Sacramentals What are they Sacramentals Sacraments are established

Sacramentals What are they?

Sacramentals • Sacraments are established by Christ – we have no authority to increase or decrease their number Sacramentals, , were not established by Christ – Sacramentals obtain grace through the prayers of the Church. sacramentals prepare us to receive God's grace and dispose us to cooperate with it Can be objects, blessings, actions, etc.

Levels of Sacramentals • Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. • . What are • "blessed" objects? A blessed object is any object over which an ordained priest or deacon has pronounced a blessing.

What does blessed mean? Blessed "It means it has been touched by God. " Try reading the Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 1 -12) and everywhere you read "Blessed" substitute "Touched by God. " It will give you a much deeper understanding of the meaning of blessing and having an object blessed.

Principal Sacramentals • What are the principal sacramentals? The principal sacramentals are the liturgical year and the public prayer of the Church, the Liturgy of the Hours.

Other types of sacramentals • . blessings which consecrate persons to God or reserve places and objects for liturgical use, such as the consecration of an altar; • . exorcisms for the • removal of evil spirits. Blessed Holy Cards

Other types of sacramentals • Incense • Veneration is shown by incensing, as in the • Incense is symbolic in its burning, its fragrance (virtue) and its rising smoke (acceptable prayer) incensing of the altar, the book of the Gospel, the people and the body of the deceased at a funeral.

Other types of sacramentals • Candles • Altar candles express • devotion and the lighting of the Baptismal candle from the Easter candle is part of Christian initiation. it is also used for its resurrection symbolism at baptisms and funerals.

Other types of sacramentals • Holy Water • A common sacramental is blessed water (holy water) that is used for baptizing and to recall our baptism. • It is a common practice to have holy water fonts at the entrances of churches. In the past, it was also found in the home in small fonts at the doorways of certain rooms.

Which are some actions that are sacramentals? • Some actions that are sacramentals are genuflecting, kneeling, bowing the head, making the sign of the cross, folding the hands, sprinkling with holy water.

Which blessed objects of popular devotion do Catholics commonly use? • Rosaries, relics, medals, crucifixes, scapulars, ashes, palms, candles and pictures of Jesus, Mary and the saints are popular objects of devotion.

Do blessed objects bring good luck? • Blessed objects should • For example, one never be considered good luck charms, nor made the objects of superstition. cannot lead an immoral life because one believes that wearing a scapular or medal will obtain the grace of conversion before death

Some non-Catholics have a problem with sacramentals • They are often used • by non-catholics blessing people (especially the laying on of hands) saying Grace (i. e. , "Bless this food for our use and us to thy Service, for Christ’s Sake Amen") • praying over a house • that it might be free of any negative spiritual powers anointing people with holy oil during a healing service

Sacramentals and the Bible • Jesus cured the blind man • • using mud. (Jn 9: 6); The lady with hemorrhages was healed by touching Jesus' garment (Mk 9: 20, 6: 56, Lk 8: 44, Mat 14: 36); Holy oil is found in the Bible ". . . anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. " (James 5: 14, 15; Mat 6: 13); • In the Old Testament ". . when • the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet" (2 Kings 13: 20 -21 note: this is also a model for the Catholic concept of relics); In the book of Acts we find "So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hand of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. " (Act 19: 11 -12);

Conclusion • Lay Catholics are free to bless objects, even using the prayers priests use -- and we do so often in blessing our children, blessing meals, blessing Advent wreaths or Mary Gardens, etc. • We are encouraged to bless – our children, meals, make prayer a part of daily life