Warm water holy water fonts?

[Della]

My dh and I sometimes to go a parish near our house that leans towards the liberal side. We attended Sunday evening and found warm water in their holy water/baptismal font. It’s the sort that is also a type of fountain, with the water flowing over the sides and into drainage around the bottom. Is this the latest innovation? Has anyone else seen this?

 

[cameron_lansing]

My dh and I sometimes to go a parish near our house that leans towards the liberal side. We attended Sunday evening and found warm water in their holy water/baptismal font. It’s the sort that is also a type of fountain, with the water flowing over the sides and into drainage around the bottom. Is this the latest innovation? Has anyone else seen this?

It’s not really a liberal/traditional issue. More recently constructed or rennovated churches provide for heating the holy water in the baptistry, especially before the baptism of infants. In this way, they are not shocked or cooled down too much.

There is nothing to prohibit this in law that I am aware of. The circulation of water assists in reducing problems that arise when the water is stagnant. Such “living water” also reflects an ancient preference.

 

[SMHW]

That’s the way it is at my parish (church dedicated in 1995). The water is only heated if there will be baptisms that day, either during Mass or afterwards. Otherwise the water will be cool.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I recently visited a parish that has a font in their narthex (It’s really not tha tmuch of a “gathering place”). The water is heated by a jaccuzi heater and pump.

 

[chotock]

we have a rather large font which, as you can see in the picture, is directly below the window depicting Christ being baptized. IN the window he is standing in the Jordan and St. John the Baptist is pouring water on him. We use the “combo” method for Baptizing adults, them kneeling in the font and the priest/bishop pouring water on them (which can be just as effective as immersion depending on what vessel we use that year). Since Easter is usually in a more chilly time of the year, we most certainly use a heater when we are going to be doing such a baptism, otherwise we would freeze our catechumens.

BTW, I believe the picture is from a rehearsal of the dedication ceremony. Things have really changed since we got Bshp Finn, no more guitars during the liturgy and a lot of the more radical members of the parish have fled to the burbs

 

[revejj2000]

In the Early Church, baptisms were done in cold water. It was to shock the catechumen, gasping for air, to symbolize the gasping for air when someone is dying. Now the rite mentions that the water is to be warm.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

In the Early Church, baptisms were done in cold water. It was to shock the catechumen, gasping for air, to symbolize the gasping for air when someone is dying. Now the rite mentions that the water is to be warm.

Catechumens, maybe; babies, no way. . .

 

[revejj2000]

Catechumens, maybe; babies, no way. . .

If you are talking about babies in the first centuries being baptized in cold water, there was no problem for babies were not baptized. They and little children were brought into the Faith by the faith of the adults parents that were baptized. Only later when a concern was raised about baptizing infants and children, discussed by St. Augustine, was infants and children baptized. Even then, most baptismal fonts were made of stone or marble and the water would usually be cool or cold.

Now the Church asks that the water be warm, at bath water temperature.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

In the Early Church, baptisms were done in cold water. It was to shock the catechumen, gasping for air, to symbolize the gasping for air when someone is dying. Now the rite mentions that the water is to be warm.

Do you have a source for this historical tid bit?

Jim

 

[lizaanne]

I believe our water is warmed as well - we have a very beautiful font where the adults will stand in the water while Father pours three HUGE pitchers of water over their heads while the entire congregation, close to 3,000 at Easter Vigil, sings the litany of the Saints. It is SOOO beautiful and moving!

HERE is a photo with a description of the chapel, and ANOTHER with a description of the font.

~Liza

 

[revejj2000]

Do you have a source for this historical tid bit?

Jim

I believe I read this in one of the writings of the Early Church Fathers, but my books are at my brothers apartment. I will see him tomorrow and I will look it up.

 

[Della]

The reason I brought it up is because the water wasn’t being used for a baptism at the time. It was just being used as a holy water font for those coming into Mass. It seems odd to have to warm up the water just for that. Just keeping the water moving should be enough, shouldn’t it, to keep it fresh? Frankly, I feared that little children and the incontinent might have a problem with it, if you know what I mean.

 

[anamchara]

I believe our water is warmed as well - we have a very beautiful font where the adults will stand in the water while Father pours three HUGE pitchers of water over their heads while the entire congregation, close to 3,000 at Easter Vigil, sings the litany of the Saints. It is SOOO beautiful and moving!

~Liza

Liza, that is so beautiful. I don’t see a problem with warming the holy water a bit. Even for those just coming in for mass not necessarily baptism. I have to say I wish our holy wasn’t so cold It sits in the vestibule and our parish sets along the river in a rural area, it’s VERY cold brrr! The tiny little vestibule is not heated.

I don’t see a problem with it being heated a wee bit as long as it’s not for relaxin’ and sipping wine then it would be a hot tub, that might be goin’ a bit too far

 

[lizaanne]

Hey - it’s better than the dressed up horse trough I was baptized in as an adult - it really was, they painted it white and dressed it up with flowers and put a jacuzzi heater on it so we didn’t freeze to death, then they put it in front of the altar. The whole thing was more than a bit strange - bless his heart, that priest is retired now. Most are quite happy…for him.

~Liza

 

[John_Hiner]

. . . babies were not baptized. They and little children were brought into the Faith by the faith of the adults parents that were baptized. Only later when a concern was raised about baptizing infants and children, discussed by St. Augustine, was infants and children baptized.

Laudatur Jesus Christus,
Dear Father:

Would you, please, provide some reference or argument for this view?

Thank you.

Pax.

John Hiner

 

[jmm08]

I also visited a different Catholic Church recently (Ash Wednesday) where I noticed a very similar setup. I was more comfortable with the Holy Water font in their chapel (it was super-sized, but at least it looked like it might be a Holy Water font). In the main sanctuary pool/fountain/font, my only clue was that others were blessing themselves with the water.

What made me sad about my visit was that I could not find a Poor Box anywhere. I asked the priest where it was and they really didn’t have one because they thought it could get broken into. Is this really a new problem that the Catholic Church has never faced over the last 1000+ years? I’ve seen some burglar-proof solutions that were like a small slot in the masonry wall (and the money is taken out in a private room on the other side). I think it robs the faithful not to be able to easily (and secretly) give to the poor – with a poor box.

I admit I think a Catholic Church should have additional boxes (or slots) for St. Anthony’s Bread, Masses for Holy Souls, votive candles, and literature or pamphlets.

And another thing that made me sad was that I could not recall seeing a significant picture or statue of Mary. Nor was there an area to votive light candles.

There was an immense stained glass window across the back of the Church – all abstract and shades of blue.

If the diocese ever needs the funds, I’m confident that many Protestant denominations could buy the church and hardly change anything at all before they moved in.