Salt as Sacramental

[jantoniello]

Pax.

My son will be baptized in the extraordinary form later this month (which will, to my knowledge, be the first such Baptism–aside from local sedevacantists–said in my diocese since the implementation of the Novus Ordo). My wife and I were also very excited to be able to receive some exorcised salt for use in our home.

BUT THAT’S WHERE IT GETS INTERESTING.

In Weller’s 3-volume Roman Ritual, under the “Administration of Baptism” section, it reads

1. The salt which is to be put into the mouth of the candidate for baptism must be blessed with its own special form as designated later in the rite for baptism. Nor is salt thus blessed to be used at the blessing of water. It should first be reduced to fine granules, and kept clean and dry. Salt thus blessed should be given to nobody nor even returned to whomever may have brought it for the blessing, but should be saved exclusively for baptism or thrown into the sacrarium.

The only other places where salt is blessed, from what I have seen, is at the Blessing of Oats or Salt for animals in Volume III (under the section “Blessings of Other Irrational Creatures”) and at the blessing of water, which says nothing of its personal use, except in connection with the water itself. There is no standalone blessing of salt.

So, is salt a sacramental meant for personal use?

 

[Ad_Orientem]

The traditional blessing for holy water (Rituale, Ch. II) contains a blessing for salt. The prayer translates thus:
God’s creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God, by God who ordered you to be thrown into the water- spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.

It seems this salt is different than that blessed for baptism.

 

[GLam8833]

I know of an ecumenical Christian who uses
ordinary table salt to exorcise demons on
our “prayer walk” around the Christian drop -
in center"!!

 

[jantoniello]

Ad Orientem,

I know the Rituale’s blessing for Holy Water has a blessing for salt contained within it, but is that salt okay to keep outside of its combination with water?

 

[Ad_Orientem]

I know the Rituale’s blessing for Holy Water has a blessing for salt contained within it, but is that salt okay to keep outside of its combination with water?

Yes. It’s not to be used lightly, mind you. It is sometimes used by exorcists or by priests dealing with the Occult. Traditional priests have given me blessed salt when the occasion called for it, and I’m only a layman. Look at the prayer, especially the part I set in boldface above. It foresees “sprinkling” the salt in “places.” If you look at the blessing for salt used at baptism, the intention is different. There is no mention of sprinkling it anywhere.

I don’t know why the Rituale combines the blessing of salt and holy water into one ritual. Perhaps because the former isn’t used that often apart from adding it to the latter.

If you have or want to acquire some blessed salt, I would consult a traditional priest.

 

[LiamQ]

… is that salt okay to keep outside of its combination with water?

Fr. Chad Ripperger, an exorcist, very much so recommends actively using blessed salt as a sacramental—in one’s food, for example.

 

[midori]

I have my 1962 missal bookmarked to this prayer. I usually try to get my salt blessed after a weeknight Mass so that there’s not the time crunch you get on Sunday. I’ll say, “Father, can you please bless my salt with this prayer?” and sometimes I’ll have two or three cans of salt at a time, because (a) I like to share some with family members, and (b) that way, I only have to ask maybe once a year or so.

I learned about it from the FSSP priest, who recommended it for cooking with. You can also use it to bless places, like houses, like you would with holy water, by sprinkling it around boundaries or doorsteps, etc.

I exorcize thee, created element of salt, by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God, by God who by the hand of Eliseus the prophet mingled thee with water in order that the barrenness thereof might be healed; that thou mayest be made salt from which the evil spirit hath been cast forth for the health of the faithful, and mayest bring to all who partake of thee health of soul and body; and that there may be banished from the place in which thou shalt be sprinkled, every kind of hallucination and wickedness, or craft of devilish deceit, and every unclean spirit, in the name of Him Who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.