Book of Blessings

Since they have been established as a kind of imitation of the sacraments, blessings are signs above all of spiritual effects that are achieved through the Church's intercession.

- Book of Blessings Approved for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America. (New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing, 1989), §10 p.XXV.

This brief statement packs in several topics important to my thesis. That sacramentals cause spiritual effects. That this is achieved through the Church's intercession, and that this can be understood by an analogy between the sacraments and sacramentals.

The preanotanda cites Sacrosanctum Concilium article 60 here.

Book of Blessings

The blessings instituted by the Church are included among those signs perceptible to the senses by which human sanctification in Christ and the glorification of God are "signified and brought about in ways proper to each of these signs." Human sanctification and God's glorification are the ends toward which all the Church's other activities are directed.

- Book of Blessings Approved for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America. (New York, NY: Catholic Book Publishing, 1989), §9 p.xxv.

Blessings fit into the basic mission of the Church. This reminds me of Weller's introduction where he says Christ is the "anointed of God" who by his incarnation sanctifies and sacramentalizes creation. Then the work of the Holy Spirit builds on this.

I think this quote speaks to the objective / concrete quality of blessings, they aid in accomplishing sanctification AND God's glorification.