From a priest…
QUAERITUR:
I hope you are well … TC Motu Inapproprio and all else considered.
I need to bless new guns and ammo for some Catholic men. I remember something like this on your blog.
Is there something specific in the Rituale for this ? I’d rather not use ad omnia.
This on a day when all I want to do is have a analyze chess opening, do my daily Hungarian lesson and have a quiet nap. Especially today now that “walking and talking together” is underway. Sheesh. I wonder what demon goddess they will adopt as a guiding inspiration this time? My money’s on Kali. Or maybe Durga, given the topic of this question.
For those of you who have a quivering spittle-flecked nutty at the thought of guns and, even more, at the thought of priests blessing guns, try to fight through your murk of fatuity and remember that guns are morally neutral inaminate tools. They can be used in many ways. Whiners should consider that it is only because of guns that they are … well, were … freer than most in the world.
In the past I have answered this question with the blessing “ad omnia”, but you don’t want that. Okay. I rise to the challenge.
In the pre-John XXIII Pontificale Romanum (meaning that it wasn’t for priests) there were blessings for arms, a benedictio armorum (meaning armor) and a benedicto ensis (blessing of a sword). Ensis for a “sword” is rather more poetical in use than the more prosaic “gladius“. Hence, it strikes me that you could just leave it be as ensis for “weapon”, to be conceived as “gun”. Otherwise, there are neologisms. See below.
Here they are from the Pontificale issued by Leo XIII.
DE BENEDICTIONE ENSIS
Pontifex ensem benedicere volens, illo cui tradendus est coram eo genuflectente, quem unus ex ministris coram eo tenet, stans sine mitra, dicit:
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
Bene+dicere digneris, quaesumus, Domine, ensem istum; et hunc famulum tuum, qui eum, te inspirante, suscipere desiderat, pietatis tuae custodia munias, et illaesum custodias. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Deinde aspergat ensem aqua benedicta. Tum sedens, accepta mitra, tradit eum illi, cui tradendus est, genuflexo coram eo permanente, dicens:
Accipe ensem istum, in nomine Pa+tris, et Fi+lii, et Spiritus + Sancti, et utaris eo ad defensionem tuam, ac sanctae Dei Ecclesiae, et ad confusionem inimicorum crucis Christi, ac fidei christianae; et quantum humana fragilitas permiserit, cum eo neminem injuste laedas; quod ipse tibi praestare dignetur, qui cum Patre, et Spiritu Sancto vivit et regnat Deus in saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
Since most hand guns are semi-automatic or revolvers, and therefore capable of relatively rapid fire, the word for a weapon that could launch multiple arrows or bolts could be use: polybolum, n. I remember another word we had in Foster’s classes, manuballista, f., for the handheld version of a catapult, really more like a slingshot, I guess. A word for a rifle is scloptum, n. Carabina, f., is in use as well as pistolium, m. A bullet would be glans, glandis, f., which were balls of lead thrown at the enemy, according to Julius Caesar. I suppose you could use proiectile, n. You wouldn’t generally deal with singular, so glandes and proiectilia.
So…
Bene+dicere digneris, quaesumus, Domine, pistolios, sclopeta et glandes… qui eos (just use masculine for all of them) …
This following could be used for, for example, body armor, like a chest rig with plates, kevlar, etc.
DE BENEDICTIONE ARMORUM
Pontifex benedicturus arma, quae aliquis ministrorum coram eo tenet, aut supra altare vel aliquam mensam ponuntur, stans sine mitra, dicit:
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R. Qui fecit coelum et terram.
V. Dominus vobiscum.
R. Et cum spiritu tuo.
Oremus.
Benedictio Dei omnipotentis Pa+tris, et Fi+lii, et Spiritus + Sancti, descendat super haec arma, et super induentem ea, quibus ad tuendam justitiam induatur. Rogamus te, Domine Deus, ut illum protegas, et defendas, qui vivis et regnas Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum.
R. Amen.
Alia Oratio.
Oremus.
Deus omnipotens, in cujus manu victoria plena constitit, quique etiam David ad expugnandum rebellem Goliam vires mirabiles tribuisti, clementiam tuam humili prece deposcimus, ut haec arma almifica pietate bene+dicere digneris; et concede famulo tuo N. eadem gestare cupienti, ut ad munimen, ac defensionem sanctae matris Ecclesiae, pupillorum, et viduarum, contra visibilium et invisibilium hostium impugnationem, ipsis libere et victoriose utatur. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
R. Amen.
Deinde aspergit ea aqua benedicta.
