Making Holy Water...?

[matthias]

I have heard somewhere (don’t remember where) that if someone already had some Holy Water, they could add additional regular water to it and it would all become Holy Water (blessed).

This would be handy in circumstances when I would like some Holy Water for use at home and it is not convenient to make visits to a priest.

Anyone heard of this?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

matthias:

I have heard somewhere (don’t remember where) that if someone already had some Holy Water, they could add additional regular water to it and it would all become Holy Water (blessed).

This would be handy in circumstances when I would like some Holy Water for use at home and it is not convenient to make visits to a priest.

Anyone heard of this?

Yes that is correct when there is a little more than half Holy water you can add fresh clean water to the bottle to replenish it.

 

[matthias]

Any references to any Church documents outlining this? Or any theological texts outlining it. As I said I have heard this but asked a priest about it and he said he hadn’t heard this…

I find that I have a fairly decent grip on understanding Catholic theology but I find that my understanding of blessings and sacramentals, etc., to be a bit weak.

 

[matthias]

Br. Rich SFO:

Yes that is correct when there is a little more than half Holy water you can add fresh clean water to the bottle to replenish it.

Also, You said that if there was “little more than half Holy water” you could add water to replenish the Holy Water, but then would it all be Holy Water or would it be a Holy Water / Ordinary Water mix. And if it is then entirely Holy Water could you not then again add more ordinary water as long as it is “little more than half Holy Water” (concidering the new volume). And if this is the case couldn’t you just add ordinary water in small amounts or steps to make as much Holy Water as you want from as little Holy Water as is mesurable?

Anyway basically I am fairly interested in better understanding sacramental theology and the theology of blessings.

 

[matthias]

anyone?

 

[bear06]

Br. Rich SFO:

Yes that is correct when there is a little more than half Holy water you can add fresh clean water to the bottle to replenish it.

Hey Br. Rich,

So what you are saying is that the mixture needs to be more than half Holy Water or you’ve deluded it too much and it is no longer Holy Water? Right?

Thanks!

 

[Brendan]

matthias:

Any references to any Church documents outlining this? Or any theological texts outlining it. .

Fr. Heribert Jone’s ‘Moral Theology’ 18th edition.

#465

…If the supply of Holy Water for Baptism runs short, plain water may be added, but only in lesser quantity. This may be repeated, but the interval between additions must not be so short as to constitute a moral unity (single act).

 

[matthias]

Brendan:

Fr. Heribert Jone’s ‘Moral Theology’ 18th edition.

#465

Quote:
 	 		 ...If the supply of Holy Water for Baptism runs short, plain water may be added, but only in lesser quantity. This may be repeated, but the interval between additions must not be so short as to constitute a moral unity (single act).

That is quite strange. So the act of repeatedly adding ordinary water can be repeated but not in a single act.

While rules, regulations, and straightforward facts are helpful I would really like to know better the theology involved. It’s one thing (very helpful) to know this fact regarding holy water, but if I understand more about the theology of sacramentals then this kind of thing would likely make more sence.

Any web refrences you could suggest for learning about sacramental (little “s” not Sacramental) theology? It seems that sacramentals have fallen into disuse in recent decades of the Church and I would much like to know more about them. Blessed items, holy water, blessed salt, etc.

Any suggestions?

 

[matthias]

Brendan:

Fr. Heribert Jone’s ‘Moral Theology’ 18th edition.

#465

Also I looked up that book on Amazon and it appears to be a Pre-Vatican II book. Not that there is anything wrong with that but if I’m not mistaken I think that the Church revised the rite for blessing holy water, etc. and as such they may have also have changed the conditions for making holy water in this way?

Anything a bit more up to date and anything with the actual theology of sacramentals?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

matthias:

That is quite strange. So the act of repeatedly adding ordinary water can be repeated but not in a single act.

While rules, regulations, and straightforward facts are helpful I would really like to know better the theology involved. It’s one thing (very helpful) to know this fact regarding holy water, but if I understand more about the theology of sacramentals then this kind of thing would likely make more sence.

Any web refrences you could suggest for learning about sacramental (little “s” not Sacramental) theology? It seems that sacramentals have fallen into disuse in recent decades of the Church and I would much like to know more about them. Blessed items, holy water, blessed salt, etc.

Any suggestions?

The theology is that Holy Water is about the Blessing and Actual grace and not about the physical water. It is like another sacramental the Brown Scapular when enrolled a person may exchange an old worn-out Scapular for a new one without needing to have the new one blessed.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

matthias:

Also, You said that if there was “little more than half Holy water” you could add water to replenish the Holy Water, but then would it all be Holy Water or would it be a Holy Water / Ordinary Water mix. And if it is then entirely Holy Water could you not then again add more ordinary water as long as it is “little more than half Holy Water” (concidering the new volume). And if this is the case couldn’t you just add ordinary water in small amounts or steps to make as much Holy Water as you want from as little Holy Water as is mesurable?

Anyway basically I am fairly interested in better understanding sacramental theology and the theology of blessings.

As noted above the quantity of Holy water should not be multiplied over and over in one act. A reasonable amount of time should pass. If you start with a quart of Holy Water at the beginning of the week and use about half during the week. You can add less than a pint back and start the next week with an almost full bottle of Holy water.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

bear06:

Hey Br. Rich,

So what you are saying is that the mixture needs to be more than half Holy Water or you’ve deluded it too much and it is no longer Holy Water? Right?

Thanks!

That is correct. At some point you should go and refill from the Holy Water font at the Church. Again so as to not carry this to unreasonable extremes the Church allows in necessity you can refill with less than half Holy water until you can get to the parish to obtain more.

 

[matthias]

Br. Rich SFO:

The theology is that Holy Water is about the Blessing and Actual grace and not about the physical water. It is like another sacramental the Brown Scapular when enrolled a person may exchange an old worn-out Scapular for a new one without needing to have the new one blessed.

Well it is in some sence about the physical water… that’s what makes it “sacramental”, at least in the way I understand sacraments. They are a way in which grace can come to us through physical presence. Again the blessing of the brown scapular (if one is installed in it) would not require the person to have the new scapular blessed to continue the blessing of the actual consecration, but the old blessed scapular would needs be burned or buried because it is still a blessed object until it looses it’s form. It is exactly about the material of the scapular (when it’s blessed) just like it is about the physical water and just as it is with the “physical” at least the “physical-form” of the eucharist which remains eucharist so long as it maintains the form of bread or wine.

I hate to argue and I hope you don’t find me confrontational. I learn socraticly so if I don’t understand something I ask questions and argue. This isn’t that I think your wrong but maby I just don’t understand something.

Anyway your answers thus far have been helpful, but I do think that “substance” and form do relate to sacramentals although the substance doesn’t change a “blessing” is present until the form changes. I always assumed this was why they were called “sacramentals” while not a Sacrament.

Anyway maby more direct questions would add to the discussion. What is the “effect” of blessing water? Presumably the water (so long as it maintains it’s “holy water” state) can be a “conduit” or means of grace, but grace is usually specific to a particular effect. For instance in the Sacrament of confession all is effected by grace but effected to the effect of remitting sins. Likewise all is grace in the Sacrament of Confirmation but that grace is effective toward transmitting the gifts and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Does the grace of Holy Water have any particular “effect” or how about the grace given by a priestly blessing, what is the effect? Does it remit venial sin or strengthen the will agains sin or what?

These are the kinda questions I have I guess. Maybe I just have a over systematic mind that likes to disect everything but I’m just a curious guy… .

Anyway thanks for the discussion guys. I’m just trying to flesh out my understanding a bit.