How to Obtain a Papal Blessing
For Catholics, it is an honorable occasion to meet the Holy Father, the Pope. Many Catholics make pilgrimages to the Vatican to be a part of the Papal Audience and to explore the beautiful, majestic and historical place. The Catholic Church offers a unique opportunity to obtain a sacred keepsake for special occasions. Any baptized Catholic can request a Benediction Papalis, or Papal Blessing. This is a beautiful certificate, blessed by the Pope, which commemorates a momentous occasion in one's life. This is an extraordinary gift you can give yourself, a friend or family member.
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Instructions
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Know the specifications. A baptized Catholic may request a Papal Blessing for Baptisms, milestone birthdays, First Communions, Confirmations, weddings, special anniversaries (excluding anniversary of death), ordinations and conversions. Papal Blessings will not be granted for animals, objects or the deceased. All legitimate Papal Blessing requests are sent to Rome after review by your diocese Chancery. The Chancery is the administration that handles all the important written documents in the Catholic Church.
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Contact a parish priest or secretary. Papal Blessings take up to three months to process, complete and deliver to the recipient. Find out if your diocese has a Papal Blessing Request Application. Every diocese is different so you will need to find out the procedure your diocese utilizes.
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Provide the blessing specifics. In the form of a letter you need to include the occasion for the blessing, the date of the occasion, the names as you want them to appear on the blessing, the language of the certificate and the style of the blessing. A priest or parish secretary will inform you what styles you can choose from. You must also include the recipient's full address. In the event of a wedding, you must include the wedding date, church name and location.
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Prove you are Catholic. You will need to provide the name of one of your parish priests as well as the address and diocese of your church. Some dioceses require a parish priest to write a letter of recommendation that proves you are Catholic and in good standing with the Church. This letter must be written on your church's letterhead.
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Pay for the Papal Blessing. Papal Blessings range from $40 to $65. Make a check out to your diocese unless otherwise directed by your parish priest or secretary. This money is usually donated to charity.
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Tips & Warnings
Some dioceses provide Papal Blessing application information on their diocese website.
Be wary of websites and mail orders that offer Papal Blessings. These are scams.
