Who Can Give Blessings

In the Catholic Church, blessings are acts that call down God’s favor, protection, or grace on people, objects, or occasions. Who can give blessings depends on the type of blessing and the role of the person in the Church. Let’s look at this carefully, with references from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and the Book of Blessings (De Benedictionibus).

✝️ 1. General Principle: Blessings Come from God through the Church

CCC 1669:

“Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a ‘blessing’ and to bless. 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).”

📖 Key idea:All Christians can bless in some sense (e.g., parents blessing children), but liturgical and sacramental blessings are reserved for ordained ministers.

🕊️ 2. Who Can Give Blessings (According to the Book of Blessings)

Minister	Authority	Examples
Bishop	Can give all blessings	Consecration of churches, altars, solemn blessings
Priest	Can give most blessings	People, homes, religious articles
Deacon	Can give certain blessings	Meals, gatherings, religious objects (if permitted)
Lay person	May give simple blessings in domestic or informal settings	Parents blessing children, grace before meals

🩶 Source: Book of Blessings, General Introduction, nos. 18–21.

🙏 3. Eucharistic Ministers (Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion)

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs) are lay people who assist in distributing Holy Communion when there are not enough priests or deacons.

They may NOT impart liturgical blessings in the name of the Church.

❌ During Communion:

When someone approaches the Communion line but does not receive the Eucharist (e.g., children, non-Catholics), an EMHC should not make the sign of the cross over them or say “May God bless you” as if imparting a priestly blessing.

Why?

• Because the gesture of blessing (especially with the sign of the cross) is reserved for ordained ministers (bishops, priests, deacons).

• EMHCs are encouraged instead to say a simple prayer such as:

“Receive Jesus in your heart,”“May the Lord be with you,” or“Peace be with you.”

These are not blessings in the formal, liturgical sense, but prayers of good will, consistent with their lay vocation.

💬 Official Clarifications

• The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (CDWDS) issued guidance (2008) reminding that:

“Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion should not impart blessings at the moment of Holy Communion. Such blessings are reserved to the priest or deacon.”

This preserves the distinct roles within the liturgy.

🕯️ 4. Summary Table

Role	Can Give Blessings?	Type	Reference
Pope / Bishop	✅ All blessings	Sacramental & solemn	CCC 1669; Book of Blessings
Priest	✅ Most blessings	Liturgical & personal	CCC 1669
Deacon	✅ Some blessings	Delegated liturgical	Book of Blessings §18–21
Lay person (EMHC, catechist, parent)	✅ Simple, personal blessings	Non-liturgical or domestic	CCC 1669
EMHC at Communion	❌ No liturgical blessing	May offer prayer instead	CDWDS, 2008 letter

💡 In Summary:

• Ordained ministers (bishops, priests, deacons) may impart official liturgical blessings.

• Lay faithful, including Eucharistic ministers, may offer prayers or expressions of goodwill, but not liturgical blessings.

• Every baptized person is called to bless others by their words, prayers, and example — but only ordained ministers bless in the name of the Church.