Is it okay to place holy water in a fountain instead of a font?

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migencluz

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I had an idea like this, but when I checked Google, I had not found anyone who had done it before. Is this because it’s a bad idea to do so?
 
How would the water get blessed if it is being continually renewed by a fountain?
 
peter26 said:
How would the water get blessed if it is being continually renewed by a fountain?
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Renewed? What do you mean? If you use the small fountains that use the same mechanism as the Church font that has a machine that sucks the water from the lower reservoir and releases it at a higher reservoir to overflow into the lower reservoir, then the water being released at the top is essentially the same water as the one in the lower reservoir.
 
migencluz said:
I had an idea like this, but when I checked Google, I had not found anyone who had done it before. Is this because it’s a bad idea to do so?
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Some Catholic churches do. I see no reason it should be prohibited, for as long as you’re using it as a font for holy water rather than as mere decoration.

I personally wouldn’t do it though, since my supply of Epiphany water is limited. Fountains subject the water to faster rates of evaporation.
 
migencluz said:
I had an idea like this, but when I checked Google, I had not found anyone who had done it before. Is this because it’s a bad idea to do so?
Click to expand...
It happens in churches, especially those of more modern design. Sometimes it will be a holy water font and sometimes a combination holy water font and baptismal font. In an ecclesiastical setting, it is meant to be evocative of the image of living water. I find in a church it can serve a useful and beautiful purpose as the holy water font, linking it to the baptismal font as the reason we turn to Holy Water…and this in a way a stoup cannot. I have seen some that were breathtaking and quite inspiring.

On the other hand, it can become a bit annoying, depending upon how loud the babbling water, and the motor that drives the mechanism, are relative to the surrounding ambiance. Or if the mechanics of it suffers a malfunction. I can assure you that if it does, it will invariably do so at the least opportune moment. It can also be disconcerting when the apparatus is overly elaborated for, and actually overwhelms, the space it occupies.

Typically, the presence of such a mechanism in the church, together with its artistic style, indicates that the contents is water that has been blessed and that it is for a sacred purpose.

If you are talking about a mechanism in a private home and one that lacks any sort of sacred art or iconography that indicates that is has a spiritual purpose, I am not sure how someone one might intuit that the water was blessed or avail themselves of it as a holy water font. On the other hand, if it is for purely personal use, there is nothing against it. I would not recommend it for out of doors for a number of practical reasons.

If you Google “gurgling baptismal font” and then look under “images,” you will find examples of what is used in Church design and furnishing.
 
I’ve seen it in churches before. But then, I’ve also seen sand in holy water fonts during Lent. Just because it’s done, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. To be fair, just because something is a local custom, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad, either. As far as I know, the Holy See hasn’t made any judgments on using a mechanical fountain in place of a traditional holy water font.
 
Don_Ruggero said:
It happens in churches, especially those of more modern design. Sometimes it will be a holy water font and sometimes a combination holy water font and baptismal font. In an ecclesiastical setting, it is meant to be evocative of the image of living water. I find in a church it can serve a useful and beautiful purpose as the holy water font, linking it to the baptismal font as the reason we turn to Holy Water…and this in a way a stoup cannot. I have seen some that were breathtaking and quite inspiring.
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It sounds lovely. I read once that for the Jews of Jesus’ day ‘living’ water was moving water so it ties in beautifully.
 
One of the parishes in my area has a very large font and the water is cycled from the lower level basin to the upper level basin. I think that’s to keep the water from being stagnate and getting dust in it, etc, because its a larger font.
 
migencluz said:
I had an idea like this, but when I checked Google, I had not found anyone who had done it before. Is this because it’s a bad idea to do so?
Click to expand...
I don’t think so. The fountain will keep the water fresher as it bubbles through the piping. It would less likely to carry pathogens.
 
HelenRose said:
. . . It would less likely to carry pathogens.
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This is also achieved with the use of blessed salt, used in the extraordinary form blessing of holy water. I don’t know if it’s an option in the ordinary form or not.
 
No,for we always had fountain,or an angel like figure at the entrance of the place to bless us before we left-the place ,for we believe that Holy water protects us from the evil off the world,and us as we are out outside among the world. :knight2::knight2:.
 
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