The blessing thing is a nice, feel good option for people who can't receive, but it's not technically supposed to be allowed. If you can't receive, you're really supposed to stay in your seat. So says my priest, anyway, who does not offer blessings during Communion.
"The blessing thing is a nice, feel good option for people who can't receive, but it's not technically supposed to be allowed. If you can't receive, you're really supposed to stay in your seat. So says my priest, anyway, who does not offer blessings during Communion."
It's probably an issue that individual bishops or even priests may have some discretion over?
I doubt that one priest saying it isn't supposed to be done necessarily means that is the position of the entire church on the matter.
In the Eastern Catholic Churches, the children accompany their parents up for communion. The priest blesses each child by touching the communion cup to their head. It is a beautiful and reverent practice that recognizes them as members of the congregation. I have never seen an adult go up though, for a blessing.
I really liked receiving a blessing...and I used the option when a few weeks ago I couldn't make it to Confession and knew that I shouldn't receive the Eucharist. I am going to consult the Catechism to see what it says. I assumed that if we were doing this it was OK.