Blessing of salt & water

[Ghoti]

Next Sunday at Mass, Father is going to be blessing water and salt, plus any other items that one might want blessed.

Questions:

Salt

Any particular type? I thought regular old iodized table salt seemed kind of, I dunno, lame or something, so I bought a small plastic container (lidded dish) of Mediterranean sea salt. Is that OK? Or am I being scrupulo-superstitious?

How exactly does one use consecrated salt? Is it sort of “dry holy water”? (Analogically speaking, not in reality)

Does the container become blessed too?

Do you have to keep getting new salt blessed, or do you add the blessed salt to other salt, or does that “dilute” it?

Water

Same question: Does the type of water matter? Should it be distilled, or will tap water do?

Do you need a special bottle? Or can I use a plastic squirt bottle from the dollar store that looks like a plain holy water bottle? And does the bottle become blessed, too, or does that need to be done separately? Or will the blessing “pass” from the water to whatever container it’s in, the way the blessing of the Brown Scapular passes to a new on when the old one wears out?

Missal

Should I get my Missal blessed? I bought it, so I know that any blessing previously attached (if any) is now gone.

Rosaries

I have a few Rosaries: should I have them blessed one at a time (on different occasions) or en masse? Do I remove them from the case, holding them in cupped palm, or around my hand like I do when I’m at Mass? (I don’t pray the Rosary at Mass, I just like holding them, they feel, well, right).

Final (so far):

When they are getting blessed, how do I comport myself? Do I kneel? Bow? Genuflect?

Forgive all the questions, folks, I’m pretty new at all these traditions – my previous traditions only going back forty or so years – and I’m scared skateless.

 

[Walking_Home]

Next Sunday at Mass, Father is going to be blessing water and salt, plus any other items that one might want blessed.

Questions:

Salt

Any particular type? I thought regular old iodized table salt seemed kind of, I dunno, lame or something, so I bought a small plastic container (lidded dish) of Mediterranean sea salt. Is that OK? Or am I being scrupulo-superstitious?

How exactly does one use consecrated salt? Is it sort of “dry holy water”? (Analogically speaking, not in reality)

Does the container become blessed too?

Do you have to keep getting new salt blessed, or do you add the blessed salt to other salt, or does that “dilute” it?

Water

Same question: Does the type of water matter? Should it be distilled, or will tap water do?

Do you need a special bottle? Or can I use a plastic squirt bottle from the dollar store that looks like a plain holy water bottle? And does the bottle become blessed, too, or does that need to be done separately? Or will the blessing “pass” from the water to whatever container it’s in, the way the blessing of the Brown Scapular passes to a new on when the old one wears out?

Missal

Should I get my Missal blessed? I bought it, so I know that any blessing previously attached (if any) is now gone.

Rosaries

I have a few Rosaries: should I have them blessed one at a time (on different occasions) or en masse? Do I remove them from the case, holding them in cupped palm, or around my hand like I do when I’m at Mass? (I don’t pray the Rosary at Mass, I just like holding them, they feel, well, right).

Final (so far):

When they are getting blessed, how do I comport myself? Do I kneel? Bow? Genuflect?

Forgive all the questions, folks, I’m pretty new at all these traditions – my previous traditions only going back forty or so years – and I’m scared skateless.

---

I had a discussion with FrDavid over at the Liturgy forum concerning the type of salt. He said he used non iodized salt. Sea salt is good. You can add the Bless (Holy) salt to the Holy Water. I believe you can also use it to salt your food.

As to the water – I’ve had regular tap water blessed. Any type of container that does not leak and/or easily breakable. And no – the container itself will not become blessed as far as I know.

Take all the rosaries to be blessed. I have removed the rosaries from the case – but don’t know if it is necessary. Take your cue from the priest – he may hold and bless your rosaries or you hold them and he may bless all yours along with others.

Comportment --I hope I have not been doing it wrong --for I quietly stand there and thank the priest when he is done.

 

[06convert]

Well, blessings are blessings. They aren’t a sacrament, they aren’t a commandment. They are just a simple prayer over the item that suggest that these are to be used to glorify God. Anything within reason can be blessed. Your house, your car, any religious item, etc. Typically items used in prayer, or in places where prayer takes place.

Sometimes blessings involve holy water, but not always. Most of the time as a sign of respect, blessed items are typically buried or burned as opposed to being thrown away. So keep that in mind, before you start having everything you own blessed. In the case of salt, it’s consumed and water evaporates, so that’s no biggie.

You can get the missal blessed, but if it’s the kind that has specific dates like Sunday January 11th 2009. Then it’s silly to have blessed or keep around after it’s expired, because it will never be that date again. If it’s a missal that doesn’t have specific dates and you are going to keep it forever, then it would be something I would have blessed.

A simple thank you to the person doing the blessing is fine. Typically you do the sign of the cross if you yourself receives the blessing. Genuflection is only done before God in the tabernacle.

Listen to the prayer, that will determine what is being blessed. If the Priest says, “bless this rosary” and the rosary is in a bag, it will only bless the rosary, same for water. I always take things out of their containers if possible though. However, it’s not necessary.

Sea salt is perfect and natural, water can be from the tap, distilled is usually used to prevent hard water deposits from the tap if you were going to put the holy water in a font. As for the container, anything that doesn’t leak or break easily is fine. Although nice little bottles that say “holy water” on them are not that expensive from any Catholic store.

Lastly, things can be blessed over and over if you like. It’s redundant if you know the item has been blessed, but if you aren’t sure or can’t remember another blessing isn’t going to hurt anything.