| Author | |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 7:17am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
On the 8th of December our Priest, Fr. Clemens, is going to bless our home. I am almost embarrassed to admit, that I have never experienced this before.
What suggestions do you have as a preparation for the Blessing. I know Father will be using Holy Water, but I was wondering about incense?
I guess I should clean the house beforehand  , but other than that???? I would really love to hear about your own House Blessings.
Also, how should I prepare the children?
I am really feeling ignorant about the whole thing.
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 9:36am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm interested also, as we've never experienced either.
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 2:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh Paula, I am so relieved to know that I am not the only one!
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 2:27pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
When we had ours done.. not too long after we moved in.. father just went into each room and sprinkled holy water.. no incense or anything.. but some things may be "optional" so one might not use it but others would.
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 5:35pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
For a blessing outside of the Epiphany house blessings, the priest will bring his Ritual of blessings and usually his own holy water (sometimes we've had to provide it).
The biggest scramble of all for us is getting the house clean. Some priests are extremely thorough and even go in closets and dark places. 
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
CatholicMommy
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2007
Location: Indiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1254
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 6:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
The first house blessing we did, he did every room, but didn't open every door (ie sprinkling every door). The second time around in a new apartment, he opened every door and sprinkled, including the balcony and linen closets and all! So you never know what you're going to get!
__________________
Garden of Francis
HS Elementary Montessori Training
Montessori Nuggets
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
leanne maree
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 25 2008
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 508
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 7:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Last time we had our home Blessed our Priest went through every room, sprinkling, and also Blessed our outside living area.
It is a lovely ceremony.
He also blessed each of us as well.
He should provide the Holy Water, but if you are unsure ask him are there any requirements.
This does remind me, We have been in our new home 16 months and haven't had it Blessed yet, but we are having a Home Mass.
__________________
God is Love
Leanne
Loving wife to Dermot and Adoring mother to Louise, Kristie, Kieran & Brid
http://leannemaree.blogspot.com/
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MicheleQ
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 23 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2193
|
| Posted: Nov 22 2010 at 8:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We just had our new house blessed a week ago. Fr. came for dinner and then we had a Gospel reading, he blessed a bowl of water and went through the house sprinkling and blessing - focusing especially on any outside doors. It really was lovely.
__________________
Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: Nov 23 2010 at 1:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
JennGM wrote:
The biggest scramble of all for us is getting the house clean. Some priests are extremely thorough and even go in closets and dark places. |
|
|
YIKES!
I guess there is an upside to not having built in closets!
I am thankful that Fr. Clemens is also a good friend of ours and has seen how our REAL LIFE looks: i.e. laundry strewn across the dining room table. 
Thank you all for your responses. I am relieved and excited both.
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
organiclilac
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 30 2006
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 640
|
| Posted: Nov 23 2010 at 2:01pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
JennGM wrote:
| The biggest scramble of all for us is getting the house clean. Some priests are extremely thorough and even go in closets and dark places. |
|
|
Yes, this is what I was going to say! Don't shove all of your mess into the closet! The priest who blessed our house was very thorough.
__________________
Tracy, wife to Shawn, mama to Samuel (4/01) and Joseph (11/11), and Thomas (2/15)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Chris V
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 03 2009
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1598
|
| Posted: Nov 23 2010 at 3:12pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm so very glad for this thread! We've never experienced a house blessing, and in light of us building a new house, we are surely to have our own house blessings within the next year. ... seems such a shame that we didn't think to do this with the house that we are in now, and bought some 12 years ago. I'm looking forward to it!
__________________
Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
St. Ann
Forum All-Star
Joined: Oct 20 2006
Location: Germany
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2137
|
| Posted: Dec 09 2010 at 1:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well,... it was WONDERFUL 
We began in the living room with the ritual of Blessings.(Father had a special book) Fr. told us our responses and together we sang 2 songs: "Maria durch ein Dornwald ging" and "Ave Maria Zart". 2 of my very favorite Marian Hymns!!! (I did not even discuss the songs with Fr. beforehand. It was his choice.)
He then began sprinkling (casting?, dousing????) the Holy Water. We moved through the ground floor. He did not go into the bathrooms. Upstairs, as we went through the bedrooms I asked him to give my oldest dd's room "a little extra"  We were all in good spirits!
He did not find it necessary to go through the basement, he just sprinkled Holy Water down the stairway...
Afterward, we sat down together to a fine supper that was delicious to all at the end of a beautiful Feast day.
__________________
Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hylabrook1
Forum Moderator
Joined: July 09 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5980
|
| Posted: Dec 09 2010 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
How lovely, Stephanie!
Peace,
Nancy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
cathhomeschool
Board Moderator
Texas Bluebonnets
Joined: Jan 26 2005
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 7303
|
| Posted: Dec 10 2010 at 10:15am | IP Logged
|
|
|
How wonderful! What a beautiful way to celebrate Our Lady's feast day -- and easy to remember in the future!
We're having our house blessed this coming Friday.
__________________
Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: a House Blessing (Update below)
