Holy Water

[Immacolata]

Hello, all; I have yet another question o), please bear with me — how does one get holy water? I know that you can either bring any container of water to church and have the priest bless it, or get some from your parish, but I’m not sure exactly how to go around doing the latter. Do I simply fill a container with Holy Water in the narthex after Mass? Or would that be considered stealing? Should I talk to my priest, or to someone else? I could also call the parish and ask how to get holy water, but I don’t want to be a bother.

Thank you for any answer, and God bless.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

The easiest thing would be to ask at your parish. Many (most?) parishes have a large container of holy water someplace and you can simply fill your bottle as needed.

 

[paperwight66]

The easiest thing would be to ask at your parish. Many (most?) parishes have a large container of holy water someplace and you can simply fill your bottle as needed.

Yes, indeed. In our parish, for example, there is a large jug in one of the cupboards.

As a sacristan, I would far rather someone came and asked for some/helped themselves, rather than emptying the stoups in the porch which I might only have just filled and was thinking they would do for a few more days.

 

[Immacolata]

Yes, indeed. In our parish, for example, there is a large jug in one of the cupboards.

As a sacristan, I would far rather someone came and asked for some/helped themselves, rather than emptying the stoups in the porch which I might only have just filled and was thinking they would do for a few more days.

How would I go about doing so? Should I ask the priest, the ushers, or contact the parish by phone?

Also, I would not empty the stoup; I would only take a little — however, if this is not proper, I will not do so. Thank you for your response.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

How would I go about doing so? Should I ask the priest, the ushers, or contact the parish by phone?

The easiest thing would be to call the parish or stop by the parish office. It’s a common question!

Personally, I would prefer fresh water rather than something that hundreds of people have dunked their germy hands in!

 

[Joe_5859]

How would I go about doing so? Should I ask the priest, the ushers, or contact the parish by phone?

Also, I would not empty the stoup; I would only take a little — however, if this is not proper, I will not do so. Thank you for your response.

You could really do either, though it depends how knowledgeable your parish secretary and ushers are. This is a simple enough question that you could quickly ask your priest after Mass.

We have something in the back of our parish that looks like this:

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

This makes it easy to fill up holy water bottles. You could look around and see if your parish has something similar.

I would caution against trying to fill up from the stoup. That introduces the danger of spilling it on the floor. Unless perhaps your parish has larger than average holy water stoups where this wouldn’t pose a problem.

The bottom line, though, is that it never hurts to ask your priest.

 

[Joe_5859]

Personally, I would prefer fresh water rather than something that hundreds of people have dunked their germy hands in!

Ha ha, good point.

 

[Immacolata]

The easiest thing would be to call the parish or stop by the parish office. It’s a common question!

I would have suspected it would be a common question; I will either call them myself or have my mother drop me off at the parish office and ask them there. Thank you!

Personally, I would prefer fresh water rather than something that hundreds of people have dunked their germy hands in!

I agree, but I find the smell of the incense mixed with the water spiritual as well as pleasing (it can give me a headache at times, however ), so I had planned to get holy water from the parish itself rather than bring water in. Perhaps I should do the latter instead.

Thank you all for your responses!

 

[SonCatcher]

How would I go about doing so? Should I ask the priest, the ushers, or contact the parish by phone?

Any of the above. Since the question is fresh on your mind, you should call the parish office about it. Most of the time, whoever answers the phone will know where the Holy Water is kept. (If it is in the Sacristy, it might only be possible to pick some up before or after Mass as many parishes lock it during other times.)

You might also check with neighboring parishes that are convenient to you. My own parish keeps Holy Water in the (locked) Sacristy but a nearby parish has a tank in the side entrance where it can always be reached when the church is open (most of the day).

 

[Immacolata]

You could really do either, though it depends how knowledgeable your parish secretary and ushers are. This is a simple enough question that you could quickly ask your priest after Mass.

We have something in the back of our parish that looks like this:

This makes it easy to fill up holy water bottles. You could look around and see if your parish has something similar.

I would caution against trying to fill up from the stoup. That introduces the danger of spilling it on the floor. Unless perhaps your parish has larger than average holy water stoups where this wouldn’t pose a problem.

The bottom line, though, is that it never hurts to ask your priest.

Any of the above. Since the question is fresh on your mind, you should call the parish office about it. Most of the time, whoever answers the phone will know where the Holy Water is kept. (If it is in the Sacristy, it might only be possible to pick some up before or after Mass as many parishes lock it during other times.)

You might also check with neighboring parishes that are convenient to you. My own parish keeps Holy Water in the (locked) Sacristy but a nearby parish has a tank in the side entrance where it can always be reached when the church is open (most of the day).

Thank you for your responses; I didn’t see them before I replied! I should look around after Mass next Sunday and see if there is anything such as that “spigot.” If there isn’t, I will call the parish office, and I am sure they will help me.

Thank you all again!

 

[paperwight66]

I agree, but I find the smell of the incense mixed with the water spiritual as well as pleasing (it can give me a headache at times, however ), so I had planned to get holy water from the parish itself rather than bring water in. Perhaps I should do the latter instead.

Thank you all for your responses!

The part about the smell of incense intrigues me. How is it that the water at your parish smells of it?

 

[Immacolata]

The part about the smell of incense intrigues me. How is it that the water at your parish smells of it?

I am not entirely sure myself — one explanation may be that the incense used in my parish for Mass lingers, and it makes the water smell of it; or, another explanation may be that there is blessed salt in the Holy Water and makes it smell that way. No matter the explanation (perhaps it is neither I mentioned and rather the water itself), I enjoy the scent of the Holy Water at my parish for the reasons I said — it smells very spiritual and pleasing.

 

[paperwight66]

I am not entirely sure myself — one explanation may be that the incense used in my parish for Mass lingers, and it makes the water smell of it; or, another explanation may be that there is blessed salt in the Holy Water and makes it smell that way. No matter the explanation (perhaps it is neither I mentioned and rather the water itself), I enjoy the scent of the Holy Water at my parish for the reasons I said — it smells very spiritual and pleasing.

No, it won’t be the salt, as that doesn’t smell of anything. In fact, the modern rite used for blessing of water doesn’t involve salt at all.

 

[Immacolata]

No, it won’t be the salt, as that doesn’t smell of anything. In fact, the modern rite used for blessing of water doesn’t involve salt at all.

Perhaps, then, it is just the water they use; it does not matter anyway, I enjoy the scent no matter what it is. It helps move my mind to God.