# How Do You Make "Holy Water?"



## Shimmie (Nov 30, 2012)

Please share your answers.    I'll come back with mine later.


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## Belle Du Jour (Nov 30, 2012)

A priest (and possibly a deacon but I'm not totally sure on that) blesses the salt that makes the holy water.  

There is a Biblical precedent for HW and purification with water was used in Jewish culture.  Catholics bless themselves with HW prior to entering Church (a sacred space) and as a reminder of our baptism.  Also during certain Masses the priest walks through the church sprinkling us with HW while we sing Psalm 50: 

*Thou shalt sprinke me, O Lord, with hyssop and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash me, and I shall become whiter than snow. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy*



> The ritual use of this precious substance is ancient and rooted in the Old Testament. When the Israelites entered the Temple, they had to undergo purifcation by immersion in a mikvah (modern Jews still make use of mikva'ot on Yom Kippur, on wedding days, for purification after menstruation or coming into contact with a dead body or semen, etc.). These ritual purifications by water prefigured Christian Baptism, which we recall when we bless ourselves (cross ourselves) using holy water upon entering our churches



HW is used to bless yourself, others, your house, property, rebuke demonic spirits, etc.  I keep a bottle in my place  Blessed oil is something most non-Catholic Christians are familiar with (I know we had a bottle of "holy olive oil" growing up in the house ).  At Easter, the priest blesses oil to be used during the year for confirmations, anointing of the sick, etc.


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## Shimmie (Nov 30, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> A priest (and possibly a deacon but I'm not totally sure on that) blesses the salt that makes the holy water.
> 
> There is a Biblical precedent for HW and purification with water was used in Jewish culture.  Catholics bless themselves with HW prior to entering Church (a sacred space) and as a reminder of our baptism.  Also during certain Masses the priest walks through the church sprinkling us with HW while we sing Psalm 50:
> 
> ...



Belle Du Jour

Thanks 'Lady Belle'...

When you quoted  the Psalm , I felt such a warmth in my heart.   I love the words and message of that Psalm.   It's when King David fell before the Lord in repentance from his sin with Bathsheba and killing her husband (Uriah); the very words, "Take not thy (Holy) Spirit from me" are profound.  

Thank you for sharing this message on Holy Water.


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## Belle Du Jour (Nov 30, 2012)

I love the holiness of the sprinkling (asperges) rite.  It is one of my favorite parts of Mass because I recognize how much cleansing I need daily, how much I need HIM daily.

Here is a video of the sprinkling rite (note, the psalm is being sung in Latin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFSKF1Bk6OU

It looks like he's actually using a hyssop plant!

I love the Psalms.  They describe every human emotion and I relate very deeply to them.  My journal entries have been looking like some of David's psalms lately


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## Shimmie (Nov 30, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> I love the holiness of the sprinkling (asperges) rite.  It is one of my favorite parts of Mass because I recognize how much cleansing I need daily, how much I need HIM daily.
> 
> Here is a video of the sprinkling rite (note, the psalm is being sung in Latin):
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFSKF1Bk6OU
> ...



This is beautiful, "Lady Belle".  It's  heart-felt.   

I agree with you completely about the Psalms; they have a way of speaking what's in our hearts, crying out or giving thankful praises unto God.  

Note:  I attached a picture of my Mom and Dad's wedding ceremony; they were married in a Catholic Church ceremony where the Holy Water was used.  I have another picture of them standing before the Priest in his Holy Attire.  The file for that one is too big to upload.    I was also baptised as an infant in a Catholic ceremony.   I've been covered in quite a lot of Holy Water... (thank Goodness).


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## Galadriel (Nov 30, 2012)

Shimmie thanks for sharing the pic! So beautiful! 

Belle Du Jour loved the way you broke down the explanation.


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## Shimmie (Nov 30, 2012)

Galadriel said:


> Shimmie thanks for sharing the pic! So beautiful!
> 
> Belle Du Jour loved the way you broke down the explanation.



Galadriel....

I MISSED YOU!     

   

Welcome Back!  

Belle Du Jour shared an awesome message about Holy Water.  

As for the picture, I had to down size it in order for it to upload to the forum.  The pictures are large files; they were taken by those classic photographers back in my 'Parent's Day'.     The original pics are awesome in clarity.


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## Galadriel (Nov 30, 2012)

I missed you all too! I've been working like a madwoman on a few projects but things are finally starting to slow down a bit .

