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ProdglArchitect
Guest
They seem to be inferring that “holy” means physically clean… silly journalists, completely missing the point yet again…
That being said, wow, that’s a lot of germs… Oh well, they’ve been using it for centuries.
That being said, wow, that’s a lot of germs… Oh well, they’ve been using it for centuries.
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Layp3rs0n
Guest
Our obsession with the sterile continues. Maybe they could talk about door knobs or the fact that a cell phone has more bacteria on it than the average toilet seat.
meltzerboy
New member
If it doesn’t kill you, exposure to these germs will benefit you by generating an increase in immunity.
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maryjk
Guest
This information would be pretty important to someone with a suppressed immune system.
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katy
Guest
I recall reading a report on Lourdes a few years ago that remarked on how impressive any cures would be given the stuff in the water. So that news report may be old news. If they are talking about the holy water bowls at the doors of churches, I understand they most always have salt in them. Must be a slow news day.
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catholictiger
Guest
um you don’t consume holy water, I wouldn’t worry about it.
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marymary1975
Guest
I have holy water picked up from the stream in Lourdes that I got 15 years ago. Once a friend of mine who is Chemist went to my house and argued with me that it was “impossible” that I have had that water for 15 years as it was perfectly clear and is drinkable. According to her water from streams grow huge amounts of bacteria and had this water been taken 15 years ago it would be greenish and would have visible bacteria and would not be drinkable. The only problem is that the water was actually picked 15 years ago and besides being obviously from a stream is as clear and drinkable as tap water, so that goes for Lourdes water. As to the water bowls in churches, I also thought they have salt. Also, unless they are getting the water directly from a river or the city where the study was made has generally speaking bad water quality I can’t see how the water can have more bacteria than regular tap water.I recall reading a report on Lourdes a few years ago that remarked on how impressive any cures would be given the stuff in the water. So that news report may be old news. If they are talking about the holy water bowls at the doors of churches, I understand they most always have salt in them. Must be a slow news day.
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catholictiger
Guest
the thing is it doesn’t matter you don’t drink holy water, so its nothing to worry about.
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Memaw
Guest
We should worry more about how people drive, me thinks. God Bless, Memaw
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robwar
Guest
Very true. One does not drink holy water and it used externally. It seems again that some researches have nothing to do but go looking for bogey men and cuties in everything under the cover.
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maryjk
Guest
Some people DO in fact, drink Holy Water.
And those that don’t, dip our hands into it, then touch our face. And many people then kiss their fingers, after the Sign of the Cross.
Am I saying we should be raising an alarm? Of course not.
But knowledge is a good thing. And those that have a suppressed immune system might want this knowledge.
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Deana83
Guest
So are there Catholics out there drinking the stuff? Because I’ve never seen or heard of anyone ingesting holy water.
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polishprincess
Guest
This study’s ridiculous!
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robwar
Guest
I can understand your point. People do what they do. But one doesn’t see larger numbers of them getting sick from touching holy water to their lips. I would think though if one suffers from a suppressed immune system that they would naturally be careful about what they are putting near their mouths and what they take in and the cleanliness of their hands. I would think that in just basic common sense, one would not be drinking holy water from anywhere but common sense is a rare commodity these days. If common sense could be bottled, they should be drinking that.
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maryjk
Guest
My understanding is that Eastern Catholics drink it quite frequently.
Very true.
My point is, no, this won’t matter to most people. But not every article written has to matter to everyone.
Maybe someone will learn something and maybe from that, they won’t get sick.
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ServantPD
Guest
Very good point.
Besides, who in this culture of advancement of civilization and all that jazz thought that studying how clean holy water is relevant to anyone? From all the things scientists could study and reports journalists could come up with… There’s always this silly side of the coin when they freak out about something that our Church does regularily.
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R_C
Guest
Kudos to the researchers for such an accurate and representative sampling, and above all else, for their wise investment of taxpayer money and brain effort to research the amount of bacteria in holy water founts.
