Q: We are putting together another Confirmation retreat. A question popped up regarding Adoration and Benediction from one of our Confirmation coordinators: “During Adoration, each person could either come forward to receive a personal blessing from Jesus exposed in the monstrance, or the priest could process around the Church to bless each person.” By this “blessing” this person mentions, she means Benediction.
Looking at the new “Holy Communion and Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Outside of Mass” book, the closest guidance I can find connected to this multiple Benediction question is from paragraph #104 in the section on Eucharstic Processions as it states: “Eucharistic processions should be ordered in keeping with the customs of the place, with regard to the decoration of the public squares and streets, and in those things that pertain to the arrangement of the participants. While on the way, if the custom is in effect and pastoral advantage suggests, there may be stations where a Eucharistic blessing is given…”
Our Adoration for this Confirmation retreat is happening in the church space proper. Clearly from #104 above, the procession in mind is done in the streets. That being said, is it permitted for us to do multiple Benedictions in the church space at assigned stations over the Confirmation students while processing with the Eucharist in the Monstrance down the aisles of the church? Are the stations required for these multiple Benedictions?
Is it permitted to do multiple Benedictions over the Confirmation students if they came down the center aisle towards the Altar the Eucharist for Adoration in the monstrance is on and receive an individual Benediction?
Is there any variant permitted that I have not mentioned for Benediction of anyone while the Eucharist remains in the church space proper?
If the answer is no and we do only Benediction at the end of Adoration like normal, that’s perfectly fine with me and the rest of us planning this Confirmation retreat. We have all seen different iterations, like the ones mentioned above in my questions, but none of us know if these variations are actually permitted by the Catholic Church, hence us asking you for further guidance.
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A: HCWEMOM makes no provision for individual benedictions. I’ve read through the post-Vatican II drafts of this ritual book, and the idea for personal blessings never even came up, much less found its way into the liturgy of the Catholic Church.
I am told that there are priests conducting the ritual you describe: walking through a church with the monstrance in hand, giving individual blessings, or inviting people forward for them. There is absolutely no precedent for this in Catholic worship—and no provision for it.
This is the Blessed Sacrament. We should be treating it with the utmost respect. Not using it as a personal privilege.
I’ve said some things about this in my book Eucharistic Reservation. I’ve heard that the USCCB’s Office of Divine Worship also has concerns about some of the casual ways that some priests are taking a monstrance in hand.
Please follow the ritual as it is given in the ritual book.