I bet the actual photos are just gorgeous. I love wedding pictures!



Shimmie said:


> @Galadriel....
> 
> I MISSED YOU!
> 
> ...


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## Shimmie (Nov 30, 2012)

Galadriel said:


> I missed you all too! I've been working like a madwoman on a few projects but things are finally starting to slow down a bit .
> 
> I bet the actual photos are just gorgeous. I love wedding pictures!



I'm glad you're back.   Wishing you much love and so much joy this coming Christmas Holiday.  

And yes, the original wedding photos are beautiful.  My mom was a princess.    The details of her veil and gown were custom made.


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## auparavant (Dec 3, 2012)

A specific prayer and salt.  Or get the ready-made version in the fount in the vestibule of your local catholic church lol.  Be sure to not overfill like everyone does and flow onto the marble floor and make an old lady slip.Seriously, if you want some, nobody will ask you a thing.  You can even use a mason jar or any vessel you'd like.


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## MrsHaseeb (Dec 3, 2012)

Where is holy water mentioned in the Bible?

Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF


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## Shimmie (Dec 3, 2012)

auparavant said:


> A specific prayer and salt.  Or get the ready-made version in the fount in the vestibule of your local catholic church lol.  Be sure to not overfill like everyone does and flow onto the marble floor and make an old lady slip.Seriously, if you want some, nobody will ask you a thing.  You can even use a mason jar or any vessel you'd like.



I'm placing you in 'time out'...


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## Shimmie (Dec 3, 2012)

MrsHaseeb said:


> Where is holy water mentioned in the Bible?
> 
> Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF



Hi  MrsHaseeb...

Here you are Love... 

Numbers 5:17 

"And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water.


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## MrsHaseeb (Dec 4, 2012)

Shimmie said:


> Hi  MrsHaseeb...
> 
> Here you are Love...
> 
> ...



Thank you 

Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF


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## Belle Du Jour (Dec 4, 2012)

Shimmie said:


> Hi  MrsHaseeb...
> 
> Here you are Love...
> 
> ...



TY because a lot of people think stuff Catholics do is un-Biblical or even weird when in reality it's scriptural or steeped in Jewish tradition. Sadly many non-liturgical Protestant churches have lost those rich traditions.  For example, we use a lot of incense. Why? The bible says several times that incense symbolizes our prayers rising up to heaven. We also purify the altar, priest, and congregation with incense. It's quite simply heavenly.


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## auparavant (Dec 4, 2012)

Shimmie said:


> I'm placing you in 'time out'...




HUH?  Why'd I get timeout?    I'm talking about these:







   or these  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




But usually you fill from a tank into one of these:







And you don't overfill cuz it might spill and make somebody fall.  I've spillt it before.     But you can absolutely use a mason jar to collect holy water.  Nobody cares.  Some people use a lot of it.

To make water holy, only a cleric may do so in the name of the Church.  Blessed salt is used:

http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu331.htm
_<b>* Frequently Asked Questions
regarding
BLESSED SALT.

  Q. 1. What is the purpose of blessed salt in the catholic Church? 

 A. 1.  Blessed salt is a very powerful Sacramental of the catholic  Church.  It is an instrument of grace to preserve one from the corruption of evil occurring  as sin, sickness, demonic influence, or other manifestation.

 Since Vatican II, Catholics are being urged to participate "intelligently and actively" in the  use of Sacramentals.  The usage of Blessed Salt answers this call.

 As a Catholic sacramental, salt blessed by the liturgical prayer of a priest may be used by  itself, unmixed, as in exorcisms, and formerly in the exorcistic prayer at baptism, or it may  be mixed with water to make holy water.

 Sacramentals such as blessed salt and holy water are not to be used superstitiously as if they  have a power in them.  Rather, their purpose is to serve as a point of focus to direct one’s  faith towards Jesus, just as a flag is used as a point of focus towards patriotism.

 Properly used, a modest amount of salt may be sprinkled in one’s bedroom, in homes and cottages  to prevent burglary, in cars and boats for safety, etc. A few grains in drinking water or used  in cooking or as food seasoning often bring astonishing spiritual and physical benefits.

 As with the use of any Sacraments, much depends on the faith and devotion of the person who is  using the salt or any sacramental.  This faith must be Jesus-centered, as was the faith of the  blind man in John 9; he had faith in Jesus, not in the mud and spittle used by Jesus to heal him. 

