym

As you know there are two search engines:

1. the local one I maintain, and
2. the Google search engine

I can usually make the appropriate changes and re-index my search engine within a few days.
The same can be said for the Google update, though I have no control over their process.

Take care,

Mike

Hi, Kathy —

I'm afraid this is a case where somebody made up a new procedure to use in the Mass, and it's caused confusion. I'm sure it was a well-intended idea, inviting non-Catholics to approach at Communion time for a blessing, but it's really not a correct thing to do.

Of course, the people who invite visitors to come forward are trying to be kind to them, and the visitors who do come forward are trying to be reverent; they want to do what their Catholic friends have told them to do, so it's not something to get angry about. Priests just need to give a little instruction from time to time to help everyone understand what the Communion procession is for.

The Church designed the Communion procession as a single action. The Church really likes the Mass to proceed in a peaceful way, and doesn't have two activities going on at once in the same place, such as:

1. the distribution of Holy Communion and
2. the conferring of blessings upon individuals.

It's a mistake to try to add that second activity. Individual parishes don't have the authority to make procedural changes to the Mass like that.

When visitors do approach a minister of Holy Communion and ask for a blessing, they may be asking for something impossible. Lay people distributing Holy Communion don't have any authority to confer a blessing in the name of the Church. Neither do religious sisters or (non-ordained) brothers.

The solution to this desire for a blessing is easy:

The priest does bless everyone at the end of Mass, about two minutes after Communion is completed!

It has exactly the same significance as the blessing that visitors are asking for individually so visitors can keep it simple, remain peacefully in their pews, and pray that Christians may all come to full unity of faith and sacramental life and then share the precious gift of Holy Communion.

— RC

Hi, Kathy —

I've seen the practice take place at weddings, including liturgies, as well as funerals.

It's been accompanied by an explanation from the priest that non-Catholics could not receive Communion but they were welcome to receive a blessing from the priest. The operative word here is priest!! As Richard pointed out, no lay Catholic minister can bless anyone during in a liturgical setting.

Prior to my reception back into the Church, I often ministered in music at various Charismatic Masses. The priest, aware of my status as a Protestant Minister, would always signal me to get into line so he could bless me. At the time, I found the effort, to make feel included, very charitable and rooted in Christian love.

That said, all Christians share in the priesthood of Christ by there baptism. In non-liturgical settings they can and do bless others. Parents often will pray a blessing over their children before they go off to school or go to sleep. This blessing is different, in that our baptismal priesthood allows us to ask for a blessing in the name of Christ as members of His body, but an ordained priest blesses in the Person of Christ as the Head of the Body.

John

Dear Kathy:

Sometimes, the priest may invite those who do not want, or are not able to receive Communion to receive a blessing.

Crossing your arms across your chest and bowing your head to the celebrant or minister is the accepted way, but normally the priest will tell you the protocol. In certain wedding services, if you carry the program with you in the Communion line it is a signal that you would like a blessing.

This practice began as a pastoral way of addressing non-Catholics who wish to participate in a Wedding or Funeral Service.

Fr. Nick

Kathy,

Let me be clear. Yes, the gesture made me feel included and in some ways drew me closer to the Church, however, I'm not saying it was necessarily licit or rather allowed by the rubrics.

I wouldn't be so quick as to put me in the yea camp. The bottom line is that rubrics are given to us for a reason. Departure from the rubrics should be for truly exceptional circumstances and not at the drop of a hat.

In my case, the priests all knew me. They knew where I was in my faith journey. They knew I was struggling to understand Catholic doctrine and was open to reconciliation with Holy Mother Church. Furthermore, they also appreciated the fact that I, as Protestant Minister at the time, was taking the time to minister in music at a Catholic liturgy, hence, they wanted to show their gratitude and recognition.

As I mentioned in my previous reply, I've seen the practice at funerals and weddings where the priest knows there are non-Catholics present. To some extent, the invitation to come up for a blessing is as much, if not more, to a reminder not to receive the Eucharist but again, this is not an everyday circumstance.

Typically, weddings and funerals, while open to the public, don't take place during regularly scheduled parish Masses, so I understand Richard's point. The Communion line is for communicants. The blessing is given to everyone at the end of the Mass.

There is no need or pastoral reason to give those, not receiving Holy Communion, a separate blessing. Moreover, most Sunday Masses include the use of Extraordinary Lay Ministers.
The practice in question, could lead to confusion about the role of the laity.

John DiMascio

Kathy,

The tradition of dismissing the catechumens is still practiced as a symbol in some parishes.
I think it's actually good, because it retains a connection to the ancient Church. It also builds a sense of anticipation for the catechumens, sort of like waiting until your married to consummate the marriage. That said, the invitation to catechumens to come up for a blessing seems like a reasonable exception, so long as they are going up to the priest and not an Extraordinary Lay Minister.

The arguments over relatively minor rubrical matters can get a bit tiresome and ultimately become counter productive. You may as well argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a needle without getting their feet pierced.

As Catholics, we are called to the most personal relationship with Christ possible. Our relationship should be with Jesus Christ and not with a rubric. The purpose of the Church on earth is the salvation of souls. Therefore:

• every canon
• liturgical rubric, and
• discipline is oriented toward that goal.

When such a canon, rubric, or discipline stands in the way of salvation it can and must fall.
That's actually part of canon law itself.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in obeying Holy Mother Church. We should never make the exception, the rule, or be looking for reasons to eliminate practices we don't particular like or add a novelty which caters to our whimsical fancies.

Rubrics are important because every action has a symbolic meaning, but when symbolic meaning is lost, it's time to either:

• change the rubric or
• re-introduce the meaning of the old rubric to the faithful.

I see two opposing heresies prevalent in the Church today.

1. One is clericalism, whereby the clergy and laity put all the emphasis on the work of the ordained Priesthood while ignoring the role of the People of God.
2. The other is to consider the role of the clergy and Church hierarchy as an archaic remnant of days gone by, that stands in the way of a democratized church.

Both of these extremes are wrong and distort the truth and beauty of our faith.

John