Is it a sin to drink holy water?

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twf said:
Drinking Holy Water is a pious and ancient practice. The Eastern Orthodox (and I assume Eastern Catholics) drink Holy Water on a regular basis, as do, I believe, the Oriental Orthodox (Copts, Armenians, etc). I believe it was a common practice for us Latins once upon a time as well. St. Thomas Aquinas encourages the drinking of holy water. As another poster already stated, we eat (by Christ’s command) the very body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ…why shouldn’t we drink water that carries His blessing?

On a somewhat related note, if you want a bit more flavour, there are several Trappist monk monasteries out there that produce beer which they bless and then sell…so drinking holy beer is always an option too :).
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Tastes better than holy water, I’m sure 🙂 - still give you the same hangover as unblessed beer though :ouch:

There’s also a formal blessing for ordinary beer - from the Roman Ritual (which gives you all the blessings for different purposes you could ever need and then some):

"Lord, bless this creature, beer, which by your kindness and power has been produced from kernels of grain, and let it be a healthful drink for mankind. Grant that whoever drinks it with thanksgiving to your holy name may find it a help in body and in soul; through Christ our Lord.

Amen."
 
As a side question, and you all may think I’m crazy (well, I am, just a little) I was wondering along the same lines except in a different format. My dd has asthma and I was wondering if it would be a sin to pour holy water into her nebulizer (just a little holy water) so that she could breath it in as a mist. I know, I know, it sounds strange, but I thought why not have the water (in the form of a mist) touch her lungs for a blessing. I haven’t done this, but the thought has crossed my mind every time she’s sick.
 
gmarie21 said:
As a side question, and you all may think I’m crazy (well, I am, just a little) I was wondering along the same lines except in a different format. My dd has asthma and I was wondering if it would be a sin to pour holy water into her nebulizer (just a little holy water) so that she could breath it in as a mist. I know, I know, it sounds strange, but I thought why not have the water (in the form of a mist) touch her lungs for a blessing. I haven’t done this, but the thought has crossed my mind every time she’s sick.
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Doesn’t sound a bit strange to me at all! I would… I do drink holy water also…
 
Here’s an Orthodox view that is quite edifying…

"On the Feast of Theophany, that is the Day of the Lord’s Baptism, every year a great miracle is performed. The Holy Spirit, coming down upon the water, changes its natural properties. It becomes incorrupt, that is, it doe s not spoil, remains transparent and fresh for many years, receives the grace to heal illnesses, to drive away demons and every evil power, to preserve people and their dwellings from every danger, to sanctify various objects whether for church or home use. Therefore, Orthodox Christians with reverence drink Holy Water–a great Agiasma (holy thing), as the Greeks call it.

One should have at home enough Theophany water so that it will last the whole year, and make use of it at every need: in cases of illness, leaving on a journey, whenever one is upset, students when going to examinations. They do well who daily, before eating any kind of food, drink a little Holy Water. It strengthens the powers of the soul–if it is done, of course, with prayer and reverence, and one does not merely expect from it a mechanical result. "

From the writings of St. John Maximovitch
 
My kids’ godmother’s second daughter drank all of her Lourdes holy water (which mom had saved for special blessings: first day of school, etc.) and, when younger, ate about a decade of blessed rosary beads… she jokes that at least the kid should never have any stomach cancers!😛

Seriously, I never knew about the practice of using holy water in cooking; it’s really too bad we’ve lost so many of these little daily reminders of our faith. Some friends brought back holy water fonts from Italy, though, and my kids are always keen on getting a blessing when they notice the font by the front door (they insist it doesn’t “count” if there isn’t any water… and then they bless the dog, and the Protestant grandparents if they’re over…).
 
I had a priest who serves in the mission parishes in northern Alaska tell me that some parents sprinkle Holy Water on their children before they go to sleep at night.
 