 The following official prayer from the Roman Ritual may be used by a priest to bless the salt:

 "Almighty God, we ask you to bless this salt,
as once you blessed the salt scattered over the water by the prophet Elisha.
Wherever this salt (and water) is sprinkled, 
drive away the power of evil, 
and protect us always by the presence of your Holy Spirit. 
Grant this through Christ our Lord

 Amen." 
​</b>*_


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## Belle Du Jour (Dec 4, 2012)

auparavant I have the little plastic bottle. So far I've only filled it once. 

Shimmie you may already know but some people keep HW stoups in their home.


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## MrsHaseeb (Dec 4, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> TY because a lot of people think stuff Catholics do is un-Biblical or even weird when in reality it's scriptural or steeped in Jewish tradition. Sadly many non-liturgical Protestant churches have lost those rich traditions.  For example, we use a lot of incense. Why? The bible says several times that incense symbolizes our prayers rising up to heaven. We also purify the altar, priest, and congregation with incense. It's quite simply heavenly.



I was simply curious what verse in Scripture was being used to justify the mentioned uses for holy water.

Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF


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## Shimmie (Dec 4, 2012)

auparavant said:


> HUH?  Why'd I get timeout?    I'm talking about these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That urn is beautiful craftsmanship.

I placed you in time out because of the mason jar and the old lady slipping.   

Now that I see the picture, you were serious about the mason jar.  That's incredible. 

Here's my issue with the water being open to eveyone who has dipped in it prior to me...  

Hey, you know I'm a total germaphobe.


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## Shimmie (Dec 4, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> TY because a lot of people think stuff Catholics do is un-Biblical or even weird when in reality it's scriptural or steeped in Jewish tradition. Sadly many non-liturgical Protestant churches have lost those rich traditions.  For example, we use a lot of incense. Why? The bible says several times that incense symbolizes our prayers rising up to heaven. We also purify the altar, priest, and congregation with incense. It's quite simply heavenly.



My mom's sister was an ordained Minister and she kept a vial of both oil and water (not mixed but separate vials).    Here's the interesting thing about my family on both sides (Mom and Dad).   They all went to both Baptist and Catholic services.   

Their offspring (me and my 50-11 cousins) as adults are either Seventh Day Adventists  or Non-denominational.   BUT...  we honour what our parents did. 

We all carry the same common denominator... the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ.    I see this in you, Lady Belle,  I see it in Galadriel and in auparavant.    You love Jesus.    You truly love Jesus.    And I celebrate your love for Him.

Lady Belle you brought it home for me in several profound posts of yours.   One was about the true meaning of Marriage (remember the 'Chicken Thread') and most recently in your post upwards sharing this:

_I love the holiness of the sprinkling (asperges) rite. It is one of my favorite parts of Mass because I recognize how much cleansing I need daily, how much I need HIM daily._

You love God, Lady Belle.  I'm not looking at your denomination, God has shown me your heart and it's humble, your heart is rich, you love Jesus in a humble way that you want what He wants and not what you nor any religion, wants, but what God requires of you and nothing less. 

This is what I see in you...I see three women who loves God truly.  So what if we worship in different Church settings... that's not what I see. 

Praise God for each of you.  I praise God for all of our sisters here.  So precious each of you are.


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## Shimmie (Dec 4, 2012)

MrsHaseeb said:


> I was simply curious what verse in Scripture was being used to justify the mentioned uses for holy water.
> 
> Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF



That's cool... 

I want to understand as well.


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## Belle Du Jour (Dec 4, 2012)

MrsHaseeb said:


> I was simply curious what verse in Scripture was being used to justify the mentioned uses for holy water.
> 
> Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF



Well, recently in another thread, I read that someone said they weren't "equally yoked" to their husband or fiance because he's Catholic.  Statements like that are offensive.  So if my antenna is up, it's because sometimes I read comments like these. 

Catholics are Christians, period.

ETA: a person can be unequally yoked to a Catholic but not simply because the person is Catholic.  If that person is fallen away from their faith or undesirable in other ways, then yes, that's being unequally yoked.  But if only the fact that someone is Catholic is a negative then


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## Belle Du Jour (Dec 4, 2012)

Shimmie said:


> My mom's sister was an ordained Minister and she kept a vial of both oil and water (not mixed but separate vials).    Here's the interesting thing about my family on both sides (Mom and Dad).   They all went to both Baptist and Catholic services.
> 
> Their offspring (me and my 50-11 cousins) as adults are either Seventh Day Adventists  or Non-denominational.   BUT...  we honour what our parents did.
> 
> ...



