Rituale Romanum

What it is

The Rituale Romanum (Roman Ritual) is the liturgical book that gathers many of the Latin Church’s rites and blessings outside the MassGlossaryThe Church's central act of worship—the Sacrifice of Calvary made present, and the sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood. itself — baptisms, marriages, funerals, processions, and the blessing of objects used in devotion. When a priest blesses a St. Benedict medal according to the traditional form, he is using a text that belongs to this ritual tradition.

Why it matters for sacramentals

A sacramental is not empowered by folklore. It is ordered to the Church’s prayer. The Ritual is one place that prayer is written down and authorized. That is why the medal’s standing is “approved” in the ordinary sense: the Church provides a blessing for it. It is not a private charm inventing its own power.

Related

For major versus minor exorcism, and for the Latin formula on the medal, see Vade Retro Satana.