Our first parish after coming into the Church as adult converts had the practice at the end of Mass of parishioners extending their hands in blessing over families who were leaving the parish and singing a silly song of "blessing"--my first introduction to meaningless practices that detract from the Mass (sadly, I've experienced many, many more since).

I don't believe you have to participate in this or any other practice requested that does not suit the liturgy. I do not clap hands in church despite our pastor's multiple requests to clap for visitors, birthdays, altar servers, singers, etc, etc, etc. I do not respond to questions directed at the congregation during homilies. I try really, really, really hard to focus on Jesus. With all the distractions at the typical NO Mass, it is sometimes very, very difficult.

Part of the rubrics? No. It's a departure.

A layperson doesn’t have the faculty to bless that a cleric does. They cannot possibly join the priest in giving (for example) the nuptial blessing to a couple at a wedding. Nothing happens. It’s an abuse.

Also, it looks like the entire church is giving the Hitlergruß. Not a good look for Christians.

I am MR salty. Want a taste??

In a similar vein, some priests reach the end of Mass and can't bring themselves to say, "May Almighty God bless you...", because that would affirm that he, the priest, is authorized and empowered to bless the people of God. Instead, some priests fudge the words and say, may God "bless us". The priest refuses to take on his fatherly role vis-a-vis the congregation.

They are confused. They may think they're trying to avoid clericalism, but they're not succeeding. Clericalism involves the exaggeration of authority and abuse of authority, not its correct, humble, obedient exercise.

Back to the parish situation lacrimosa raised: Father should just bless people as appropriate and stop making such a big production out of it.

I can't bless anything or anyone, but I would be justified in using my hand to slap the **** out of the person who came up with it.

You do that while the rest of us say the Our Father holding hands across the aisles.

...that would affirm that he, the priest, is authorized and empowered to bless the people of God...

By the way, the "headship" of the priest is roughly parallel to the "headship" of the husband, as the alter Christus to his church/bride.

THESE are the priests who cannot bring themselves to quote all of Paul's letter. Their confusion about who's on first is deep and has serious consequences.

Experience these sorts of digressions quite frequently. It ruins flow of liturgy or worse brings it to a screeching and screaming halt.

Yeah, those zombies holding rosary beads don't make much noise.

I play for OF masses, and no one announces hymn number, there are no Extraordinary Ministers, and the cantors are in the loft with me during non-choir masses. If masses elsewhere are "out of bounds" it is because some idiot priest is putting up with it. Or maybe encouraging it.

CCC 1669

can you show any other source that is magesterial? The ccc sometimes contradicts earlier teaching.

Parents blessing their children does not equal priest blessing anyone.

There is a spectrum, surely, which starts perhaps with Grace before meals "Bless us O Lord, and these thy gifts which we are about to receive, through Christ our Lord. Amen".

Blessings are categorized into two types: invocative and constitutive. In an invocative blessing, the minister implores the divine favor of God to grant some spiritual or temporal good without any change of condition, such as when a parent blesses a child. This blessing is also a recognition of God’s goodness in bestowing this “blessing” upon us, such as when we offer a blessing for our food at meal time. In blessing objects or places, a view is also taken toward those who will use the objects or visit the places.
A constitutive blessing, invoked by a bishop, priest, or deacon, signifies the permanent sanctification and dedication of a person or thing for some sacred purpose. ...

Can. 1168 The minister of sacramentals is a cleric who has been provided with the requisite power. According to the norm of the liturgical books and to the judgment of the local ordinary lay persons who possess the appropriate qualities can also administer some sacramentals.

My emphases. That latter covers, for example, catechists, who can on occasion sign catechumens, using their thumb on the forehead but NOT any Holy Oils.

Here's CCC 1669 again with the sources indicated in footnotes:

Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless.

Sources: Gen 12:2; Lk 6:28; Rom 12:14; 1 Pet 3:9

Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).

Sources: Sacrosanctum Concilium 79; 1983 CIC 1168; De Benedictionibus 16, 18

What is a "qualified lay person", and what qualify as "special circumstances"?

I don't feel like typing in all of De Benedictionibus 16 and 18, so I will summarize:

16: Blessings are part of the Church's liturgy and hence should be celebrated communally in many cases. Important blessings should be celebrated by the bishop or priest, with an assembly of the diocese or parish, respectively. Other blessings can also be celebrated with an assembly.

18: "The ministry of blessing involves a particular exercise of the priesthood of Christ". Celebrations involving the diocese pertain to the bishop. Priests may preside at any blessing, unless a bishop is present to preside. A deacon may preside at the blessings where this book so specifies. A formally instituted acolyte or reader may be designated by the bishop to impart certain blessings. Other laymen and laywomen, exercising their office, e.g., as parents or appointed by the bishop as catechists, may celebrate certain blessings, using the language specified for them.
But when a priest or deacon is present, the office presiding should be left to him.

---

So it comes down to what is specified for each blessing. Flipping through the book, most specify that a priest or deacon may preside. A few expressly allow laymen: e.g., the blessing of sons and daughters; the blessing of animals. There may be others so indicated.

There are reasoned critiques to be made about the Book of Blessings, about the theology of blessing represented in it, etc., but those should be done on the basis of the text, not on the basis of ill-behaving clergy who make up their own ceremonies independent of what is in the book.

Lay people, save for parents blessing their children, and husbands blessing their wives (wives can’t bless their husbands since they have no authority over them), cannot give blessings. They can ask God to bless someone or something, but it’s not the same as a priest giving a blessing.

What the priest is suggesting is an abuse and no one is obligated, nor should anyone, do it. Furthermore, it resembles the Nazi salute when a whole sea of people do it. I abhorred this stuff growing up.