Holland said:
I had a priest who serves in the mission parishes in northern Alaska tell me that some parents sprinkle Holy Water on their children before they go to sleep at night.
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This is one of the traditional uses for Holy Water in the Latin Rite - external blessing the individual. A similar thread was on the spirituality forum here. My concern about drinking holy water, aside from the obvious and already state possible health issues is that there may be a danger of drifting into superstition or of imbuing a sacramental with “magical powers” associated with drinking it. :eek:

I don’t believe there is anything advocating the drinking of holy water in the Catholic Church (Latin). Since that is the Church to which I belong, I tend to want to follow its teachings and not worry about what’s done in other churches/denom. (Sorry - that sounds snippy but I don’t mean it that way. The “but everybody else is doing it” argument never worked for me as a kid or adult. I heard the “jumping off a cliff” analogy too often I think.)

Holy water is a sacramental that is used for blessing people and objects. We use it upon entering Church to remind us of our baptism, for protection from the evil one, and to remind us of our sins. We also use it in our homes before retiring for the night or upon entering or leaving. My understanding is that sacramentals do not provide grace themselves but they enable us to receive or respond to grace. External blessing with holy water should be sufficient. Is it a sin to drink it? I don’t know but I doubt it. 🤷 Is it necessary to drink it or does its effects increase by drinking it? Doubtful but I’d defer to some on the AAA forum. Would I want to drink it? I’m not partial to food or water borne illnesses or the risk of them, so No.
 
I thought why not have the water (in the form of a mist) touch her lungs for a blessing.
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Great idea! I’ll be doing that for sure the next time any of my little ones need a neb. Thanks 🙂
 
There is a holy well not too far from where I live dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Bishop normally opens up this place on August 15th, it closes September 8th.
Anyway people do take the holy water home and even at the site the last time I visited there were cups to drink from.
Water is a symbol of renewal and of life, it is not a sin to drink holy water.
However be wary of the source.
 
Thanks for all the wonderful replies, I appreciate everyone’s thoughts.
 
I have read all the posts in this thread. It is, of course, no sin to drink Holy Water. In fact, it is traditional to take at least a small sip of Lourdes Water when you get it.

I remember many, many years ago, when I was an air hostess with Aer Lingus it was possible to bring many things back from a trip to Lourdes. One airline captain was bringing back an enormous wine jar (you really couldn’t call it a bottle!) - it would have held about 5 gallons, and was shaped like the fat chianti bottles that have a long thin neck. His wife wanted it to make a garden in a bottle. Well, the captain liked gin, so he bought duty-free bottles of gin and emptied them into the big jar.

On arriving back at Dublin Airport and Customs, he declared the jar, telling the customs officer what his wife wanted it for. Then, because it was heavy with the contents, he told the officer that he had filled it with Lourdes Water!! The officer, taking the man at his word, asked if he could get a little for his mother who was ill. Now, noone is going to refuse to give someone holy water! So, the captain agreed. The Customs officer went off to find some container. He came back with a coffee mug. The mug was filled with “holy water”. Then the officer remembered the tradition of taking a sip… “That’s not holy water! That’s gin!” he exclaimed. “Another miracle!” declared the captain!

I don’t know what happened after that - I would imagine that the gin did not leave the airport with him!!
 
I was often tempted to put holy water in the ex’s coffee to see if it “burned.” Never got up the courage though. :rolleyes:
 
mommyof4 said:
I once watched a show with Fr. Coropi, and he was telling about a homeless shelter that is run by a Catholic layperson. She used 100% holy water and blessed salt in all of her food. They had a priest come in every day and bless gallons and gallons of water for them.
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It would seem to me that this would be problematic, as the people who consumed it (the homeless who used the shelter who one presumes are not all ardent Catholics) would likely not be consuming it as an act of devotion, but instead as the very “mechanical” act that was referenced as an issue in another post.

Which would be more important—her intent or the recipient’s understanding of the nature of the material (assuming that the recipient was of the age of reason, I see this differently than parents giving it to their children)?
 
It’s not a sin, and it is not always silly. Many Marian Shrines have drinkable holy water. But check the source first!
 
Would it be okay to take water to a Priest and ask him to bless it? Gosh, I feel silly even asking, but, how about if I bought a gallon jug of water at the grocery store. would that be legitimate? I have a skin condition and wonder if I was to use the holy water on the areas that are broken out…
 
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