Is there really a Catholic "blessing for bacon?"
score:11
I really like this question.
It draws attention to an important point to be made, which is, of all the things explicitly managed by the Church, personal prayer is relatively low on the list.
As a Catholic belonging to a predominately Southern Baptist extended family (most of them consider fried chicken a sacrament in lieu of potluck), I must constantly remind myself that the Church can appear from the outside to be rather rigid.
The truth is that, although the Church explicitly defines the rituals surrounding the Sacraments and sacramentals, personal devotion and prayer is, for the most part wide open.
Can a Catholic pray a spontaneous prayer? Absolutely! – as long as it is not inappropriately interruptive. (e.g. not during functions such as weddings, funerals, Mass, etc.)
Can Catholics “wing” prayers? Sure…I know I have a time or two. My priest does all the time.
In all reality, my blessings aren't that much different than that of my ordained Baptist Brother-in-Law.
Is this “bacon prayer” an “official prayer” of the Catholic Church? No.
From what I can tell, this is, at best, a prayer of a particular localized pious tradition. The closest “official prayer” I can find of this nature is found in the RITUALE ROMANUM, which is a collection of the "officially approved" prayers to be used in the Church’s official rituals.
Blessings of animals
Lord God, King of heaven and earth, Word of the Father by whom were made all creatures destined for our sustenance; we beg you to look with favor on our lowly condition; and as you have given us assistance in our work and in our needs, so may you bless, shield, and watch over these animals (this animal) with your mercy and heavenly care. And to us, your servants, be pleased to give everlasting grace together with creature needs, thus enabling us to praise and glorify and offer thanks to your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The standard prayer for blessing soon to be eaten food (including bacon, fried chicken, and even pot-luck) is as follows:
Bless us Oh Lord and these thy gifts which we are about to receive through thy bounty through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Wherever you are in the world, this is probably the blessing prayed before all Catholic meals.
Even so…this doesn't necessarily have to be prayed over food - given the appropriate situation.
For instance - my 3 years old daughter and 5 years old son do good just to get out:
In name of da Fater, Son, whole Spirit…tank you Jeus for dis food. Hayman!
We actually let the small children of the family pray the above prayer for all family functions, completely safe from canonical infraction.
All things considered, I’m afraid that what you read in your FB feed was perhaps a slight pseudo-caricature of Catholic devotion.
As for the above “bacon prayer,” I truly hope someone comes up with the origin of this prayer. It will make for a great conversation starter at my next pot-luck Knights of Columbus function.
Upvote:1
Thanks to the Catholic Man Show for posting this on Facebook.
Blessing of Lard or Bacon
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord R. Who has made heaven and earth V. The Lord be with you. R. And with your spirit.
Let us Pray.
Bless, Lord, this lard (or bacon) which You have made, that it may be a healtful food for mankind. Grand by the invocation of Your holy name that all who partake of it may receive health of body and safety of soul, through Christ our Lord, R. Amen
(sprinkle it with holy water)
Miss you Affable Geek! Wish you were here to get a kick out of this.
Upvote:3
Is there really a Catholic “blessing for bacon?”
There seems to be no liturgically known prayer for bacon that I am able to locate, but I do believe the one named above is real, especially if it comes down to a permitted English translation of the official Latin Rituale Romanum of the Roman Rite.
It should be pointed out that Latin word lardum may be translated into English as either lard or bacon. Lard is by far the most classical translation.
There is a very traditional liturgical prayer found in the Rituale Romanum for lard as follows:
V. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini. R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
V. Dóminus vobíscum. R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Oremus.
Oratio: Béne + dic, Dómine, creatúram istam láridi, ut sit remédium salutáre géneri humáno: et præsta per invocatiónem tui sancti nóminis; ut, quicúmque ex eo súmpserint, córporis sanitátem et ánimæ tutélam percípiant. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R Amen.
Et aspergatur aqua benedicta.
It is obvious from your linked source from the Catholic Online that someone down the line opted to include a variation for the word lard include the word bbacon. Although, perhaps not official as such, it is still valid. Substituting a word in traditional blessing is of done. However, most most prayers will give a list of things that would be permitted to be substituted.
Blessing of Bacon or Lard the Catholic Online goes as follows:
Bless, O Lord, this lard (or bacon), that it may be an effective remedy for the human race, and grant that through the invocation of Thy holy name all those who eat of it may obtain health of body and protection of their souls. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
As I mentioned above, there seems to be no known source that validates the substitution of the word lard for bacon.
Knowing that Deacon Keith Fournier would not have published something that he could not substantiate, even if he did not mention a source, I am almost sure that this prayer as such does exist.
In fact, although I can not validate the source, I believe it was published in the Latin/English missal of Pope Paul’s of 1965, also known as the Interim Missal.
Having seen this missal first hand, I have no doubt that this prayer as such can be found in within its’ pages.
Besides, in Catholicism almost anything may be blessed. If a prayer can not be found for something, a priest may employ the blessing for Ad Omnia for things unnamed in the Roman Ritual:
Hæc benedictionis formula adhiberi potest a quovis Sacerdote pro omnibus rebus, quarum specialis benedictio in Rituali Romano non habeatur.
V. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini. R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
V. Dóminus vobíscum. R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus.
Oratio: Deus, cujus verbo sanctificántur omnia, bene + dictiónem tuam effúnde super creatúram istam (creatúras istas): et præsta, ut,quisquis ea (eis) secúndum legem et voluntátem tuam cum gratiárum actióne usus fúerit, per invocatiónem sanctíssimi nóminis tui, córporis sanitátem et ánimæ tutélam, te auctóre, percípiat. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Et aspergatur (vel aspergantur) aqua benedicta.
Upvote:4
Searched the raccolata for bacon and came up empty. So I'd suspect if there is any bacon blessing, it is a private devotion. Although its adherents are clearly numerous.
The official organization who evaluates popular piety is the Congregation for Divine Worship. And you can read tons about its rules here. I'd imagine that if this prayer were made official, unless it was promulgated by them (which it isn't) it would be A. Something instituted by a Bishop for use in his diocese that was "leaked" inappropriately for use in the entire Church or b.) for private use only.
Prayers that are for private use only include those praying for the intercession of those whose causes for Sainthood have been started outside the diocese in which the particular aspiring saint has his or her cult. That would include prayers for folks like G.K. Chesterton which is being spread by the American Chesterton Society, outside the diocese in which his cause is being evaluated.
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