www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Buying Holy Water, Salt & Oil?

I know someone who purchased a set of Holy Water, Blessed Salt & Oil at a store called "World Market". (not Catholic, just an international market).

A couple questions about this: Is Holy Water/Salt/Oil ever actualy sold?

How would one know of its validty? Would you use these if you purchased them in a store? I don't know why someone would purchase these items, when they are easily available for free (especially Holy Water).

Just curious what your thoughts are.

Peace, Mary

I forgot to mention that they gave me a set as a gift too, which I humbly accepted and thanked them for. But, I don't know if I should use it?

Well at least your set was a gift .

To me that is something which should not be sold.

Yes I have some Oil from St Nicholas Tomb at Bari - and it was a gift to me - I treasure it - but if a friend had greater need - then it would be on its way to them.

I have sent water from Lourdes to Friends - that is a gift and even the special Office in the Domain in Lourdes emphasisees that when they send water to someone from you - you pay the postage and for the container but certainly not for the contents .

Does that help you ?

Yes, I agree.

It seems interesting to me that, as a priest:

-- any time I unction someone I have to collect the cotton swabs and have them burned;
--holy water must either be used or poured onto potentially fertile ground, never poured down the drain; and
--blessed food such as fruit (grapes or basil as example) must be consumed or buried (never thrown out!)

and then some folks are out there 'selling' these items to anybody, for potentially any use or misuse.

Are we certain they were sold? Could there potentially be a misunderstanding about this?

Now, sometimes people offer to contribute money for such things as blessed oil or water or whatever. If they insist I put the money in a papouli fund, but that's as far as I've heard it goes.

My friend bought a set for herself & one for me. She told me she bought it at World Market, which is a local retail store similar to Target/Wal-Mart but specializing in international products.

She meant well, and I didn't want to be discouraging, so I thanked her and accepted it. The package in came in said it was 'blessed'. But, because this was purchased in a retail store, and not to profit a Catholic/Orthodox charity or cause, I am suspicious.

My friend is kind, but a little naive. She once bought a pentagram (like the one the Wiccan lady is holding on another thread) because the sales person told her it was blessed. (Obviously no Christian Priest would bless a pagan object). My poor friend attached the pentagram to the same necklace chain as a blessed Crucifix. As soon as I saw it, I told her what it was, and she removed it. We set in a glass of holy water, which was picked up from a local Catholic parish (so I know that was the 'real deal').

I'm less trusting than she. Just because a label says its blessed, doesn't mean it really was, and because of the incident mentioned above, I wonder blessed - by whom? It's not Lourdes water or anything like that.

So - what do you think. Should I just have the set blessed by our Priest, and stop worrying about it?

Well, getting the materials blessed certainly wouldn't hurt!

Yeah, I think that's what I'll do. I'll just have it blessed. That way if it was never blessed, now it will be, and if it was 'blessed' by someone with ill intentions, all will be corrected.

Thanks for the advise

Here's one for the books: several decades ago a ritzy (= expensive) New York gallery let it be known that they were selling some Russian ecclesiastical vestments, of all things. A priest friend, amazed, went to see these and discuss with the manager the impropriety of putting anything blessed on public sale.

My friend was assured that a Fr. XYZ, a Roman Catholic, for a small consideration had come to the gallery and removed the blessing from the vestments!!!

[Just in case anyone's wondering, the proper way to dispose of vestments beyond repair is to bury them in consecrated ground - such as a consecrated Church graveyard. One may remove crosses, emblems and galoons, provided that they are immediately used in making new vestments. ]

Much more edifying: Back in the 'fifties, when I was a high school boy and attended St. Michael's Chapel in New York, someone gave Father Andrew an old Russian chalice. Since it had been purchased in a commercial transaction, Father Andrew calmly said the prayer to renew a blessing. The chalice is still in use at St. Michael's.

Father Serge

Fr. Serge,

A blessing can be removed?