Just this past Easter Sunday, as I sat in the pew, I noticed the lay minister of Holy Communion, standing next to the celebrant, making a sign of the cross and blessing adults and children who were not receiving Holy Communion. This really annoyed me because it smacks of clercalism and is not allowed. So this article posted by Fr. Z, nails it on the head!
I have in the past written about the wide-spread practice of giving blessings during Communion time. This is not to be done, because it is outside what is prescribed at this very important moment during holy Mass.
Of course this practice is so wide-spread now that a priest who doesn’t give blessings at Communion could be thought to be “mean”.
Furthermore, lay people, EMHCs, distributing Communion imitate priests and give “blessings” in the manner of priests, which they have no business doing. I suspect some EMHCs are told to give blessings.
In any event, we could use more and intelligent conversation about this wide-spread practice.
A contribution to the conversation comes from the blog Omne quod spirat by Fr. Cory Sticha.
Why I refuse to bless children at Communion
By Fr. Cory Sticha
I’ve been thinking more and more about my concerns around giving special blessings to children at Mass. There are a number of people here who are continuing to express concern because of my stance on not blessing children in the communion line. To be clear, this is a position taken not out of spite, but out of a respect for the liturgy and for the documents of the Second Vatican Council. In paragraph 22, Sacrosanctum Concilium states, “Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.” A priest does not have the authority to add a blessing to the liturgy for anyone, because a priest does not have the authority to add anything to the liturgy. It doesn’t matter if other priests go beyond their authority and do it in disobedience. In my mind, it is inappropriate, and I will not. Period.
Of course, people don’t like to hear that. They think it makes the kids feel “special” that they receive this blessing. (As an aside, I think the parents and grandparents get the warm-fuzzies more than the kids do.) Of course, they can’t be blamed. For 30+ years, they’ve been fed a mindset that the liturgy is malleable to whatever we want to do with it. Blessing for kids? Sure, we can add that right during Communion. Having kids come up for the homily and sit with the priest on the sanctuary steps? Sure, we can do that. Holding hands during the Our Father and running around the nave greeting people during the Sign of Peace? Absolutely! Whatever makes you feel good!
As I’ve studied more about the theology of the liturgy, I’ve come to the realization that this “feel good” approach is sending the wrong message about the liturgy. [Do I hear an “Amen!”?] I’ve also become concerned that this has dangerously damaged their relationship with God, and they are blissfully unaware that any damage has been done. Instead of liturgy being the community focusing their minds and hearts on worship of God, it has become a social activity, focusing on ourselves. Now, we don’t come to liturgy to turn to God, but to ourselves. For this reason alone, I despise blessing children (and yes, I chose that strong language very carefully), and encourage other priests to stop immediately. [I am sure he is still talking about blessings during Communion.]
There’s another reason, more cultural, that should be of concern to these same parents and grandparents: the culture of entitlement. One of the arguments frequently given in defense of blessing children is, “They feel like they get something.” Yes, because we wouldn’t want our children to learn how to do something without getting something in return.
[…]
Parents and grandparents, I beg you: work with me on this! Please don’t continue to argue about it. My decision is made, the issue is done. This is truly done in the best interest of your children and grandchildren, as well as for you. Use this opportunity to help the children to see how special and important receiving Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament truly is. Help them to see that the liturgy is about worship of God, and not us getting something and feeling good. Then, when they can come forward to receive Holy Communion for the first time, they will truly understand what it means to be special enough to receive Our Lord.
You can go over to Fr. Sticha’s place to read the part that I excised for the sake of space.
http://www.frcory.org/laudetdominum/?p=1023
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