Question
Hello Father.
I was curious to ask you a question about sacramentals. A priest told me once that their effectiveness depends on the state of Grace of the priest who administers the blessing. The blessing would be effective only if the priest is in a state of Grace.
On the other hand, the Catechism affirms that “all the Sacraments and sacramentals derive their efficacy from the Paschal Mystery of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection” (CCC 1670).
So my doubt is: if the sacramentals also “flow” from the mystery of Christ, then the state of Grace of the priest should not affect their effectiveness … am I wrong?
Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer, I pray for you! .
Answer
Dear friend,
1. Here is the definition of sacramentals from the Code of Canon Law: “Sacramentals are sacred signs with which, through some imitation of the Sacraments, are signified and obtained by the Church’s petition, especially spiritual effects” (Can. 1166).
2. They differ from Sacraments for several reasons:
- because the Sacraments are of divine institution, while sacramentals are of ecclesiastical institution (although it can be said that Christ instituted them indirectly, by giving the Church the power to do so, and sometimes He Himself gave the example as when He practiced the exorcisms);
- because the Sacraments produce sanctifying Grace, while the sacramentals confer some actual Graces, that is, some aids;
- because the Sacraments produce Grace by their intimate efficacy (ex opere operato), by reason of the fact that the principal celebrant of the Sacraments is Christ Himself. The sacramentals, on the other hand, are effective because of the faith and devotion of the Church, that is, “ex opera operantis” (implied: ex opere operantis Ecclesiae);
- because the Sacraments are seven, while the number of sacramentals is indefinite and variable.
3. Sacramentals are means to implore some spiritual and even corporal benefits, such as health and the preservation of goods.
However, all these aids are in some way subdued to the sanctifying Grace.
St. Thomas says: “Among the visible actions of the Church, some are Sacraments, e.g. Baptism; other sacramentals, e.g. exorcism. There is this difference between them: the Sacrament is that action of the Church that achieves the main effect intended in the administration of the Sacraments; the sacramental instead is the action which, although it does not achieve the main effect, is nevertheless in some way ordered to it “(Supplement to the Theological Sum, 29, 1).
And also: “Blessed water and other blessings are not called Sacraments, because they do not reach the effect of the Sacraments which is the attainment of Grace.
Rather, they are dispositions to the Sacraments: either as they remove obstacles, such as Holy water used against the snares of the devil and against venial sins; or as they prepare the administration of the Sacraments: thus the altars and vessels are consecrated out of respect for the Eucharist “(Summa theologica, III, 65, 1, ad 6).
5. Sacramentals can be traced back to two major categories.
There are permanent sacramentals, that is realities that have been blessed or consecrated, which the faithful make use of to receive some benefit.
However, not every blessed reality is a sacramental, – otherwise people or their houses would become sacramental, – but only those who receive a constitutive blessing and are oriented exclusively to the worship of God, such as blessed water, the scapulars, blessed oil…
The second category is constituted of transient sacramentals. These are actions that, through the Church’s intervention, bring some particular benefit such as the recitation of the Confiteor, the imposition of ashes, the exorcism, etc …
6. The efficacy of sacramentals is furthermore expressed in four different directions.
The first: to receive Graces related to one’s state of life, such as the nuptial blessing, the blessing for religious profession, for the reception of ministries, etc …
The second: for the remission of venial sins such as Holy water, ashes at the beginning of Lent, the Confiteor recited at the beginning of Mass. The effect produced is the Grace to detest sins.
The third is to ward off the evil of the devil who, by divine permission, can harm by striking with physical ills, causing ruin, instigating sin, tormenting with obsessions and harassment and sometimes even with possessions.
The fourth is to obtain temporal goods, such as the blessing of the fields and the fruits of the earth.
7. The effect of sacramentals depends mainly on the impetratory prayer of the Church and secondly on the disposition and state of Grace of the minister and of those who receive them.
The prayer of the Church is the main component, because the Church has received from Christ the power to bless different realities and to prevent the evils of the devil.
It could be said that sacramentals in this respect infallibly produce fruits for the intrinsic action of the Church.
Pius XII’s encyclical “Mediator Dei” says that “the efficacy of sacramentals derives rather from the action of the Church (ex operantis Ecclesiae) as she is Holy and always works in intimate union with her Head”.
Someone even spoke of the effect produced by ex-operator Ecclesiae.
Therefore the answer that the priest gave you is not entirely correct.
8. However, the dispositions of the minister and of those who receive the sacramentals count a lot both in producing the effect and in receiving it.
Therefore, the blessing given by a holy priest such as the holy Curé of Ars, Padre Pio, St. John Paul II and received by a saint devotee have much greater efficacy than that given and received by ministers of lower status.
In fact, since sacramentals must ultimately tend to procure or increase sanctifying Grace, if there are dispositions against this aim then its effect is not produced.
So, in order to obtain the desired results from the sacramentals, it is very important to have a purified heart even with sacramental Confession and the will to strive for holiness.
9. In the past, a Latin verse was used to classify sacramentals into six categories: orans, tinctus, edens, confessus, dans, benedicens.
Orans: it is prayer, and first of all the prayer of the Our Father and therefore every prayer prescribed by the Church and every prayer recited in a consecrated church.
Tinctus: dipping in Holy water for the sign of the Cross and for sprinkling, or even in oil for anointing or consecration.
Edens: for example by eating blessed bread and every blessed edibles.
Confessus: repenting, for example by reciting the “confiteor”.
Dans: giving spiritual and corporal almsgiving in the name of the Church.
Benedicens: all the blessings instituted by the Church, such as those given by the Bishop or the priest at the end of the Mass, those of the objects of devotion such as scapulars, rosaries, medals, etc.
I wish you well in the broadest use of the sacramentals, I remind you to the Lord and I bless you.
Father Angelo