I appreciate that Shimmie.  I don't think everyone feels that way but ultimately, I can't worry about that.  I know I'm right with God and my goal is to stay right with Him and stay obedient until He calls me out of this world and into the next.    Also, my goal is to never offend but to lovingly (I hope) correct or re-direct especially since there are so many misconceptions about the Catholic church.  I know because I used to have the exact same ones before I was Catholic


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## MrsHaseeb (Dec 4, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> Well, recently in another thread, I read that someone said they weren't "equally yoked" to their husband or fiance because he's Catholic.  Statements like that are offensive.  So if my antenna is up, it's because sometimes I read comments like these.
> 
> Catholics are Christians, period.
> 
> ETA: a person can be unequally yoked to a Catholic but not simply because the person is Catholic.  If that person is fallen away from their faith or undesirable in other ways, then yes, that's being unequally yoked.  But if only the fact that someone is Catholic is a negative then



Belle Du Jour,  as I stated in another thread my fh is Catholic and I love him dearly. Never once said he didn't love God because of that or that he wasn't sincere. I just didn't want a marriage of theological debate so I was apprehensive. My own personal standard was that I wanted someone who believed the same as I do, therefore I considered us unequally yoked. It wasn't meant to single out Catholicism, it was to empathize with the poster I was responding to. I do apologize if it comes off that way as it is never my intention to offend.

Sent from my 4G HTC Thunderbolt using LHCF


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## auparavant (Dec 4, 2012)

Shimmie said:


> That urn is beautiful craftsmanship.
> 
> I placed you in time out because of the mason jar and the old lady slipping.
> 
> ...



Sometimes, the small founts are filled with ashes and the large are just dry.  Lenten times.  Yeah, sometimes the small fount at the door is blooming with a disgusting symbiotic relationship of bacteria and fungus.  Folks sneeze, don't wash hands properly after toilet, pick noses...there's all manner of ICK on folks' finger.  Haven't gotten sick once cuz of it.  I just close my eyes and kim.


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## auparavant (Dec 4, 2012)

For us catholics, what our Church requires of us is inextricable from our love of G-d.  We do out of obedience to Him who founded our Church.  I'm not saying a catholic cannot experience G-d's love outside the Church but we are obedient to our Church  because Christ commands it.   This is just to explain it all.  We don't find G-d necessarily at the point that protestants find him...with us, it is a process from birth til death.  For the devout, you are raised in the Church (which equals love of Jesus and obedience) for the entirety of life.  I know that with protestants, their emphasis is that specific moment someone accepts Jesus as savior and has arrived at the stage of reasoning.  We find Christ via our parents involvement at infant baptism, then first reconciliation (confession) and first communion and receive the 7 gifts of the H-ly Spirit around 14 at confirmation - a process.  So, to us, our belief in Him is not separate from belief in His Church (read, catholic and "universal, one h-ly and apostolic).  I hope that explains it somewhat what the views are.


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## Qualitee (Dec 4, 2012)

Do you ladies use blessed oil?


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## auparavant (Dec 4, 2012)

Yes, called "chrism" which is a mixture of pure olive oil and balsam.  It's blessed by a bishop.  Baptism, Confirmation, H-ly Orders...etc.  


I have some h-ly oil from Lourdes in France which was blessed at that site where the Virgin Mary appeared and blessed the water for healings for the people from the 1800's.  I forget the exact year.  Got some water from Galilee as well...should be all dried up now, though lol...my friend got it on her trip to Israel.


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## Ithacagurl (Dec 6, 2012)

Hi Shimmie are you catholic??


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## Shimmie (Dec 6, 2012)

Ithacagurl said:


> Hi Shimmie are you catholic??



No Babygirl, I'm not Catholic, my Father was.  Nor am I Baptist, Methodist, SDA, COGIC, Pentacostal... Yet my life is surrounded by them all and I love them, as we all love Jesus.   

I am Non-Denominational.  We all share the same heart for the Lord; to live right, raise our children to love and follow the Lord with all of their heart and to all be one in Christ Jesus, no matter what our denomination is.  

With so much sin ruling the world, we must all come together and put satan under our feet once and for all.


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## Galadriel (Dec 7, 2012)

Belle Du Jour said:


> @auparavant I have the little plastic bottle. So far I've only filled it once.
> 
> @Shimmie you may already know but some people keep HW stoups in their home.



I have the little bottle too


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