We are struck by the depth of the intellectual contribution, namely the discovery that the tiny fount at the entrance of the Church where hundreds of people dip their fingers is not a source of potable water.
We are so fortunate that the media has immediately reported the astonishing discovery with such effective titles as “Beware! Holy water may harm”, “Most holy water contaminated with fecal matter”, and, of course, “Holy Water Is Full Of [omitted], literally” (all taken just now from the Google News feed).
Here’s some other ground-braking research that may be of interest.
1: your average workplace or school’s chairs, phones, desktops, computer mice and keyboards commonly carry hundreds of bacteria from human skin from the nose, mouth or intestinal cavities, including “a surprising number of bacterial genera associated with the human digestive tract”.
2: it seems that public transit, taxis, rental cars, restaurant seats, movie theatre seats, and - get ready for this one - park benches also carry a surprising amount of germs, including E. coli.
So remember: no matter what you do, do not lick your keyboard or the restaurant chair you’re sitting at, turns out it may be harmful to your health.
In all seriousness, there are some people who do drink holy water. My understanding is that you bring a regular bottle of mineral water and ask the priest to bless it with the proper rite and exorcised salt. The rite of blessing bears no relation with the potability of the water: if you intend to drink it, make sure to bring your own bottle to the priest. Don’t just get it from the holy water fount, because even though it’s a closed container where nobody goes dip their fingers into, only the Lord knows how long it has been since someone washed it
We are struck by the depth of the intellectual contribution, namely the discovery that the tiny fount at the entrance of the Church where hundreds of people dip their fingers is not a source of potable water.
We are so fortunate that the media has immediately reported the astonishing discovery with such effective titles as “Beware! Holy water may harm”, “Most holy water contaminated with fecal matter”, and, of course, “Holy Water Is Full Of [omitted], literally” (all taken just now from the Google News feed).
Here’s some other ground-braking research that may be of interest.
1: your average workplace or school’s chairs, phones, desktops, computer mice and keyboards commonly carry hundreds of bacteria from human skin from the nose, mouth or intestinal cavities, including “a surprising number of bacterial genera associated with the human digestive tract”.
2: it seems that public transit, taxis, rental cars, restaurant seats, movie theatre seats, and - get ready for this one - park benches also carry a surprising amount of germs, including E. coli.
So remember: no matter what you do, do not lick your keyboard or the restaurant chair you’re sitting at, turns out it may be harmful to your health.
In all seriousness, there are some people who do drink holy water. My understanding is that you bring a regular bottle of mineral water and ask the priest to bless it with the proper rite and exorcised salt. The rite of blessing bears no relation with the potability of the water: if you intend to drink it, make sure to bring your own bottle to the priest. Don’t just get it from the holy water fount, because even though it’s a closed container where nobody goes dip their fingers into, only the Lord knows how long it has been since someone washed it
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Ohana
Guest
Well I wouldn’t drink it. I have no qualms about dipping my fingers in and blessing myself. Thankfully I was born before the excessive concern about germs now prevalent. I have eaten my peck of dirt over my long lifetime and have a pretty good immune system as a result. 
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Ridgerunner
Guest
I recall reading, some time ago, of a study they did in Germany concerning e coli bacteria. Turned out that children raised on cattle farms retained strong immunity against it as adults. The reason, they opined, was that those raised on the farms had a lot of early exposure and developed immunity that didn’t cost them much as children in terms of getting sick. Thereafter I made sure my children and grandchildren had opportunity to play in corrals.Well I wouldn’t drink it. I have no qualms about dipping my fingers in and blessing myself. Thankfully I was born before the excessive concern about germs now prevalent. I have eaten my peck of dirt over my long lifetime and have a pretty good immune system as a result.
I expect we get a lot of bacterial and virus exposure in going to church at all. Also from going into stores, places of business, shaking hands, etc, etc. I imagine holy water is one of the least of our exposures.
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