272. Other Liturgical Celebrations

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 272

Ave Maria series

What are the sacramentals?

Sacramentals are sacred signs or sacred actions in which a blessing is conferred.  [1667-1672, 1677-1678]

Pope Francis and an infant.  Who is blessing whom?…..272

The Priestly Blessing:     The LORD said to Moses:   Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites.  Say to them:  The LORD bless you and keep you!  The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!^*  -- Numbers 6:22-26

Examples of sacramentals are holy water, the consecration of a bell or an organ, the blessing of a house or an automobile, the blessing of throats on the feast of St. Blaise, receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday, palm branches on Palm Sunday, the Easter candle, and the blessing of produce on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go up to the house of the Lord!’  Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem  Psalm 122:1-2

“Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him firm in your faith!”  1 Peter 5: 8-9

[1667-1672, 1677-1678]

SACRAMENTALS

1667  "Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy."(Sacresanctum Concilium 60; compare Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 1166;Corpus Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 867.)¹⁷³ –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

The characteristics of sacramentals

1668 Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism). –CCC

1669  Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless.(Compare Genesis 12:2; Luke 6:28; Romans 12:14; 1 Peter3:9.)¹⁷⁴   Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).(Compare Sacrosanctum Concilium 79; Codex Iuris Canonici, can. 1168; De Ben 16,18.)¹⁷⁵ --CCC

1670  Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."(Sacrosanctum Concilium 61.)¹⁷⁶ --CCC

Various forms of sacramentals

1671 Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father "with every spiritual blessing."(Ephesians 1:3.)¹⁷⁷ This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ. --CCC

1672  Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects. –CCC

IN BRIEF

1677  Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life. –CCC

1678  Among the sacramentals blessings occupy an important place. They include both praise of God for his works and gifts, and the Church's intercession for men that they may be able to use God's gifts according to the spirit of the Gospel. –CCC

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