Removing holy water for lent

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jragzz123
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

Jragzz123

Guest
The priest at my catholic center removes all the holy water for lent. It seems odd to me because I read that holy water helps protect and prepare you for mass.
 
Is it perhaps just this Kent, due to Coronavirus concerns?
 
I’d be curious to hear what he might have to say about it.
 
He says it’s for decoration. Because In the desert Jesus didn’t have help so neither should we with things like holy water
 
Yea. He also changes some of the words in the mass. Instead of saying Christ our Lord he says Christ our Liberator!
 
I myself am not knowledgable enough to say anything conclusive about alternate word choices or other forms of Mass. But his reason for taking away Holy Water sounded particularly concerning to me. Perhaps others can shine some light.
 
I did some quick research and this practice appears not to be permitted per the Vatican…some churches apparently have done so to remind us Jesus was in a desert and thirsting, but per the Vatican, parishioners are encouraged to participate in sacraments and sacramentals to renew and deepen our faith during Lent and holy water fonts are not to be emptied.

I was interested to read that instrumental only music is not permitted during Lent either…it is only to be used to support singing. We had piano instrumental music at tonight’s mass, without singing, during the distribution of ashes.

I had no idea it wasn’t proper.
 
Thank you for providing us with this very concise explanation.

May God guide you all through a transformative Lenten journey! 🙂
 
Or: Obtain and carry with you your own bottle of Holy Water and use it.
Father cannot stop you (Though you might have to go to another priest/parish to obtain it)
 
From @Phemie’s link:

This Dicastery is able to respond that the removing of Holy Water from the fonts during the season of Lent is not permitted, in particular, for two reasons:

The whole response from the CDW is brief, terse, and succinct. It doesn’t even give national bishops’ conferences, such as the USCCB, the option to issue a different ruling for their own territory.
 
Currently, there is and has not been water in the large font to fill bottles from at our parish for months. In our case, I don’t believe it has anything to do with Lent but rather with no attention to detail. There is about a gallon of water in the sacristy which we use to refill the smaller fonts at the doors when we are cleaning the church each week. 🙂
 
I’ve been in two different Catholic churches that withheld holy water during Lent, both in the 90s. I don’t know if they still do it. MANY churches fail to adequately clean the fonts.
 
Agreed! It’s kind of a pet peeve of ours. The sacristan is “supposed” to do it, but he just tops it off. We take it upon ourselves to empty, clean the holders and refill them.
 
My home parish used to do this. Every lent they would replace the holy water with sand. I understood the symbolism, and I didn’t have much issue with it, that was until my brother pointed out that it unnecessary withheld little graces for the faithful. Lenten decorations around the church paint the same picture, dryness, struggle, and penitence. You don’t need to get rid of Holy water. My brother who at the time was in the seminary, spoke with the priest and convinced him to keep holy water through the year, and he listened! Proud sister here! :pray:t2:❤️😂
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top