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aussieannie
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It is mid year holidays in Australia and I have more time than normal to chat which I am just so happy about!! 
I wanted to bring up the subject of parental blessing - it's importance and I'd really like to hear other ladies and their prayer formulas, time of day etc, etc.
Here are some links worth reading as well:
Parental Blessing
Parental Blessing of Children
The Power of Blessing Your Family
I had a terrible health scare at the beginning of the year, I thought I was dying, the fear I experienced took away peace and I thought to myself, "What would I be like on my deathbead?" "How could I have underestimated the supreme importance of praying for a holy death for myself and my family every single day?" So my parental blessing (which I do every night before I go to bed) changed a bit after that experience...I like to just make up my prayer, including the things that are close to my heart and what I want for my children. I use holy oil while blessing each of the children, making the sign of the cross on their forehead, usually it is Loreto Oil I use but on Tuesdays I use St Anne's Holy Oil.
At present I say:
"God bless you in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit. Amen" "I conscrate you to the Immaculate Heart of Mary" (On Tuesdays I consecrate them to St Anne as well.) "May you have a happy, holy an pure life, may you have a happy and holy death" "And may Our Lady carry you safely to heaven one day. Amen."
I'd love to hear other mother's experiences...
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Maddie
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Your prayer is beautiful, Anne. We always make the sign of the cross on their foreheads before bed and before they leave for someplace. It's so sweet to watch all the children bless Daddy each day before he leaves for work.
We usually say, "God bless you through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Jesus in honor of your Guardian Angel".
I read in Tan's book on the Holy Name, that saying the Holy Name in honor of your Guardian Angel is the highest honor you can offer your GA. We also honor our GA's this way for travel prayers. I really believe because of this prayer to honor them, they have communicated to me on a couple very scary occasions for my children.
I am interested to read your links, this is very special to me. I was just considering composing a prayer for a special Sunday blessing of our children, kind of like what the Jews would do on the Sabbath. It may seem a little silly, but the blessing of the children in the movie Fiddler on the Roof always brings tears to my eyes, what a beautiful practice.
My oldest children, ds 17, dd 15, still come into my bedroom at night for their blessing if I forgot. I still have to chase down my ds13 or his older brother will drag him in. Ds 13 always smiles and blesses me back, so I think the reluctance is it's partly the age he is at. 
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MaryMary
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This is such a lovely thread, Anne! So many beautiful ideas!
We trace the sign of the cross on each child's forehead and say,
"May Almighty God bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, May our Blessed Mother keep her mantle tightly around you, and may your Holy Guardian angel surround you and protect you from all sin and evil, sickness and accident."
And then we invoke the patron saints of each child, each of our children has their own little litany  ...the saints they were named after, the saints on whose feasts they were born, and any saints that they themselves have come to love.
Maddie, my middle dd who is six, loves to bless me back as well...she puts a (huge) sign of the cross on my forehead and prays silently...it just makes my day!!
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LucyP
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Soooo beautiful. I am inspired. It's been so horrible at home lately and each day more of a struggle, but I think we will expand our present "Father, Son and Holy SPirit - God bless you now and always". The ideas you ladies have are so nice.
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aussieannie
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Maddie, I LOVE Fiddler on the Roof..and that is indeed a beautiful scene..a father's blessing of course is of special importance as the head of the home (mum's blessing is powerful too, of course)
I read once in the Exorcist Tells His Story that the HARDEST demonic curses to 'undo' was those put upon a child (young or old) by a parent. Father mentioned that he could often help the situation spiritually but in his experience removing the temporal problems (whatever the parent may have wished upon them) was a different matter. I think that shows us God has really ENTRUSTED our children's souls to us in a very special way...it can't be denied or downplayed, it is a spiritual reality.
If that can be the effects for evil and we must know then our blessings must be even more powerful again...isn't that just awesome?  But daunting as well...I'm aware how answerable I am for these precious souls..
I have that TAN booklet Maddie, that is a beautiful prayer you have formulated from the inspiration you received from it and it is a lovely point.
Mary I love your blessing as well, "May our Blessed Mother keep her mantle tightly around you" it is just so beautiful...
The litany idea is also a fabulous one, what a great way to keep the saints connected especially to the lives of each of your children, you are calling upon them daily in a special way, the children are made aware of them continually. 
