Q. Can I bless holy water myself?
A. While the Church recognizes Seven Sacraments as instituted by Christ to give Grace, within the Catholic Church there are numerous sacramentals. Sacramentals are “sacred signs by which effects, especially spiritual effects, are signified in some imitation of the sacraments and are obtained through the intercession of the Church” (Code of Canon Law c. 1166). These signs are meant to connect us more fully to the celebration of the Sacraments as “they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it” (Catechism of the Catholic Church n.1670).
Arguably the most common sacramental is holy water. As its name implies, holy water is water that, through rituals approved by the Church, is set apart for some pious use. Its most exalted use is during the Baptismal Ritual in which it is used to signify the washing free from Original Sin and the incorporation into the Life of Christ by the one baptized.
More commonly it is used as a reminder of baptism (such as when we sign ourselves with holy water when entering a church) or as a means of blessing (such as when a house is blessed). A lay person is always free to use holy water for a pious purpose, always taking care that such a purpose does not veer into superstition.
While lay persons can and should make use of holy water, only a cleric (deacon, priest, bishop) is able to bless holy water. A common practice amongst Catholics is to mix holy water with regular water with the purpose of making all the water holy. While not definitive Church teaching, there are some reasonable arguments (such as the preconciliar Baptismal Ritual) that indicate this practice is effective.
However, it must always be adding regular water to holy water, not the other way around. The amount of holy water must always be greater than the amount of regular water added. This should only be done once and only in a case of true necessity. Ordinarily, it is best to get more holy water from your parish church or approach your parish priest or deacon and ask them to bless water for you.
This question was answered by Father Caleb La Rue, vice chancellor of the Diocese of Lincoln. Write to Ask the Register using our online form, or write to 3700 Sheridan Blvd., Suite 10, Lincoln NE 68506-6100. All questions are subject to editing. Editors decide which questions to publish. Personal questions cannot be answered. People with such questions are urged to take them to their nearest Catholic priest.
