Can laity bless objects with holy water?
Can laity bless objects with holy water?
Question: I purchased a 14-carat medal and wish to have it blessed. Since I have no place to go for this, I ordered some blessed and consecrated water online, hoping to perform the blessing myself. Additionally, I received a prayer to recite while sprinkling the water. Is this acceptable? Will it receive a blessing?
— Name, location withheld
Answer: There are specific blessings that a regular individual can bestow. For instance, a parent is able to grant a blessing upon their offspring. The blessing of items, nonetheless, is generally reserved to the clergy. Applying holy water is beneficial and can bestow a blessing upon the individual or item that comes into contact with it. Nonetheless, the formal blessing of the object itself is the responsibility of priests and, to a certain degree, deacons.
I’m unclear about what you imply when you state that you lack a destination. If this means that you are unable to conveniently find a priest, then what you’ve done certainly won’t cause any harm. Additionally, it is not essential for sacred items to be blessed in order to produce a positive outcome. When a priest becomes reasonably accessible, you can bring it in for a blessing. Moreover, some deacons possess the authority from the bishop to bestow various blessings. Therefore, you might consider reaching out to a deacon if they are easier to reach than a priest.
Instructing on the topic of angels
Question: What are the beliefs of Catholics regarding angels? Are they capable of performing miracles?
— Kia Hampton, via email
Answer: The Catechism of the Catholic Church offers an overview of Catholic doctrines. This is outlined below, but you are encouraged to refer to the complete text and examine the Scriptural foundations of Catholic beliefs regarding Angels:
“The reality of spiritual, non-physical entities typically referred to as ‘angels’ in Sacred Scripture is a matter of faith. … Angels serve as both messengers and servants of God. … They possess intelligence and will: they are personal, immortal beings that exceed in perfection all visible creatures, as evidenced by the radiance of their glory. … Since the moment of creation and throughout salvation history, angels have been present, heralding this salvation from both afar and close, contributing to the fulfillment of the divine plan: they closed the earthly paradise; safeguarded Lot; rescued Hagar and her son; restrained Abraham’s hand; delivered the law through their ministry; guided the People of God; announced births and vocations; and supported the prophets, to mention just a few instances. … From its inception until death, human existence is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. ‘Next to every believer is an angel serving as a guardian and guide, directing him toward life’” (CCC, Nos. 328-336).
Regarding angels performing miracles, technically, they cannot. Scripture states: “[God] alone has accomplished mighty wonders” (Ps 136:4).
St. Thomas Aquinas explains: “A miracle, in the strict sense, is an occurrence that takes place outside the natural order. It is insufficient for an event to be considered a miracle merely by being beyond the order of a specific nature; otherwise, anyone could perform a miracle by tossing a stone upwards, as this action violates the stone’s natural order. Therefore, for an event to qualify as a miracle, it must contravene the order of all created nature. … Any action performed by an angel or any other being through its inherent power aligns with the order of created nature; consequently, it does not constitute a miracle. Only God has the ability to perform miracles” (Summa Theologica, Pars Prima, q. 110, art. 4).
Some of their actions that appear extraordinary to us may merely be them functioning according to their inherent qualities. For instance, they have the ability to travel at the speed of thought since they lack physical forms. This may seem quite astonishing to us, but for them, it falls within their natural abilities. Typically, when an action is performed by a force or method that is unfamiliar to us, we are inclined to label it a miracle in relation to our perception. Nevertheless, it might just be an angel employing its usual capabilities. Angels can manipulate objects in ways that we do not understand. Yet, our ignorance of this does not qualify it as a miracle. If an angel does perform a miracle, it is solely because God enables it through them.
St. Thomas elaborates: “Certain angels are believed to perform miracles; either because God accomplishes miracles at their behest, similar to how holy individuals are considered to perform miracles; or because they fulfill a type of service in the miracles that occur; such as gathering the dust during the universal resurrection, or by engaging in a similar activity.”
Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at blog.adw.org. Send questions to msgrpope@osv.com.