And Lucy, I think it is in times of struggle that we are in most of need of heavenly help, we need to keep shutting the door daily on the foot the devil tries to wedge into our lives...this is another simple way to call down a heavenly blessing and banish evil in our lives.
Thank you so much for sharing.
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Mackfam
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aussieannie wrote:
| I use holy oil while blessing each of the children, making the sign of the cross on their forehead, usually it is Loreto Oil I use but on Tuesdays I use St Anne's Holy Oil. |
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Anne - Where do you get the holy oil?
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Ouiz
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I would love to know where you got the oil as well!
At bedtime we give each child a blessing (sign of the Cross) on their forehead and a kiss. Just before we go to bed, we go back in their rooms and pray: "May the Lord bless you and keep you; May He make His face shine upon you: The Lord be gracious unto you and give you peace."
Whenever we go anywhere, (since it's usually me doing the driving) I bless myself, the car, and each child before we start.
I love, love, love all the ideas listed here! I especially love asking Mary to keep her mantle around each child, and asking each guardian angel to protect against sin, evil, etc...
Wow.
I think if I had even the smallest glimpse of how incredibly important this is, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to bless my children! May God remind me DAILY to do this without fail!!
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aussieannie
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Oh yes, Jennifer and Ouiz, I'm from Australia but I have order nearly everything from the States, so it will be cheaper postage etc aquiring these oils:
St Anne Holy Oil
Our Lady of Loreto Holy Oil
I had an elderly lady in Australia tell me (as she has visited many shrines in Europe) that the Loreto Oil is a particular exorcism sacramental - and it not hard to understand why - in the house of Loreto is where the Immaculate Conception took place, the Incarnation and the Holy Family lived their humbles lives - it conquers the devil in everyway - this home and calvary are where his downfall and crushing happened.
In the Exorcist Tells His Story book, Fr Amorth says that people in his care, he often sends to a shrine such as Loreto or a Precious Blood shrine (where a Eucharistic Miracle took place - it's the month of the Precious Blood at present!) when they are almost about to be released permanently from the devil..
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Anne McD
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Ouiz wrote:
I think if I had even the smallest glimpse of how incredibly important this is, I wouldn't miss an opportunity to bless my children! May God remind me DAILY to do this without fail!! |
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How true this is for so many things!
I'm not sure how long I've been doing it, but every night as I make my "rounds" before I go to bed, I say a prayer to St. Michael as I enter the childrens' rooms, make the Sign of the Cross on their foreheads and pray, "May God bless you and keep you safe tonight and forever, Amen." Sometimes I use holy water at the same time.
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Becky Parker
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Most nights we say a family prayer that ends with the prayer to St. Michael, and then dh blesses each of us with holy water. I then bless him. When the kids go to bed, we pray over them again. It's just spontaneous prayer regarding anything that is troublesome for that child or things we are thankful for, then my husband or I make the sign of the cross on their forheads and bless them "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". If there is something particularly troubling, usually fear or illness, we bless their room with holy water. On occasion we go through the whole house with holy water, saying a prayer in each room and "sealing it in the name of the Father, Son and HOly Spirit." We do this because it is hard to find a priest who will come and bless the house, but we feel it is necessary.
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Ruth
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That is beautiful, Anne. I have the oil you sent me and I will be using for our nightime blessing. I actually thought about it this morning at 5 am when one one my girls came in with a fever and stomach ache. I usually bless them with it when they're sick.
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graciefaith
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What a great thread! Thank you so much for the information! I've started blessing the girls at night before bed. They love it and it's a very special moment for us all. Thank you again!
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10 Bright Stars
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Anne,
I enjoyed your links Anne concerning the Blessing of Children. I am always so inspired by your "finds". Thank you for sharing them with us.
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Kim married to Bob (22y)
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Bobby 19, David 17, Noah 14,
Mary 12, Gracie 10,
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William Anthony 4, Joseph 3 and Luisa Marie - born in M
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mariB
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Yes, we bless our children too.We use Holy water when blessing the children. We use the scriptures from the book of Numbers:
"May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace."
I love this thread and the links. Thank you all for reminding me of how important this is!
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RenB
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Here in our home we have always blessed our children when they are ready for bed. We use holy water too, as each child has their own font in their bedrooms at hand.
