The abuse of removing Holy Water from fonts during the season of Lent is a manifestation of the Spirit of Vatican II. Well meaning priests misinterpreted or altogether made up their own discipline by removing Holy Water. Father John Zuhlsdorf has followed this up during the course of Lent 2010 with his most recent posting clarifying why Holy Water should never be removed during the season of Lent except for Good Friday and Holy Saturday:
To all the priests out there still… unbelievably still putting sand in holy water fonts during Lent…
KNOCK IT OFF!
And if you go into a church where you see this sort of idiocy… for the love of God, DON’T bless yourself with SAND.
Total FAIL.
- Sand in your holy water stoup
- Dumb liberal idea #3464: Removing Holy Water during Lent
- Empty holy water fonts during Lent… GRRRRRR!
- QUAERITUR: removing holy water during Lent
You know you are a soldier and pilgrim in a dangerous world, right?  What is Lent for? Spiritual discipline and war, right?
So why… why… why would these dopey liturgists and priests REMOVE a tool of spiritual warfare precisely duing the season of LENT when we need it the most??
Holy water is a sacramental.
It is not a toy, or something to be abstained from, like chocolate …. which is the stuff of a childish Lent.
This is a response from the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments about this question. Enjoy.
The emphases are mine:
Prot. N. 569/00/L
March 14, 2000
Dear Father:
This Congregation for Divine Worship has received your letter sent by fax in which you ask whether it is in accord with liturgical law to remove the Holy Water from the fonts for the duration of the season of Lent.
This Dicastery is able to respond that the removing of Holy Water from the fonts during the season of Lent is not permitted, in particular, for two reasons:
1. The liturgical legislation in force does not foresee this innovation, which in addition to being praeter legem is contrary to a balanced understanding of the season of Lent, which though truly being a season of penance, is also a season rich in the symbolism of water and baptism, constantly evoked in liturgical texts.
2. The encouragement of the Church that the faithful avail themselves frequently of the [sic] of her sacraments and sacramentals is to be understood to apply also to the season of Lent. The “fast” and “abstinence” which the faithful embrace in this season does not extend to abstaining from the sacraments or sacramentals of the Church. The practice of the Church has been to empty the Holy Water fonts on the days of the Sacred Triduum in preparation of the blessing of the water at the Easter Vigil, and it corresponds to those days on which the Eucharist is not celebrated (i.e., Good Friday and Holy Saturday).
Hoping that this resolves the question and with every good wish and kind regard, I am,
Sincerely yours in Christ,
[signed]
Mons. Mario Marini [Later, the Secretary of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, now with God.]
Undersecretary
I suggest little beach chairs made from toothpicks and a drink umbrella would look good in there…. maybe a golf ball?
Some fast sprouting beans and a little water when no one is looking?
_._
Biretta tip Father John Zuhlsdorf of What Does The Prayer Really Say?
Our parish moved the holy water to containers in urns in the aisles and filled the holy water fonts with vinegar.
Our “holy” water usually has mossy/seaweed-looking debris floating in it. There’s a penance for you.
I think Father’s idea of sneaking fast growing seeds and a little water into the “Holy Sand” is fabulous.
Must be a Northern Hemisphere thing.
Never seen it of even heard of it Downunder.
Why not a font full of salt? More appropriate than sand. 🙂
Don,
You are very fortunate to be in a parish or diocese that has a low threshold of dissident Catholics.
You are truly blessed!
🙂
Sand in the holy water fount means rocks in the collection plate. I forget who suggested it , but think its quite brilliant. Also it’s in keeping with the Lenten theme. All the whackado personal symbolism has got to stop. Just contribute less money to buy all that sand.
I’ve never seen or heard of sand in the holy water fonts before. I’m glad we’re behind the times when it comes to this particular innovation.
These days, I wouldn’t be surprised if they started filling the fonts with hand sanitizer. And considering that I have a rare talent for sitting next to the kid who wipes his nose on his hand or the lady with the bad cold who coughs and sneezes all the way through Mass and then wants to hold my hand during the Our Father, well, hey, a little hand sanitizer would be welcome…
Hehe, I now appreciate the literal holy-water-fountain (not as bad as it sounds…OK, the little wading-pool it pours into is kinda eyebrow-raising…) at my church.
I buried some rubber tarantulas in the sand that was placed in the holy water founts a few years ago. We haven’t seen sand since.