Holy Water

What is Holy Water

	A Means of Spiritual Wealth Holy Water is a Sacramental that may remit venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, the Holy Catholic Church strongly urges its use upon Her children, especially when dangers threaten, such as fire, storms, sickness and other calamities. Every home should always have in it a supply of Holy Water. Following are some of the petitions the priest makes to God when he blesses water. "O God ...grant that this creature of Thine (water) may be endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases, that whatever in the houses or possessions of the faithful may be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean, and delivered from what is hurtful ...Let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water; so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy Holy Name may be guarded from assault."
The devil hates Holy Water because of its power over him. He cannot long abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled with this blessed water.	Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism). 1668 Catechism of the Catholic Church
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A Means of Spiritual Wealth

Holy Water is a Sacramental that may remit venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, the Holy Catholic Church strongly urges its use upon Her children, especially when dangers threaten, such as fire, storms, sickness and other calamities. Every home should always have in it a supply of Holy Water.

Following are some of the petitions the priest makes to God when he blesses water.

"O God ...grant that this creature of Thine (water) may be endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases, that whatever in the houses or possessions of the faithful may be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean, and delivered from what is hurtful ...Let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water; so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy Holy Name may be guarded from assault."

The devil hates Holy Water because of its power over him. He cannot long abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled with this blessed water.

Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).
1668 Catechism of the Catholic Church

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