I was always greatly impressed when growing up observing my own father going to visit his father year after year for his new year blessing, and his children (us) were encouraged to do the same, and still do today...just by phone instead due to distance. Then I read a book many years ago called "The blessing", forgetting the author completely now. But, the gist of it is to instill the parental blessing on the children just as Jacob and Esau asked their father for his blessing...something of a heritage nature. For us, it eventually became second nature, a perfect closure for the day.
Our parental blessing happened slowly over time, then it became a habit we never wanted to miss out on.
We too place the sign of the cross on their foreheads, and say; "May the Lord bless you and protect you and our lady wrap you under her mantle of protection. May the holy angels watch over you while you sleep"...
There's only one negative sometimes...Some of the little ones will not go to sleep if we are not at home to do this parental ritual with, and wait up until we arrive home again just to obtain it. Cute but it makes for grumpy children the next day.
It became such a habit for the children as they grew into young adults to obtain a blessing before bed, recently our visiting married children came to kiss us goodnight and asked for their blessing, something unusual because it's been a while with them married and all. We were touched greatly and gladly obliged.
As an extension to this, can you imagine how we felt when one of our sons married and requested a parental blessing on his wedding day, shortly before taking his place at the front of the church? My husband was stunned and at first didn't know how/what to do exactly...LOL And then, unbeknown to us, his wife also requested a blessing from her father and out of the corner of my eye I saw that lovely and most memorable scene a short while later at the back of the church when he lifted her pretty veil up to place the sign of the cross on her forehead. We were so very, very touched, as well as a few others in the area during that moment. I particularly had trouble drying my eyes and keeping from being weepy the rest of the mass ahead. :-) I think it's going to become a family favorite in the future because two others married since and requested the same type of blessing. We can only hope and pray our generational prayers keep them as they walk into their own futures. And, man oh man! Take it from me! Invest in a really good mascara or have your eyelashes dyed black before the wedding day. Tissues are good to have too....LOL Stuff them up your sleeves if you have to!
Bless your children daily. They will never forget it and when they have children of their own, they too will follow in the heritage bedtime ritual they grew up with. When we had our grandchildren here and began the tuck-in ritual for bedtime at night, all asked me for a blessing when I kissed them goodnight and said prayers with them if their parents weren't here for the evening. Our holy water stash is drying up, all for good reason though.
I'm smitten with our big ones still standing before their now shrinking mother asking for a blessing and me looking up to them to do it. My 17yo son (6'2") still offers a warm hug every night and never forgets to kiss me on the cheek after his blessing. Knowing the rewards are many, I can only urge you to attempt this sweet and precious daily blessing on your children. You will never regret it.
Love the topic, it is such a special one. Thank you for bringing this to the forum Anne, and thanks so much for all your links.
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Renee
Mommy to eight, cherished treasures sent to us 22 years apart. Nana to seven lovelies...so far.
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amethyst
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RenB wrote:
I'm smitten with our big ones still standing before their now shrinking mother asking for a blessing and me looking up to them to do it. My 17yo son (6'2") still offers a warm hug every night and never forgets to kiss me on the cheek after his blessing. Knowing the rewards are many, I can only urge you to attempt this sweet and precious daily blessing on your children. You will never regret it.
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Renee, you brought tears to me eyes. This is so beautiful - thank you for sharing.
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Maddie
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Renee,
Thank you for sharing, you are such an encouragement! How very beautiful and what a legacy.
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~Maddie~
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MaryM
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I followed this thread on my vacation but never had a chance to comment. It is such a lovely reminder. I do a very simple blessing and sign of the cross with the children before bed, but this thread has filled me with a desire to expand the practice and use some of the beautiful prayers mentioned.
Renee, your experiences are really beautiful - thank you so much for sharing them here.  I'm all teary-eyed, too, thinking about it.
RenB wrote:
| Then I read a book many years ago called "The blessing", forgetting the author completely now. But, the gist of it is to instill the parental blessing on the children just as Jacob and Esau asked their father for his blessing...something of a heritage nature. |
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For the last week I have been trying to find a book like this in my google searches. I vaguely remember a book I had seen that was similar but an not finding one that I think is it. If you think of the author, let us know.
