How to bless an object - What's required?

dizzy_dave · #1 Aug 8, '04, 4:46 am

I recently had a Rosary and Miraculous medal blessed by a priest.
He didn't use holy water, he held them and said some prayers over them outloud, I always thought Holy water was to be used, it was not in this case. Are these objects blessed?

baltobetsy · #2 Aug 8, '04, 10:42 am

No holy water is needed. Your items are blessed.

Betsy

debeater · #3 Aug 10, '04, 12:15 pm

The Book of Blessings of the Roman Ritual provides three forms for blessing of rosaries: the Order of Blessing, the Shorter Rite, and a Short Formulary for use in special circumstances.

The Order of Blessing starts with an entrance hymn, sign of the cross, and greeting; followed by a reading from sacred scripture and a responsorial psalm, a homily (optional), and intercessions; and finally the actual blessing, capped off with a recitation of the rosary, another hymn, and a concluding rite.

The Shorter Rite contains a short invocation (petition and response), optionally a few words of instruction, a short scripture quote, and the blessing.

The Short Formulary consists solely of the words "May this rosary and the one who uses it be blessed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" while the priest or deacon makes the sign of the cross.

None of the forms requires holy water, oil, incense, etc.

pantson1002 · #4 Jan 5, '10, 12:36 pm

Can i bless an object by my self, without a priest???

thank you

DawnInTexas · #5 Jan 6, '10, 8:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by pantson1002

Can i bless an object by my self, without a priest???

thank you

Sure you can. Bless your kids with Holy Water before they head out the door each day too! Bless all 4 sides of your car and all 4 tires before a trip. Pray to God to surround you with Angels and keep you safe!

But, in order for an object to become a "Sacramental," it needs to be blessed by either a Priest or a Deacon.

Sacramentals are not Sacraments.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13292d.htm

I hope this helps.

God Bless you.

JMD1 · #6 Jan 31, '10, 6:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by DawnInTexas

But, in order for an object to become a "Sacramental," it needs to be blessed by either a Priest or a Deacon.

Please clarify for me - I was given to understand that objects such as rosaries, saint cards, the Bible, etc are considered sacramentals. But I have no idea if any of those things I have are blessed by a priest or not. So are they sacramentals or not? I was not aware that in order to be considered a sacramental an object had to be also blessed by a priest.

Similarly, I know I can bless my Christmas tree and Nativity set at Christmas time. What is the difference between doing that and, say, blessing my children's rosaries or something else? Our parish does not have a deacon and our priest I think has a full schedule as it is. Thanks.

DawnInTexas · #7 Jan 31, '10, 12:43 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMD1

Please clarify for me - I was given to understand that objects such as rosaries, saint cards, the Bible, etc are considered sacramentals. But I have no idea if any of those things I have are blessed by a priest or not. So are they sacramentals or not? I was not aware that in order to be considered a sacramental an object had to be also blessed by a priest.

Similarly, I know I can bless my Christmas tree and Nativity set at Christmas time. What is the difference between doing that and, say, blessing my children's rosaries or something else? Our parish does not have a deacon and our priest I think has a full schedule as it is. Thanks.

First of all, you can always search here at CAF for a particular word---especially the advanced search, in the "Ask an Apologist" and see what's already been asked, and answered. They (an apologist) will do a better job than I at explaining!

I would prefer you do that than to just search online-on the web. There's a plethora of websites, and not all of them are true.

How about this:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13292d.htm

...Besides the efficacy which the sacramentals possess in common with other good works they have a special efficacy of their own. If their whole value proceeded from the opus operantis, all external good works could be called sacramentals. The special virtue recognized by the Church and experienced by Christians in the sacramentals should consist in the official prayers whereby we implore God to pour forth special graces on those who make use of the sacramentals. These prayers move God to give graces which He would not otherwise give, and when not infallibly acceded to it is for reasons known to His Wisdom. God is aware of the measure in which He should bestow His gifts. All the sacramentals have not the same effect; this depends on the prayer of the Church which does not make use of the same urgency nor have recourse to the same Divine sources of merit. Some sacramentals derive no special efficacy from the prayer of the Church; such are those which are employed in worship, without a blessing, or even with a blessing which does not specify any particular fruit. This is the case with the blessing of vessels meant to contain the holy oils: "Give ear to our prayers, most merciful Father, and deign to bless and sanctify these purified vessels prepared for the use of the sacred ministry of Thy Church". On the other hand, some sacramentals, among them one of those most frequently used, holy water, are the object of a benediction which details their particular effects.

One of the most remarkable effects of sacramentals is the virtue to drive away evil spirits whose mysterious and baleful operations affect sometimes the physical activity of man. To combat this occult power the Church has recourse to exorcism and sacramentals. Another effect is the delivery of the soul from sin and the penalties therefor. Thus in the blessing of a cross the Church asks that this sacred sign may receive the heavenly blessing in order that all those who kneel before it and implore the Divine Majesty may be granted great compunction and a general pardon of faults committed. This means remission of venial sins, for the sacraments alone, with perfect contrition, possess the efficacy to remit mortal sins and to release from the penalties attached to them. St. Thomas is explicit on this point: "The episcopal blessing, the aspersion of holy water, every sacramental unction, prayer in a dedicated church, and the like, effect the remission of venial sins, implicitly or explicitly" (Summa III, Q. lxxxvii, a. 3, ad 1um). Finally the sacramentals may be employed to obtain temporal favours, since the Church herself blesses objects made use of in every-day life, e.g. the blessing of a house on which is called down the abundance of heavenly dew and the rich fruitfulness of the earth; so likewise in the benediction of the fields, in which God is asked to pour down His blessings on the harvests, so that the wants of the needy may be supplied by the fertile earth.

If we (you or I) bless with Holy Water, for instance, the article may be blessed, but is not a sacramental (extra grace), because I know I can (and have) prayed a Rosary on my fingers without a physical Rosary in my hands. I would not, in that case, receive as high an indulgence.

...How is this for starters? Let's discuss!

God Bless you.
+Peace Be With You.
Love, Dawn

DawnInTexas · #8 Jan 31, '10, 12:54 pm

I searched for "Sacramental" in "Ask An Apologist":

http://forums.catholic.com/search.php?searchid=5923926

Here's an interesting question & answer:

http://forums.catholic.com/showthrea...t=sacramentals

1123581321 · #9 Mar 7, '11, 6:41 pm

Well i have sorta similar problem,
How do i get some very rare oil blessed?
Is it the same process as a rosary?

LDNCatholic · #10 Mar 7, '11, 6:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMD1

Similarly, I know I can bless my Christmas tree and Nativity set at Christmas time. What is the difference between doing that and, say, blessing my children's rosaries or something else? Our parish does not have a deacon and our priest I think has a full schedule as it is. Thanks.

The difference is that your blessing will not make these rosaries into the sacramentals that they should be,

It does not take long, just bring the rosaries to Mass with you on Sunday and ask your priest to bless them afterwards.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1123581321

Well i have sorta similar problem,
How do i get some very rare oil blessed?
Is it the same process as a rosary?

Just bring it to your priest after Mass.