OK, so Mrs. Duckster got into a discussion about holy water and baptisms, as a result of watching a TNT rerun of Judging Amy. Since my membership card as a retired Catholic is misplaced, I could not find the answers to these questions:
Is holy water created from ordinary water by a priest who consecrates it?
I was taught long ago in a galaxy far, far away, that in an emergency – usually life-threatening – any Catholic may baptise someone into the Catholic Church. Does this still hold true? If so, must water be used in the baptism? And if so, does that water become holy water for that baptism?
Holy water is a sacramental, meaning it is a physical object that is used as a way to call attention to spiritual activities. It is “created” by blessing (not consecrating) water mixed with a tiny bit of chrism (oil) and salt. The water need not be of any special variety.
The rule regarding Baptism is that any person (even non-Christians) may baptize someone if they follow the ritual with the intent to baptize. The person so baptized becomes a Christian (although of which denomination is determined by where they hang out, later).
In the Roman Catholic Church, Latin Rite, chrism and salt are not only not needed, but they’re not even mentioned in any liturgical texts. Plain water, from tap or a natural source is fine.
Also, in the RCC (LR), only a bishop, priest, or deacon may ‘bless’ water to create holy water. This is supposed to be done as part of the baptismal ritual, though, they may bless water outside of baptisms to create ‘holy water’ to be used as a sacramental outside of baptism.
A cleric is the ordinary minister of the sacrament of baptism, though, in emergencies (immediate danger of death), anyone, and I mean anyone, even a non-baptized person may administer the baptism on these three conditions:
they pour water (doesn’t need to be blessed first, so, in emergencies regular water can be used) on the head of the one being baptized;
says the formula, “I baptized (or be baptized) in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;” and,
intends to baptize the person in the way the Church intends (even if they themselves don’t fully understand what baptism is all about, just as long their intention is to provide what the church would have provided).
Further to that: If a baptized person, of any denomination, converts to Catholicism (I’m not sure that “convert” is the right word here, since it’s still the same religion) that person is not baptized again. Baptized once, baptized for life.
Don’t laugh, but once a year (usually in the winter for some odd reason) a local church does baptisms in my local surf spot. Sometimes the waves a pretty big so it’s pretty interesting to watch, plus the water is about 54deg. So, I wonder how long that water stays holy? Cause I swim in it & think, well, never mind.
Don’t laugh, but once a year (usually in the winter for some odd reason) a local church does baptisms in my local surf spot. Sometimes the waves a pretty big so it’s pretty interesting to watch, plus the water is about 54deg. So, I wonder how long that water stays holy? Cause I swim in it & think, well, never mind.