As I read the comments here and the use of oils and other sacramentals as part of the blessing, I wondered if it would be helpful to have a little explanation for those reading who might not be familiar. Sacramentals and their use by Catholics is often misunderstood. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this section on sacramentals.
I had also seen a great article by Rev. John H. Hampsch, C.M.F. on Steve Ray's blog several years back. He is specifically talking about Blessed Salt (very fascinating article, btw) but it is a great explanation of the use of sacramentals and how they are used as "focus points" directing us towards God's graces. This is a paragraph from the article.
"As in the case of all sacramentals, its power comes not from the sign itself, but by means of the Church’s official (liturgical, not private) prayer of blessing–a power the Church derives from Christ himself (see Matt. 16:19 and 18:18). As the Vatican II document on the Liturgy states (art. 61), both Sacraments and sacramentals sanctify us, not of themselves, but by power flowing from the redemptive act of Jesus, elicited by the Church’s intercession to be directed through those external signs and elements. Hence sacramentals like blessed salt and holy water are not to be used superstitiously as having self-contained power, but as "focus-points" funneling one’s faith toward Jesus, just as a flag is used as a "focus-point" of patriotism, or as handkerchiefs were used to focus faith for healing and deliverance by Paul (Acts 19:12).
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Jamberry77
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We call it the "nighttime thing."
It goes like this: " ....[Full name of child], God loves you eternally and passionately. Our Blessed Mother Mary will take care of you and lead you to her son, Jesus, our Lord. God bless you, [first name], in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow morning after you wake up."
This is the last thing I do before I leave the bedroom of the children.
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RenB
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Oh gee, sorry ladies, didn't mean to cause tears
but you know I must confess when I typed it up, I had a serious weepy eye syndrome hit me with the rush of memory , especially our son's request for a blessing on his wedding day.
Recently some of our friends were vacationing locally and they allowed us a few extra days with their daughter, after we drove quite a way to pick her up and steal a quick visit ourselves over a cup of coffee. When the blessing becomes a habit, even teens can be unabashed before their friends, at least mine grew to be. I wondered if they would avoid me as they grew, thinking it just wasn't a cool thing anymore, or not say goodnight, or??? It was a time of discovery for me recently when I discovered my 15yo didn't mind coming to me for her goodnight blessing, mutual cheek kisses and hugs - but all in front of her friend. I am a bold person perhaps, but seeing that lovely young lady standing there behind my daughter, and knowing it would be okay with her parents (whom I've known since before she was born), I offered her a hug goodnight too and blessed her on the forehead. She grinned from ear to ear and thanked me for it, all four nights she slept here. I felt mighty pleased my daughter didn't choose to feel awkward about it in front of her friend, so maybe it's a blessing to begin this as early as possible, like a second skin for them as they grow.
I want to add another thing here if it's okay, and I completely apologize for always being so long winded...LOL
Eleven years ago my parents lived with us for seven weeks after an avalanche destroyed their home. My parents noticed our bedtime routine with the children, and we often spoke about parental blessings from the many years my father's family knelt before their own father all the years he lived, obtaining a new year's blessing, and then our subsequent family ritual mimicking his own which my mother insisted on all our lives. Eventually I noticed something new with the two of them in the last few years. My father retires quite early in the evening because he rises so early for his work each day. Before he retires my mother seeks him out,and asks him for a goodnight blessing (she's a night owl, last in bed always
)before kissing him goodnight.
Isn't that so very sweet? I suppose we have the opportunity to touch our children in so many ways with the topic of a "parental blessings", and be it a heritage ritual or not, we can believe it possible by starting right now to make it so in our own lives. I told my children (at home) about my parents a few years ago, which they all echoed "awwwwwww....I want that too when I marry!"
I find it so wonderful to rekindle and refresh our memories on how and why we do these habitual little things at home, those we can often take for granted and forget to share along the way with others.
During the past two nights with this renewed topic touching my heart, I noticed how much more special the blessing routine was for me, just having read and typed about it here and like some of you, I was struck again and suffered from weepy eye syndrome after leaving the children's rooms. Thank you for jogging my own sentiments everyone. We must strive not to ever take this all for granted.
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Renee
Mommy to eight, cherished treasures sent to us 22 years apart. Nana to seven lovelies...so far.
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: The importance of Parental Blessings!
