THE BLESSING OF CHILDREN
THIS BLESSING IS USED PARTICULARLY WHEN CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT IN A GROUP TO BE BLESSED IN CHURCH
The children should be at the Church at the appointed time, accompanied by their parents or their teachers. They should be arranged in orderly groups, the boys on one side and the girls on the other. The priest addresses them, briefly and simply.
Then standing and facing them he says:
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
Ant: Praise the Lord, you who are children; praise the name of the Lord.
Psalm 112
Praise the Lord, you that are his servants, praise the name of the Lord together.
Blessed be the Lord's name at all times, from this day to all eternity;
From the sun's rise to the sun's setting let the Lord's name be praised continually.
The Lord is sovereign king of all nations; his glory is high above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God, so high above us,
That stoops to regard both heaven and earth,
Lifting up the poor from the dust he lay in, raising the beggar out of his dung-hill,
To find him a place among the princes, the princes that rule over his people?
He gives the barren woman a home to dwell in, a mother rejoicing in her children.
Glory be to the Father.
Ant: Praise the Lord, you who are children; praise the name of the Lord.
This Psalm may be omitted when the number of children is small or when the blessing is given in less solemn form.
When it is ended the priest says:
V. Suffer little children to come to me.
R. For such is the kingdom of heaven.
V. Their Angels.
R. Always see the face of their heavenly Father.
V. May the enemy have no advantage over them.
R. Nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt them.
V. Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto thee.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with your spirit.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, when children were brought to you, you took them into your arms, and laid your hands on them, and blessed them, and said: Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven; and their Angels stand before my Father and see Him face to face. Look therefore on these children here; see how innocent they are; see how their parents cherish them: and use our hands this day to bless them. May they go forward in your grace and mercy; may they find happiness in you; may they make you the object of their love: may they approach you with respectful fear, and keep your commandments: may they come at last to the happiness we all desire for them. Through you who are Savior of the world, living and reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever.
R. Amen.
Let us pray: May the prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary keep all harm from this family: and as they kneel devoutly before thee, do thou, O Lord, keep watch for them against the enemies of their souls. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Let us pray: God who in thy Providence hast sent angels to watch over us, hear us as we pray.
Keep us safe through their protection, and give us happiness for ever in their company. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
Then, making the sign of the cross with his right hand over the children, he blesses them saying:
May God, the Father, and the Son, † and the Holy Spirit, bless you and have your minds and hearts always in his keeping.
R. Amen.
The priest sprinkles the children with holy water.
BENEDICTIO PUERORUM
THIS BLESSING IS USED PARTICULARLY WHEN CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT IN A GROUP TO BE BLESSED IN CHURCH
The children should be at the Church at the appointed time, accompanied by their parents or their teachers. They should be arranged in orderly groups, the boys on one side and the girls on the other.
The priest addresses them, briefly and simply.
V. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.
R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
Antiphona:
Laudáte púeri Dóminum: laudáte nomen Dómini.
Psalmus 112
Laudáte, púeri, Dóminum, * laudáte nomen Dómini.
Sit nomen Dómini benedíctum, * ex hoc nunc, et usque in sǽculum.
A solis ortu usque ad occásum, * laudábile nomen Dómini.
Excélsus super omnes Gentes Dóminus, * et super cælos glória ejus.
Quis sicut Dóminus Deus noster, qui in altis hábitat,* et humília réspicit in cælo et in terra?
Súscitans a terra ínopem: * et de stércore érigens páuperem;
Ut cóllocet eum cum princípibus, * cum princípibus pópuli sui.
Qui habitáre facit stérilem in domo, * matrem filiórum lætántem.
Glória Patri.
Antiphona:
Laudáte púeri Dóminum: laudáte nomen Dómini.
This Psalm may be omitted when the number of children is small or when the blessing is given in less solemn form.
When it is ended the priest says:
V. Sínite párvulos veníre ad me.
R. Tálium est enim regnum cælórum.
V. Angeli eórum.
R. Semper vident fáciem Patris.
V. Nihil profíciat inimícus in eis.
R. Et fílius iniquitátis non appónat nocére eis.
V. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.
R. Et clamor meus ad te véniat.
V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus.
Dómine Jesu Christe, qui párvulos tibi oblátos et ad te veniéntes compléxus es, manúsque super illos impónens benedixísti eis, atque dixísti: Sínite párvulos veníre ad me, et nolíte prohibére eos,tálium est enim regnum cælórum, et Angeli eórum semper vident fáciem Patris mei; réspice, quǽsumus, ad puerórum (puellárum, si solæ adsint puellæ) præséntium innocéntiam, et ad eórum (eárum ) paréntum devotiónem, et cleménter eos (eas ) hódie per ministérium nostrum béne † dic; ut in tua grátia et misericórdia semper profíciant, te sápiant, te díligant, te tímeant, et mandáta tua custódiant, et ad finem optátum felíciter pervéniant: per te, Salvátor mundi, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivis et regnas Deus in sǽcula sæculórum.
R. Amen.
Orémus.
Defénde, quǽsumus, Dómine, beáta María semper Vírgine intercedénte, istam ab omni adversitáte famíliam: et toto corde tibi prostrátam, ab hóstium propítius tuére cleménter insídiis. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Orémus.
Deus, qui ineffábili providéntia sanctos Angelos tuos ad nostram custódiam míttere dignáris: largíre supplícibus tuis; et eórum semper protectióne deféndi, et ætérna societáte gaudére. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Then, making the sign of the cross with his right hand over the children, he blesses them saying:
Benedícat vos Deus, et custódiat corda vestra et intellegéntias vestras, Pater, et Fílius, † et Spíritus Sanctus.
R. Amen.
The priest sprinkles the children with Holy Water.