Disposal of soiled Holy Water

[MarieVeronica]

I know that Holy Water is a sacramental (like a rosary, or a scapular)… and not a Sacrament. So, I’m not sure if I can ask this here. Hope so.

Does anyone know… what is the proper way of disposing of old Holy Water? We use it on a daily basis, in our home… and the fonts and the water tend to become cloudy and dirty… I guess, from the oil in our hands (ick). I would like to change it more often. Appreciate your (name removed by moderator)ut. Thanks!:harp:

 

[mommyof4]

Pour it into the ground in an area where animals won’t dig, etc. Do you have a flower garden somewhere? I have an area of my yard were I grow lilies, and the animals pretty much leave it alone, due to the dense vegetation there. I wash the altar linens from church, and when I pour out the water that I used to wash out the precious blood, I pour it into my lily garden.

 

[stbruno]

Pour it into the ground in an area where animals won’t dig, etc. Do you have a flower garden somewhere? I have an area of my yard were I grow lilies, and the animals pretty much leave it alone, due to the dense vegetation there. I wash the altar linens from church, and when I pour out the water that I used to wash out the precious blood, I pour it into my lily garden.

The proper way to wash altar cloths, is to have the one who is qualified to purify the chalices etc.(priest, deacon or acolyte)…rinse the altar cloths in water before they are washed, but the water should be collected and poured down the sacrarium…the special sink that is in all sacrisities of a church…whereby the water goes under the church…and is not desecrated.For purificators and corporals, the precaution is taken of washing them first in water and then pouring the water into the sacrarium or into the earth. The reason is that if there should be any particles of the sacred host or drops of the precious blood on either, they are not just poured into the sewer. Then the altar cloths can be washed in a washing machine.

 

[mommyof4]

The proper way to wash altar cloths, is to have the one who is qualified to purify the chalices etc.(priest, deacon or acolyte)…rinse the altar cloths in water before they are washed, but the water should be collected and poured down the sacrarium…the special sink that is in all sacrisities of a church…whereby the water goes under the church…and is not desecrated.For purificators and corporals, the precaution is taken of washing them first in water and then pouring the water into the sacrarium or into the earth. The reason is that if there should be any particles of the sacred host or drops of the precious blood on either, they are not just poured into the sewer. Then the altar cloths can be washed in a washing machine.

This is how my priest told me to do it.

 

[puzzleannie]

pour it on the ground outside, on God’s good clean earth, not on the pavement, or on your houseplants.

keep your fonts and bottles clean by soaking in a bleach solution (1T clorox to a half gallon of water) and letting them dry. if the rest of the font would be damaged by bleach, pour a bit of this solution in the bowl and let it sit.

add a pinch of salt to the water bottle and to the bowl when you fill it to avoid the green, scummy stuff. clean the font where you dip your fingers at least weekly.

 

[Sr_Sally]

We have a very tiny font. One finger dipping only! LOL The water is either used up or evaporates quickly enough that I don’t worry about scum forming.

 

[cgirl4ever]

I really don’t use holy water unless I go to church and mak the sign of the cross when I go in and when I leave. I don’t think that it is a necessity to live holy lives.

 

[Pro_Domina]

I really don’t use holy water unless I go to church and mak the sign of the cross when I go in and when I leave. I don’t think that it is a necessity to live holy lives.

If you have a notion that the Church has its sacramentals to help us live holy lives and not as mere symbolism, then you should reconsider the neccesity of holy water.

 

[Seatuck]

I really don’t use holy water unless I go to church and mak the sign of the cross when I go in and when I leave. I don’t think that it is a necessity to live holy lives.

You’re missing out on a very useful sacramental used by many holy people throughout church history.