Apostolic Blessing and Plenary Indulgence bestowed upon Bishop Francis Cotton by Pope Pius XII, dated 1957. | COURTESY OF ARCHIVES
Eye-catching Papal Blessing documents show treasured blessings from the heir of Peter
BY EDWARD WILSON, ARCHIVES
Believe it or not, you may have received a Papal Blessing and didn’t even know it. Yes, you read that correctly. I, too, think that I would know if the Holy Father bestowed a blessing upon me. This, however, may not be the case.
In the diocesan Archives, we have several Apostolic Blessings, or Papal Blessings, from years past. Most of these were given to priests, and with their passing, were given to the Archives. Given the Catholic Church’s love for aesthetics, these documents are elaborate and eye-catching. Bright and beautifully-colored flowers enfold a refined image of the Holy Father who is bestowing the blessing. Carefully-inscribed calligraphy bolsters the sacred and regal origins of the document. As if these ornamentations were not sufficient, golden accents are skillfully incorporated, truly communicating to the viewer that what they are visually consuming is a treasure.
Perhaps even more intriguing than their artistic allure, however, is their subject matter. I have no doubt that some readers are familiar with Apostolic Blessings for marriages. You may have seen one of these framed at your grandparent’s house, or perhaps have one of your own. These are just one of many blessings that can be received.
One of the first of these documents that caught my eye was a blessing to our first bishop, Bishop Francis R. Cotton. The document is an Apostolic Blessing and a Plenary Indulgence granted by Pope Pius XII. This ensured that if Bishop Cotton passed away without the benefit of absolution of his sins at the hour of death, his sins would be forgiven. The blessing and indulgence was granted August 21, 1957, roughly three years before the bishop’s passing on Sept. 20, 1960. Bishop Cotton knew Pope Pius XII personally and also had a great admiration for him. There is little doubt that he was honored to have received the blessing from a man that he thought so highly of.
A special Apostolic Blessing to the priest, religious sisters and parishioners of Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro, bestowed by Pope Paul VI, dated 1974. | COURTESY OF ARCHIVES
There are also other blessings in the collection. One that may be of particular interest to those who attend Sts. Joseph and Paul Parish in Owensboro is a special Apostolic Blessing that was granted to the priest, religious sisters and parishioners of the church! It was granted in 1974. The blessing was given by Pope Paul VI, with the request being made by Fr. Aloysius Powers. The document clearly illustrates that Fr. Powers had great compassion for the congregation of Sts. Joseph and Paul, which he served for seven years, from 1969-1976.
We have countless documents in the diocesan Archives but few are as visually pleasing as these. They are as much works of art as they are documents. However, even with all their grandiloquence, no worldly, outward appearance could replicate the impact of what the document embodies; the blessing of the heir of Peter, the shepherd and teacher of all Christians.
A special thanks to Fr. Will Thompson for our discussion on Apostolic Blessings.
Edward Wilson is the director of the Diocese of Owensboro’s Archives and the Archives of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Comments and questions may be sent to [email protected].
Originally printed in the February 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
