Blessing

On the feast of the Annunciation (March 26th, this year), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported that the Vatican approved the publication of the "Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb. “The U.S. bishops who collaborated on the development of the blessing welcomed the announcement of the recognitio, or approval, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome.”


The USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities prepared a text and submitted it to the USCCB's Divine Worship committee in March of 2008. It was approved by the full body of bishops in November of that year and sent to Rome for editing and final approval, where the English text was confirmed in December of 2011 and the Spanish text followed in March of 2012.


God, author of life,
bless, we pray, this unborn child;
give constant protection
and grant a healthy birth
that is the sign of our rebirth one day
into the eternal rejoicing of heaven.

Lord who have brought to this woman
the wondrous joy of motherhood
grant her comfort in all anxiety
and make her determined
to lead her child along the ways of salvation.

It seems it took a committee of American bishops and a Congregation in Rome over three years to compose and approve a two sentence prayer. Why is it necessary for the body of American bishops (we are taught that they are successors of the apostles) to get approval from Rome for a simple prayer? And why would it take over a year for Rome to deal with such a simple task?