Sprinkling vs. hand-dipping

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bflochica5

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On Easter Sunday, the Mass rubrics talk about a sprinkling rite. Can this be done as a hand-dipping thing instead, using a bowl of water at the front as all people process up (Communion-style) to put their hands in the water? I had never heard of this before but now the powers-that-be plan to do it for this Easter. Can anyone clarify whether this is liturgically acceptable?
 
bflochica5 said:
On Easter Sunday, the Mass rubrics talk about a sprinkling rite. Can this be done as a hand-dipping thing instead, using a bowl of water at the front as all people process up (Communion-style) to put their hands in the water? I had never heard of this before but now the powers-that-be plan to do it for this Easter. Can anyone clarify whether this is liturgically acceptable?
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What? Can you explain this a little more? It sounds completely made up, to be honest. The Sacramentary says nothing about a hand-dipping rite. This sounds like clericization of the laity; that is, taking the duty of the priest to bless the people by sprinkling them with holy water and instead letting the laity do things themselves that they’re not meant to do.

Where is this?
 
This is in the tentative plan to take place at my parish (in a suburb of Buffalo, NY) on Easter. The same idea has been brought up in the past for Confirmation ceremonies–with our pastor’s endorsement, apparently. The former DRE went directly to the diocese then, where someone put a stop to it from what I understand, but now the topic is coming up again. I would give you more details about how exactly it will play out but I don’t know them either; this is totally new to me too. I only know what I previously posted.
 
bflochica5 said:
This is in the tentative plan to take place at my parish (in a suburb of Buffalo, NY) on Easter. The same idea has been brought up in the past for Confirmation ceremonies–with our pastor’s endorsement, apparently. The former DRE went directly to the diocese then, where someone put a stop to it from what I understand, but now the topic is coming up again. I would give you more details about how exactly it will play out but I don’t know them either; this is totally new to me too. I only know what I previously posted.
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Making stuff up is not part of the Mass. I hope, for your parish’s sake, someone brings this to the attention of the bishop, or at least talks some sense into the pastor.

If priests are allowed to do whatever he feels like doing at Mass, what’s to stop the faithful from doing whatever they feel like doing (if they even bother to show up)?
 
bflochica5 said:
On Easter Sunday, the Mass rubrics talk about a sprinkling rite. Can this be done as a hand-dipping thing instead, using a bowl of water at the front as all people process up (Communion-style) to put their hands in the water? I had never heard of this before but now the powers-that-be plan to do it for this Easter. Can anyone clarify whether this is liturgically acceptable?
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Well, logically what’s the difference between doing that during the mass vs. when you come into church, as everyone does?

I still don’t like the idea. It’s supposed to be a “sprinkling” not a dipping. And there is symbolism involved in the rite …

So, I vote against it. Bad idea. Problematic. But at the same time, not something for you to lose sleep over.
 
From the Roman Missal, for the Easter Vigil:
“47. The priest sprinkles the people with blessed water, while all sing: I saw water; or any other song which is baptismal in character may be sung. …
49. After the people have been sprinkled, the priest returns to the chair.”
(Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 205).
 
John_Lilburne said:
From the Roman Missal, for the Easter Vigil:
“47. The priest sprinkles the people with blessed water, while all sing: I saw water; or any other song which is baptismal in character may be sung. …
49. After the people have been sprinkled, the priest returns to the chair.”
(Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, 1985, page 205).
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Yes, and this is the problem–the person who seems to be spearheading this decision is saying that this hand-dipping action is a “creative way of participating in” the sprinkling. Something to that effect. So she’s claiming it’s in line with the Missal because she believes it IS a form of sprinkling. And I have yet to find anything that specifically says it’s not (even if logic tells me so).
 
bflochica5 said:
On Easter Sunday, the Mass rubrics talk about a sprinkling rite. Can this be done as a hand-dipping thing instead, using a bowl of water at the front as all people process up (Communion-style) to put their hands in the water? I had never heard of this before but now the powers-that-be plan to do it for this Easter. Can anyone clarify whether this is liturgically acceptable?
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No, technically not.
 
bflochica5 said:
Yes, and this is the problem–the person who seems to be spearheading this decision is saying that this hand-dipping action is a “creative way of participating in” the sprinkling. Something to that effect. So she’s claiming it’s in line with the Missal because she believes it IS a form of sprinkling. And I have yet to find anything that specifically says it’s not (even if logic tells me so).
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Let’s just issue squirt guns at the door and have a water fight at the appropriate time.
 
