Blessing before the collection not done by priest

TheRealJuliane · #1 May 12, '12, 6:25 pm

Is this licit?

For a few months now, the Altar Assistant (not a boy, he's probably 65 or 70) stands at the pulpit and "blesses" the baskets before they are passed.

"Bless this our offering, etc."

It seemed weird and not right to me, because he's not a deacon or anything, he just assists at Mass. How can he bless anything???

Has the priest just gotten lazy or is this some change with the new format?

MarkThompson · #2 May 12, '12, 6:46 pm

There is not supposed to be any blessing of collection baskets in the first place.

Mrs Sally · #3 May 12, '12, 6:59 pm

Never heard of such a thing. Was the priest actually blessing the baskets? What did he say?

TheRealJuliane · #4 May 12, '12, 7:19 pm

Yes, before this started the priest would say a little piece before the baskets were passed. Unless I write it down, I can't remember it word for word but it mentions how we are to give to God first out of a generous heart, that kind of thing.

No other parish does this, now that I think about it.

englishredrose · #5 May 13, '12, 4:55 am

the altar boy (guy

) may have had lay training by chance? but not sure if that entitles them to bless. only the ordained bless don't they - whatever rank.

TheRealJuliane · #6 May 28, '12, 10:49 am

Same thing happened on Saturday night. This is not a deacon. He just assists the priest at that Mass. He got up to the pulpit and did the blessing that the priest usually does. I was going to write it down but the essence is "Bless our tithe, which we know is our offering before anything else...etc."

It still creeps me out, particularly when he says at the end, "We ask this in the name of the Lord." And everyone says, "Amen."

Cathryn · #7 May 28, '12, 11:09 am

Sounds like they are adding this to one of the prayers of the faithful.

TheRealJuliane · #8 May 28, '12, 11:37 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathryn

Sounds like they are adding this to one of the prayers of the faithful.

Except it's done by the altar server, and it's done while the ushers are coming to the front to pass the collection baskets. And it's not "We pray to the Lord," "Lord, hear our prayer," format.

The pastor came up with it on his own, I believe, but he rarely does the vigil Mass so I guess he delegated it to the altar server.