Blessings and Blessed Articles
The blessings of the Church are very numerous. They are given either directly to the faithful in person, to those who are sick, as well as to those who are in health; or they are imparted indirectly to them through objects which the Church blesses for that purpose.
The Churching of Women
One of the principal blessings of the Church, eagerly sought by Catholics, is that which is given to a mother after childbirth, called churching.
The mother is not bound to receive this blessing and consequently does not commit a sin, if she neglects it. It is a free blessing or private devotion.
The receiving of this blessing supposes a mother’s first visit to the Church after her happy deliverance. It may be received, however, also later on according to convenience. It is also an act of thanksgiving on the part of the mother. But, there is little object in asking for this blessing after a long time, if one has neglected it in the beginning.
It is customary for such mothers to make an offering on this occasion. It is usual to offer a wax candle for the altar, or the price of the same.
In many cases the mother brings the child with her to the church, but this is not necessary.
As this ceremony of churching supposes the mother’s visit to be her first, or her introduction to the church after her confinement, it is customary in some places for her to kneel at the church-door, or in the rear of the church with a lighted candle in her hand. Otherwise she should kneel at the altar-rail for the whole ceremony.
When the Priest offers the end of his stole to her to be kissed, she should take it with her right hand, and devoutly press it to her lips, holding the candle in her left hand.
If she has knelt in the rear of the church, she rises then and follows the Priest to the altar-rail where she kneels again and receives his final blessing, making the sign of the cross on herself.
She finally delivers the candle to the server, and the price of it also, if it had been loaned to her from the vestry; and remains some minutes in thanksgiving, praying especially for her child.
Blessed Candles
Every Catholic household should be provided with one or more blessed candles. These candles should be of pure bees’ wax. Other kinds, such as parafine, spermaceti or tallow candles will not answer the purpose of candles prescribed by the Church. It is well to procure the candles, therefore, either at the church or from a dealer in Catholic church goods.
Have the candles blessed on Candlemas Day, February 2, or at the regular time when articles of devotion are blessed in your church.
Have a pair of candlesticks for them, so as to be able to light them at once when they are needed.
They are needed particularly when Holy Communion or the last sacraments are administered, as well as at a funeral. It is well to light them also in times of great distress, as in sudden dangerous sickness, on occasions of violent storms, fires, floods, and the like; as the candles convey a blessing to the house.
Imposition of the Ashes
As Holy Church opens the penitential season of Lent by the blessing of ashes and by placing them on the heads of the faithful, all good Catholics ought to go to church on that day, although it is not of precept, and be reminded by this sacred ceremony of the certainty of death and of the necessity of preparing for it by Christian penance and mortification.
Unless by chance a person’s face has been considerably besmirched by the dropping of the ashes, these ought not to be removed afterwards; but should be left to remain for the day at least, as a reminder of the holy season of penance and as a profession of faith.
As the ashes must be imposed by the Priest and are blessed only for that purpose, there is no object in taking them home.
The words pronounced by the Priest in placing the ashes on the head, are, “Remember, man, thou art dust, and unto dust thou wilt return.”
Blessed Palm
The palm which the Church blesses on Palm Sunday is another means by which she conveys her blessings to the homes of the faithful.
The blessed palm should be hung in conspicuous places in the house, usually placed over a crucifix or sacred picture. Some of it may be burned in times of great calamities, to avert the anger of God and secure His blessing and protection.
It should be burned previously to receiving the new palm, and not thrown away. Blessed articles should not be thrown aside when no longer needed or of use, but should be destroyed, burned or buried.
Easter Water
Easter water is the water blessed by the Church on Holy Saturday for the baptismal font. Before the holy oils are poured into the font, the Priest takes some of the water and sprinkles the congregation with it as on Sundays before the High Mass. Some more of it is taken for the holy water fonts in the church; also for sprinkling in the houses of the people, as well as for sprinkling the faithful in church on Easter Sunday before the High Mass.
As the Church does not mention the use of Easter water outside of these occasions, it is not necessary to take a large quantity of it from the church, but a small vial of it is sufficient for the sprinkling of the house and its members on Holy Saturday and on Easter Sunday.
It must not be used in the sick-room and for the ordinary blessings of the Church when holy water is prescribed, but holy water must be used on these occasions.
Holy Water
Every Catholic household should be provided with a vessel of holy water.
The supply of holy water, as becomes its sacred character, should be kept in a large, presentable bottle or cruet, but not in a liquor bottle, or in an open jar liable to gather dust and form an unclean sediment. Bottles made specially for holy water, are easily procured now-a-days, or at least large, glass-stoppered cologne bottles or cruets are easily obtained in the stores for a trifling sum.
Holy water should, moreover, be kept in fonts hung on the wall or door-frame in the principal rooms, especially in the bedrooms that the members of the family may sign or sprinkle themselves with it occasionally, especially on retiring at night and on rising in the morning.
Holy water, both in church and at home, should not be used for any other purpose, but that intended by the Church, namely, for blessings by means of sprinkling. Any other use of it is more or less an abuse, which sometimes becomes even disgusting. It should never be used as a drink.
Articles of Devotion
All good Catholics should possess certain articles of devotion to which are attached special blessings and indulgences, such as a small crucifix, that can be worn on the person, a pair of beads, the scapulars, Agnus Deis, medals and the like.
They should have these articles blessed and indulgenced for their own personal use. Agnus Deis do not need to be blessed by the Priest, as they contain wax blessed by the Holy Father himself.
