Holy Water Fonts in the home

[dumspirospero]

How many people have a Holy Water font in their homes…in various rooms for devotion at home? Just wondering. I am about to purchase one and I wanted to see if anyone else had one in their home…or their thoughts on having one. Thanks

 

[Christy_Beth]

Yes, I have one. I didn’t get it straight out though. I used to subscribe to Catholic Digest, and it usually has, on it’s back page, A request for donations from some order or other. A certain amout of giving leads to some gift. Sometimes a Holy Wate font, or a rosary. And they have really nice gifts if you send in more.

Well, one time I saw one of those that had a “Lourdes” one. It show Our Lady standing in the cove with St. Bernadette kneeling in from of her. The water part seperates them. It’s really nice. Only problem is, in less that a day the water just disappears!

 

[dumspirospero]

anyone else?

 

[Fergal]

Yup.

Have always had one in my house just at the front door. I use it always as I go out and sometimes I use it when I pass it going from room to room. i always scatter a few drops for the Holy Souls and at night or going on holidays I will sprinkle a bit about the place.

I am also suprised by the number of people who will use it when it is there. Some have even reminded me that it is dry!!!

It also acts as a reminder to those who call to the door as to the beliefs of those inside.

I would strongly encourage you to get one. Make a habit of using it.

fergal

 

[dumspirospero]

Thanks for the info…I will be getting one. My real question now, is where do I get large enough supply of Holy Water to keep it filled? Of course, I know a Priest will bless a bottle for me…but that won’t last hardly any time and I don’t want to keep asking the Priest every few days to bless more for me. What do all of you do as far as acquiring Holy Water for your Fonts?

 

[Christy_Beth]

At my church, there is a container with a spout in the lower front that holds holy water. It looks like it’s stainless steel or something like that. I guess spigot would probably be a better word. I got a little plastic bottle from a catholic book store for the purpose of bringing home holy water. It is my understanding that the container at the church is there for use by the lay people.

 

[Teresa9]

I recently bought Holy Water font because of two reasons I think it strongly reminds us of our baptismal vows and secondly I feel once or twice a week is not enough to bless myself in the Holy Water. My font is next to my front door and I bless myself whenever I leave my home and last thing at night before I go up to my bed. If you pour a little out at a time it lasts longer than if you have alot of the water out exposed to the air.In my church there is a large jug with Holy Water that has been blessed by the Priest and people just take as and when they need it. Maybe you could suggest this to your Priest. God Bless xx

 

[DJJG]

this is a repeat question

 

[LindaS]

In our Holy Water font, by our front door, I put a little piece of sponge. It seems to keep the water from evaporating too quickly.

Peace,
Linda

 

[SusanL]

We have 3 fonts presently. One in my daughters’ room and one in the kitchen. My son has one that still has to be set up. I’m going to get a couple more. Maybe 3. I’d like to set them up throughout the house.

You know, you can fill up a big jar of holy water from the church if you like and keep it sealed when not in use. Pour a little in the font and save the rest for later. Fill 2 jars.

 

[Toni]

I have two and love them and love having the sacramental holy water in my home. It does evaporate fast though, we use it a lot. I could never have enough holy water.

 

[johnq]

dumspirospero:

Thanks for the info…I will be getting one. My real question now, is where do I get large enough supply of Holy Water to keep it filled? Of course, I know a Priest will bless a bottle for me…but that won’t last hardly any time and I don’t want to keep asking the Priest every few days to bless more for me. What do all of you do as far as acquiring Holy Water for your Fonts?

You can use a clean milk jug.

 

[_veritas]

johnq:

You can use a clean milk jug.

Another option that a friend uses is to go to the grocery store and buy gallon-jugs of drinking water and just have a priest bless the water still in the unopened jugs. They can then be stored unopened in a closet or something and pulled out as needed (mark them “Blessed” with permanent marker so no one accidently uses them!)

This might be a better option if your parish is not very up on holy water usage and the container for the public to get holy water from keeps going dry… some parishes, particularly smaller ones, don’t do well with multiple “high-demand” parishoners

Oh, and the sponge in the font is practically a necessity – at least for the small home-use fonts, otherwise the water is just there and gone in a day, or even a few hours when it is really hot out!

+veritas+

 

[shannin]

I have a cross with a holy water font attached to it hung by my back door. I have a plastic holy water bottle on a table by my front door. I’m ashamed to say, thought, that they are both empty at the moment.

Your sister inChrist,
Shannin

 

[martha_martha]

front door, under the keys (where i also have a maria goreti relic). my boss, who is Jewish, went to the Vatican on vacation and brought me back amazing gifts…one was a hand-made, hand-painted holy water font. gorgeous.

i call my decor early american sacristy.

 

[Catholic4aReasn]

We gave one to our daughter when she made her First Communion. It has the Serenity Prayer on it.

In Christ,
Nancy

 

[AnnieD]

I have a holy water font. There is a very large, metal container with a spout at the back of our church and I take my holy water bottle I got from a Catholic Religious store and fill it.

When I first got my Holy Water font, I didn’t realize our Church had a container with holy water, to fill lay holy water fonts, until I called our Church and asked them. You might give your Church secretary a call, and she will let you know if and where it is.


Annie

 

[Stephen-Maguire]

dumspirospero:

How many people have a Holy Water font in their homes…in various rooms for devotion at home? Just wondering. I am about to purchase one and I wanted to see if anyone else had one in their home…or their thoughts on having one. Thanks

I wouldn’t be without it, children need visual aids to belief " out of sight is out of mind".
As a child going to Mass I learned more looking at what adults done, than what I was told to do.

 

[shannon_e]

I don’t have a Holy Water Font, yet, but I will one day. Just the other day, I bought my very first crucifix…

Now it’s time to go to Mass

Peace.

 

[CARose]

We have a Holy Water Font in the sun room in front of my DD’s bedroom. Our humidity here is typically in the range of 15%, so it also dries up quickly. I’m shaking my head at the fact that while I’ve suggested to Father that we needed a sponge on the Font at Church, I didn’t think of it for home! Duh!

I want to get a couple more, one for the front door, so we can use it on the way in and out of the house (and it serves as a witness to our faith for those who come calling). I haven’t done so yet, as my husband isn’t Catholic, and I’ve been introducing things Catholic to the public areas of the house slowly so as not to overwhelm him.

As for keeping Holy Water on hand, I have a small bottle with one of those wire / clamp style tops that you see, sometimes on ceramic canisters. I made a Fimo casing for it and matching Fimo beads made into a Rosary. The bottle holds Holy Water I get from Church, as others have described.

As for simply getting drinking water and having the Priest bless it, you may find Priests willing to accomodate this form of blessing of water, but just so you know, properly prepared Holy Water has a small amount of salt added. The Easter Candle is used to bless the Holy Water during Holy Week. I’m certain that the container we have is insuffient to meet the needs of our Parish for the entire year, so I believe the Priest blesses more, but I believe it would be properly prepared with regards to the inclusion of at least salt.

It’s nice to have sacramentals around, isn’t it! I was realizing the other day that having a Holy Water Font at or near the front door is much like the Jewish Custom of placing a Mezuza on the door frame.

I like the thought that we are realizing the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises and that God is willing to shower us with Graces. He has provided us with a Church to make this possible in a real and substantial way in the World. Isn’t it wonderful!

CARose