Holy Water May be Harmful to Your Health, Study Finds

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After parishioners stand in line to drink from the same chalice for Holy Communion, are they then going to worry about germs from dipping their finger in holy water? I converted to the Catholic faith about 20 years ago, and I’m still alive and healthy. But, for non-Catholics who may be wondering, reception of Holy Communion from the chalice is optional for Catholics.
 
livingwordunity said:
After parishioners stand in line to drink from the same chalice for Holy Communion, are they then going to worry about germs from dipping their finger in holy water? I converted to the Catholic faith about 20 years ago, and I’m still alive and healthy. But, for non-Catholics who may be wondering, reception of Holy Communion from the chalice is optional for Catholics.
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I very much doubt anyone is exposed by the chalice to any bacteria or virus that isn’t already pervasive in the environment.
 
And someone would drink holy water because…???

Another pointless and dumb attempt to show why Catholicism is “bad”. :rolleyes:
 
katy said:
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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A VERY SLOW news day!!! 😃
 
Holy Water is hazardous to Satan’s health, and that is why he is trying to turn people against it by using his devoted followers at ABC to hype some lame study.
 
Ridgerunner said:
I very much doubt anyone is exposed by the chalice to any bacteria or virus that isn’t already pervasive in the environment.
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You must not have watched people walk out of the restroom without washing their hands. Then they dip those hands into the holy water.
CrossofChrist said:
And someone would drink holy water because.…???

Another pointless and dumb attempt to show why Catholicism is “bad”. :rolleyes:
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You have just dissed our Eastern and Orthodox brothers and sisters.

It is a big deal that Holy Water isn’t clean? Probably not. But what is wrong with having that knowledge?
 
I have used holy water for the 20 years I’ve been a Catholic, and I’m going to continue regardless of germs or bacteria since my immortal soul and eternal salvation is infinitely more important than trying in vain to hold on to this world.
 
livingwordunity said:
I have used holy water for the 20 years I’ve been a Catholic, and I’m going to continue regardless of germs or bacteria since my immortal soul and eternal salvation is infinitely more important than trying in vain to hold on to this world.
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Me, too. But I am pushing 50 years as a Catholic.
 
maryjk said:
Me, too. But I am pushing 50 years as a Catholic.
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I have been one since birth, 76 years and was baptized in it as a baby and I still use holy water, blessed my children (7) every night as they grew up and we are all still alive and kicking. God Bless, Memaw
 
Ridgerunner said:
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.

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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Good point. We don’t live in a bubble. You need to be exposed to germs to survive. The less exposure in childhood, the more trouble there will be in the health of the child and adult. I remember when people wanted their kids to be exposed to measles early and get it over with when they were young. The later a kid gets measles or mumps or other diseases, the worse are the side effects.

Besides, Holy Water is holy. It is blessed by the priest.
 
I find it amusing that one of the books being advertised in the banner at the top of the page is Please Don’t Drink the Holy Water 😃
 
FYI, water from Lourdes doesn’t come from a stream, but an underground spring.

The water has been repeatedly tested over the century and a half and found to be safe to drink and when I was in Lourdes, people including myself, drank it and went into the baths.

Jim
 
I laughed when I read the article because my reaction was the same as others who responded that we do not drink the holy water. But in respect for Orthodox Catholics (it was said that they do drink holy water), I would assume that the holy water that they drink would have been newly blessed soon after the water was drawn, and not taken from the fonts where the congregation dips their fingers.
 
Holy scandal! Is sipping holy water really dangerous?
Several people have asked me if members of ancient, liturgical churches really do drink holy water. The short answer is “yes,” but it is not very common. A better word would be “sip,” linked to prayers for divine healing.
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Yes, note that the story makes no attempt to separate outdoor, free flowing springs at holy sites from water that is under parish and clergy control, in terms of the rites in which it is used. Did the editors know that they were dealing with two completely different types of sources here?
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I don’t understand why folks are getting so bent out of shape over this study! The remediation seems pretty straight forward:
  1. Don’t drink Holy Water from a font, instead bring fresh water for a priest to bless.
  2. Those responsible for maintaining religious sites where Holy Water fonts are present (especially those with high traffic), should replace the Holy Water more frequently.
 
marymary1975 said:
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.
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My holy water from Lourdes is still crystal clear after at least 12 years. How about that!
 
Layp3rs0n said:
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.
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Only if you don’t lay your phone on the toilet seat; then it’s about equal.
 
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