Blessing Metals and Rosaries

Question from JMO on 10/7/2007:

I had always have wondered why we as Catholic's bless our Saint's metals and Rosaries etc.? Do they lose their meaning or does your prayers said with an un-blessed Rosary mean nothing or go unheard?

Thanks,

Mike from Ohio

Answer by Matthew Bunson on 10/14/2007:

A blessing is an invocation of God’s favor, by an official ministers of the Church. Blessings have a long and important tradition – they are recounted in the Old and New Testaments, and are common in Christian history.

Many types of blessings are listed in the Book of Blessings of the Roman Ritual. Blessings are efficacious as they sanctify a person or an object to divine service or ask for divine favor upon an object.