Theologies of Blessing: Origins and Characteristics of De benedictionibus (1984)

Theologies of Blessing: Origins and Characteristics of De benedictionibus (1984) Uwe Michael Lang The revision of liturgical books mandated by the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum concilium (4 December 1963) led to a substantial reform of the section on blessings in the Rituale Romanum (Titulus IX De benedictionibus), which was published as a separate volume in 1984. Most commentators consider this liturgical book the result of significant advances in the theological understanding of blessings, to which various historical and systematic disciplines contributed, above all biblical and liturgical studies, but also sacramental theology. The principle of active participation of the faithful in the liturgy, which was widely promoted by the Liturgical Movement of the twentieth century, was a decisive element in the process of revision. Moreover, there are theologically significant changes in the way liturgical blessings are conceived in the new De benedictionibus. In this paper, I intend to sketch the history of this revision and to indicate the rationale for it. I. The Revision of Sacramentals Mandated by Vatican II As part of its comprehensive program for liturgical renewal, the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy also called for a revision of sacramentals. The relevant paragraph of Sacrosanctum concilium, no. 79, reads as follows: The sacramentals are to undergo a revision which takes into account the primary principle of enabling the faithful to participate intelligently, actively and easily; the circumstances of our own days must also be considered. When rituals are revised, as laid down in Art. 63, new sacramentals may also be added as the need for these becomes apparent. Reserved blessings shall be very few; reservations shall be in favour of bishops or ordinaries. Let provision be made that some sacramentals, at least in special circumstances and at the discretion of the ordinary, may be administered by qualified lay persons.1 1 Second Vatican Council, Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum concilium (4 December 1963), Acta Apostolicae Sedis [AAS] 56 (1964) Antiphon 15.1 (2011): 27-46 28 Uwe Michael Lang The original draft of this paragraph said that the sacramentals should be “completely” (funditus) revised, but the Preparatory Commission dropped this qualifying adverb.2 At the council, there was a broad consensus about the essential principles of revision: above all, the rites should facilitate the conscious and active participation of the faithful. The reference to article 63 of the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy makes clear that the primary means for promoting active participation is “the use of the mother tongue” in the administration of sacramentals, and that its use should hence be extended. The second point mentioned in article 63 concerns the adaptation of the particular rituals for different regions, with due attention to the necessities of the age. Apart from translation into the vernacular, a work that was done in many countries soon after the promulgation of Sacrosanctum concilium,3 and a certain degree of adaptation on the local level, the conciliar document would appear to indicate a limited scope for updating the existing Ritual, which had a particular history. The Rituale Romanum, promulgated by Pope Paul V in 1614,4 was never imposed as such, like the other liturgical books of the post-Tridentine reform, but was rather intended as a model to be adapted in local Rituals. In fact, local books of blessings continued to be used in the following centuries. The 1614 edition contained no more than 29 blessings, of which only 18 were non-reserved. Pastoral need soon called for the addition of further blessings for persons, objects and situations of§79, p. 120: “Sacramentalia recognoscantur, ratione habita normae primariae de conscia, actuosa et facili participatione fidelium, et attentis nostrorum temporum necessitatibus. In Ritualibus recognoscendis ad normam art. 63, etiam nova Sacramentalia, prout necessitas expostulat, addi possunt. Benedictiones reservatae perpaucae sint, et in favorem tantum Episcoporum vel Ordinariorum. Provideatur ut quaedam Sacramentalia, saltem in specialibus rerum adiunctis et de iudicio Ordinarii, a laicis congruis qualitatibus praeditis , administrari possint.” For the different stages of the text until its final promulgation, see Constitutio de sacra liturgia, Sacrosanctum Concilium: Concilii Vaticani II synopsis in ordinem redigens schemata cum relationibus necnon patrum orationes atque animadversiones, ed. Francisco...