Expert: Tom Schott - 9/29/2005

Question
Hello.  My question had to do with giving and receiving blessings.  My friend's grandmother is sick.  She has cancer and may not have much longer to live.  She went to a catholic church.  She went to  a priest to talk to and give her a blessing in hopes that she may find some security about losing her grandmother. She is not catholic but heard priests give blessings.  But she was turned away.   Why is this so?  Do you have to be catholic to receive a blessing? even in this kind of situation?  
Thank you for your time and help.  I would greatly appreciate your answer.

Answer
Chris,

  My goodness, no! I have never heard of such a thing. You don't have to be Catholic to receive a blessing. You don't even have to be human. We bless animals at our parish, and in Louisiana the shrimp fleet in Morgan City receives a blessing. I cannot think of any reason she would have been turned away other than the small-mindedness and meanness of the priest involved. I wish she would have come to me: I would have blessed her in a heartbeat. Please don't hold this against the Church. We have any number of idiots like this. They are not representative of the whole church.

  Tell your friend I prayed for his grandmother and send her my blessings.