“You may not be rich; you may be unable to bequeath any great possessions to your children; but one thing you can give them; the heritage of your blessing. And it is better to be blessed than to be rich.” St. Ambrose

Hey Dad, did you know you are priest of your home? That’s right, Our Lord ordained us men as heads of the Domestic Church, which is a miniature of the Universal Church. This joyful responsibility means you are prophet, priest, and king of your family. (For a great book on this topic, click here.)

One way you can embrace your role as priest of your family is by blessing your children. This can be done each night before bed, once a week on Sunday, or whenever you want. To bless your child, trace the sign of the cross on his or her forehead (I dip my thumb in holy water first, but this isn’t necessary) and say the following:

“May almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you my child for time and eternity, and may this blessing remain forever with you.”

That’s it! It’s very simple, and if you do it frequently, your children will come to love and expect this simple ritual. My little boy looks forward to his nightly blessing, and he gives me a happy grin as I pray it.

Did your parents bless you? Do you bless your children?

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