POLL: St. Blaise Day Blessing of Throats

18 Comments

1. LarryW2LJ says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:10 AM

   Ice storm here in NJ. Kept off the roads.
2. Rob in Maine says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:15 AM

   At the recession, one of the older Sisters who still wears a habit asked Father if he was going to bless our throats with candels. Father said ,”No,” and entered the Sacristy. We all looked at each other (there were a half dozen of us) and then ambled out. What a bummer.
3. ASPM Sem says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:26 AM

   I voted that I didn’t, but then I remembered I haven’t attended Mass yet today… whoops
4. Boniface says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:29 AM

   Rob in Maine, next time say “Father, will you please give me/us the throat blessing in honor of St. Blaise?” If he refuses, politely say “May I ask why not?” It’s a priest’s duty to dispense the gifts of the Church to lay people upon reasonable request.
   To just let that happen (I don’t mean to criticize you – I just mean “objectively”) is to allow clericalism to go unchecked. I say clericalism because it sounds from your description that you were given a curt reply.
   I was reading a recently published book on the history of blessings – it indicated that many of the medieval-era ones included in the Rituale were devised at the instigation of lay people who desired them, and the Church cooperated.
5. Anita Moore, O.P.(lay) says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:37 AM

   I didn’t go. Except for a few lunch hour Masses — yet, at some point, we must eat lunch — we don’t have daily Masses here at times that are doable for working people. (Isn’t there something in the documents of Vatican II about making daily Mass accessible to the lay faithful? Why doesn’t the Spirit of VII cover that?)
6. crickally says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:44 AM

   I did not go this year. Last year when I went, two lay lectors in addition to the priest were doing the blessing. I got in line for the priest because I didn’t think it was licit for a lay person to do this. Perhaps I am wrong; at least one of the lay “blessers” was not reciting the words of blessing, just holding the candles. On Ash Wednesday we had several “extraordinary ministers” imposing ashes on the people. Can anyone tell me whether these actions by lay people are officially permitted?
7. Yorkmum says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:55 AM

   There were 65-70 people in our lunchtime Mass congregation today and I think pretty much everyone stayed for the blessing of throats given by the priest at the end of Mass. I know there were some who had come especially to get the blessing.
8. Sconnius says:

   3 February 2015 at 11:59 AM

   Ironically enough, both of my boys (and myself) are currently afflicted with ailments of the throat. They usually do pretty well at daily Mass, but not when they’re sick.

   I’m not sure if the parish we would have attended today would have had the throat blessing though.
9. VexillaRegis says:

   3 February 2015 at 12:04 PM

   I didn’t go and, for the first time in decades, no blessing was announced for today! Something is seriously wrong with our angry but “traddy” vicar.
10. haskovez says:

    3 February 2015 at 12:05 PM

    I didn’t get a chance to go, but I wish I had. When I was a kid in SE Minnesota we always got our throats blessed every year on that day. It is just something I remember my parents were always big on us doing so it was always a big thing in our little parish. I am not sure if they are doing that anymore up there, but I have seen it done here in Dallas, TX even at a non traditional church. I know I have gone at least one time at a Vincentian Church here.
11. Titus says:

    3 February 2015 at 12:07 PM

    I am sure my daily-Mass parish would have offered the blessing today, but there is no Mass as the pastor is out of town on retreat (with, incidentally, the priest who ordinarily pinch-hits for him!).
12. Boniface says:

    3 February 2015 at 12:22 PM

    crickally, administration of these sacramentals by lay persons is definitely permitted in the Ordinary Form as stated in the Book of Blessings. I prefer to seek them from the priest, however. Fr. Z has a more recent and great post on this subject.
13. scholastica says:

    3 February 2015 at 6:17 PM

    We had the blessing given by a priest and deacon. Fortunately, we are a small enough congregation to avoid emhcs. Sadly, they weren’t lit as they are in the image in previous post.
    Wouldn’t that be fun?
14. northernhermit says:

    3 February 2015 at 6:34 PM

    This is one of those days I fondly remember from my childhood, and as an adult there have been occasions where I have been able to receive the blessing. I hope this does not become another one of those Catholic traditions that begins to disappear in the name of progress.
15. mpolo says:

    4 February 2015 at 1:22 AM

    Technically, I gave the blessing (as a priest) many times (I finished the last one about 45 minutes after Mass was over), but was unable to receive it myself.
16. Kristyn says:

    4 February 2015 at 8:01 AM

    Received the blessing from Deacon, Fr was on the other side. The candles used were 2nd class relics, touched to the forearm bone of St. Blaise at his basilica somewhere in Europe. Very cool.
17. rollingrj says:

    4 February 2015 at 11:24 AM

    Crickally: As part of their duties, an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion is permitted to assist in the blessing of throats on the Feast of St. Blaise and the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday.
18. Uxixu says:

    4 February 2015 at 11:38 AM

    FSSP.LA offered it, but I had to work late so missed it. :(

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