Holy water and emergency Baptism

[roseproject]

Does someone being baptized have to be baptized with holy water? I know many people have been baptized in rivers and the like so…does the water become Holy at some point during the sacrament? At the pronounciation of “I baptize you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” perhaps?

Thanks in advance

 

[Rob_Arnzen]

Does someone being baptized have to be baptized with holy water?

The water does not have to be holy water, and it does not become holy during the Baptism. The person being baptized is the object of the Sacrament, not the water.

The Fourth Council of the Lateran defined de fide that true and natural water is the “remote matter” of baptism.

The canons of the Council of Trent addressed the Protestant error that accepted water as the ordinary matter of this sacrament, but declared that when water could not be had, any liquid could be used in its place.

The explicit words of Christ (John 3:5) “Unless a man be born again of water” are the usual Scriptural “proof text”.

What is natural water? What people would ordinarily declare water, whether it be water of the sea, or fountain, or well, or marsh; whether it be clear or turbid; fresh or salty; hot or cold; colored or uncolored. Water derived from melted ice, snow, or hail is also valid. If, however, ice, snow, or hail is not melted, they are not valid as the water must flow. Dew, sulfur or mineral water, and that which is derived from steam are also valid matter for Baptism. As to a mixture of water and some other material, it is held as proper matter, provided the water certainly predominates and the mixture would still be called water.

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[oldcelt]

My sister baptized all three of her children immediately upon birth. A Benedictine priest said that no further baptism was needed and I doubt that there was holy water in the hospital.

On a side note, an old Monsignor I knew told this joke…How do you make holy water? You take regular water and boil the hell out of it.

 

[Scottgun]

From New Advent:

As to a mixture of water and some other material, it is held as proper matter, provided the water certainly predominates and the mixture would still be called water. Invalid matter is every liquid that is not usually designated true water. Such are oil, saliva, wine, tears, milk, sweat, beer, soup, the juice of fruits, and any mixture containing water which men would no longer call water.

I bolded tears because I occasionally hear of baptisms with tears, and while that makes for stories of bittersweet melodrama, it doesn’t make for a valid baptism.

 

[RuthTherese]

How do you make holy water? You take regular water and boil the hell out of it.