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Good evening father,
I ask for clarification about a subject, if possible.
Given that I try to have an active sacramental life, and that I pray every day with the Holy Rosary not for my sake, but for the grace of God and the merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, here’s what I wanted to know.
If somebody has some exorcised water and sprays it upon an object of devotion or in the house, while invoking the Holy name of Jesus and Mary, even if that object was not blessed by a priest, shall it be considered blessed by virtue of the faith in the power of the Church?
Likewise, if I put some exorcised salt in the water, by virtue of the faith in Jesus and Mary, and in the Church to which God donated the power to bless and exorcise salt, shall the water be considered blessed?
God bless you, shall Mary and Joseph grant you peace, grace and holiness.
The answer from father Angelo
My dear,
1- The code of Canon Law says that “the minister of sacramentals is a cleric who has been provided with the requisite power. According to the norm of the liturgical books and to the judgment of the local Ordinary lay persons who possess the appropriate qualities can also administer some sacramentals” (Can.1168).
2- Some benedictions and consecrations are reserved by the Church to the bishops, such as the consecration of virgins, altars and churches. Similarly, only bishops can bless the sacred oils in the Chrism Mass.
3- Even the pope reserves for himself some benedictions such as the blessing of the pallium (which is given to the metropolitan bishops), of the Agnus Dei and of other objects.
4- The other blessings can be imparted by any priest (Can. 1169,2).
5- “A deacon can impart only those blessings expressly permitted by law” (Can. 1169,3). For example, he can impart the Eucharistic blessing and the wedding blessing.
6- Among laypeople, the power of blessing is given by the Church only to acolytes and readers, since by their “institution” they carry out a particular office in the Church. For example, they can bless fruits and bread. Similarly, parents can bless their children; however, if a cleric is present, he must be given priority.
7- The practices you mentioned are a nice invocation; however, they don’t produce any blessing since that is reserved for clerics.
I bless you and assure you of remembrance to the Lord.
Father Angelo.