Dipping is clearly another action. From the liturgical book, Ceremonial of Bishops:
“110 It is an old and honored practice for all who enter a church to dip their hand in a font (stoup) of holy water and sign themselves with the sign of the cross as a reminder of their baptism.”
(Ceremonial of Bishops, Liturgical Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8146-1818-9, page 44).

This book also has a description of the Easter Vigil sprinkling:
“369 After the renewal of bpatismal promises, the bishop, still wearing the miter, sprinkles the people with the blessed water. He is assisted, if necessary, by presbyters and, as circumstances suggest, he may pass through the body of the church. During this time all sing …”.
 
bflochica5 said:
Yes, and this is the problem–the person who seems to be spearheading this decision is saying that this hand-dipping action is a “creative way of participating in” the sprinkling. Something to that effect. So she’s claiming it’s in line with the Missal because she believes it IS a form of sprinkling. And I have yet to find anything that specifically says it’s not (even if logic tells me so).
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“Creativity.” How I have come to loathe the word.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
Let’s just issue squirt guns at the door and have a water fight at the appropriate time.
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I think water balloons would allow for more active participation, as many people might be uncomfortable using something that resembles a gun.
 
bflochica5 said:
Yes, and this is the problem–the person who seems to be spearheading this decision is saying that this hand-dipping action is a “creative way of participating in” the sprinkling. Something to that effect. So she’s claiming it’s in line with the Missal because she believes it IS a form of sprinkling. And I have yet to find anything that specifically says it’s not (even if logic tells me so).
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What is so hard to understand about just doing it the way it’s written. God forbid we don’t “participate” in every single little action. As though you are not participating by BEING sprinkled.
 
PaixGioiaAmor said:
What is so hard to understand about just doing it the way it’s written. God forbid we don’t “participate” in every single little action. As though you are not participating by BEING sprinkled.
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Well yes, that was my thought exactly. When a friend tried to protest and say something to that effect, the response she got back seemed to imply that she was just stuck in the Dark Ages and being too stubborn to accept change.
 
bflochica5 said:
Well yes, that was my thought exactly. When a friend tried to protest and say something to that effect, the response she got back seemed to imply that she was just stuck in the Dark Ages and being too stubborn to accept change.
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What’s wrong with the Dark Ages? We had fewer dissenters. And when they cropped up we burned them. 😃
 
bflochica5 said:
Yes, and this is the problem–the person who seems to be spearheading this decision is saying that this hand-dipping action is a “creative way of participating in” the sprinkling. Something to that effect. So she’s claiming it’s in line with the Missal because she believes it IS a form of sprinkling. And I have yet to find anything that specifically says it’s not (even if logic tells me so).
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I honestly don’t see why anyone would need anything more than logic to tell them that this “dipping rite for dips” is not in line with the rubrics. Look at what the rubric says: “The PRIEST sprinkles the people.”

Now, if the people sprinkle the people, they are not “participating” in the priest’s sprinkling because the priest is not doing anything. If this woman truly believes that this “creative” idea is a form of sprinkling, I would suggest that she isn’t even remotely competent to spearhead anything, let alone liturgical practice.
 
Andreas_Hofer said:
I honestly don’t see why anyone would need anything more than logic to tell them that this “dipping rite for dips” is not in line with the rubrics. Look at what the rubric says: “The PRIEST sprinkles the people.”

Now, if the people sprinkle the people, they are not “participating” in the priest’s sprinkling because the priest is not doing anything. If this woman truly believes that this “creative” idea is a form of sprinkling, I would suggest that she isn’t even remotely competent to spearhead anything, let alone liturgical practice.
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Agreed.
 
Hey what’s going on here… You guys are all agreeing.

This is a welcome sign that not everything has gone to the birds, even though there is somebody out there who does think this is a good idea, it is good to see that there is some sanity on the forums.

God Bless
Scylla
 
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