Updated
kac august 29, 2005
World Youth Day Blessings of Youth and Parents
About The Blessings
World Youth Day, celebrated on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time in the U.S., affords parishes and schools an opportune moment to recognize and bless all the young people (middle school through high school) who make up the community. By acknowledging their unique gifts and meaningful presence within the community, this blessing serves as a reminder to the young people of how much the community values and needs their active and involved presence and participation. As a sign of youth ministry's commitment to families, a blessing of parent(s) is also included so the community can continue its support for parents who serve as their children's primary path to faith. Again, feel free to adapt, add, or change these to fit your parish/school's particular needs and concerns.
Options for These Blessings
On World Youth Day, invite all the young people in middle school and high school to stand in their place and receive the blessing. Invite the community to extend its hands toward the young people around them as the blessing is prayed. Then repeat this process with the parents.
Invite the parent(s) and youth to stand together facing one another. As the Blessing of Youth is prayed, invite parents to place their hands on their teen's head. When the Blessing of Parents is prayed, invite the teens to place their hands upon their parent's head.
Copy these blessings onto bookmarks or paper and distribute them to families as they come to mass. Invite them to pray these blessings upon each other prior to their dinner meals during the coming week.
Blessing of Youth
God of youth,
We ask your blessing upon
our young people gathered here.
You have gifted each one of them
in a special and unique way.
May they come to know and share the wonder and awe that lives within them
as they grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding of you.
Guide and sustain them as they
discern your invitation to discipleship.
Bless their openness and enthusiasm
and allow their questions to both enliven and challenge us as a community of believers gathered to do your will.
Strengthen and support the many
good works they do.
Challenge and provoke them along their journey of faith so they may help
lead the church into
the possibilities of tomorrow.
In all these things, we ask your blessing upon them this day, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
AMEN!
( kb) Blessing of Parents
Creator God,
You know what it is like to be both Mother and Father to us all.
We ask You,
the source and sustainer of all life,
to bless these parents in the role you have set before them.
Gift their lips with the wisdom to speak the truth so it can be heard.
Gift their ears with sensitivity as they
listen to the needs of their children.
Gift their souls with a faith radiating your intimate presence in their life.
Gift their minds with patience and understanding to handle the changing needs and demands placed
before them each day.
Guide their hearts as they seek out
and reconcile the areas of conflict
and pain that may exist.
And through all these things, may your abundant blessings continue to affirm and support all they do as parents.
We ask this blessing upon each of them,
in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
AMEN!