Was this lying?

[Fauken]

I was sprinkling holy water around the house and when my dad (non-Catholic) asked what it was, I panicked and said it was just water. Though I may have said it was just some water, I’m not sure. Is it lying?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

It is water, but it’s not “just water”, so I’d say you were half-lying.

However, it’s more of a concern as to why you’d feel you have to lie to your dad about it. Is he very anti-Catholic? Were you afraid he would get mad at you? Or were you just not wanting to tell him what you were doing?

I presume he lives in the house so if you are sprinkling holy water around his living space it would be better to be honest with him about if he asks you.

 

[Fauken]

It is water, but it’s not “just water”, so I’d say you were half-lying.

However, it’s more of a concern as to why you’d feel you have to lie to your dad about it. Is he very anti-Catholic? Were you afraid he would get mad at you? Or were you just not wanting to tell him what you were doing?

I presume he lives in the house so if you are sprinkling holy water around his living space it would be better to be honest with him about if he asks you.

He’s not anti-Catholic, but I was afraid he would be mad and just didn’t want to get into a discussion over why I was sprinkling it around the house.

EDIT: I don’t know why I thought that he would be mad but I did not want to get into a discussion about it. Maybe I was afraid that he would think I was imposing my faith on his house.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Maybe have a talk with him another time in the near future about your faith, when you’re not right in the middle of doing something like sprinkling holy water.
Pick a time when he’s in a good mood. He might be tolerant or even receptive.

 

[Fauken]

Maybe have a talk with him another time in the near future about your faith, when you’re not right in the middle of doing something like sprinkling holy water.
Pick a time when he’s in a good mood. He might be tolerant or even receptive.

Maybe. I feel bad for what I said. Lying can be venial or mortal, correct?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Maybe. I feel bad for what I said. Lying can be venial or mortal, correct?

It can be either one. I doubt in this case it was mortal because you were caught off guard and reacted without having time to think about it, instead of having the intent necessary to commit mortal sin. Ask your confessor if you are concerned.

 

[MaryT777]

Maybe have a talk with him another time in the near future about your faith, when you’re not right in the middle of doing something like sprinkling holy water.
Pick a time when he’s in a good mood. He might be tolerant or even receptive.

This is an excellent thought.

 

[otjm]

I guess that brings up the question: Why were you sprinkling water around the house to begin with?

 

[Fauken]

I guess that brings up the question: Why were you sprinkling water around the house to begin with?

My family has had a stroke of bad luck for our house this past month. I thought spreading holy water might chase anything bad in it away.

 

[DanielStDominic]

I would encourage you, OP, not to trouble yourself with minutiae.

 

[otjm]

My family has had a stroke of bad luck for our house this past month. I thought spreading holy water might chase anything bad in it away.

Bad luck most often comes from decisions by others as well as ourselves - something that sprinkling holy water has no power over.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

There’s no harm in sprinkling your house with a little holy water and asking God to bless it. My mother taught me to do this every time I got a new house.
But it shouldn’t be regarded as a magic charm to chase “bad luck” away.

 

[poche]

It sounds like it was a mental reservation.
In the olden days when discrimination was legal some of the nuns told their students to say that they went to the First Christian Church of St. Peter when they were asked, "What church do you go to?’ on a job application.