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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 26, 2019 18:42:02 GMT
Fr. Matthew Barzare and parishioners of St. Anne Church in Cow Island enlisted the help of a cropduster pilot to bless their community. They loaded 100 gallons of holy water into the plane and the pilot sprayed the water onto the town and the nearby farms. Parishioners also brought water from home to the airstrip to be blessed by Fr. Barzare. The blessing was the brainchild of L’Eryn Detraz, a missionary currently stationed in Ohio who is a native of Cow Island. A happy and blessed Christmas to everyone from St. Anne Church and parishioners!
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 26, 2019 18:42:47 GMT
Seems kind of disrespectful of anyone in the town who isn't of their faith.
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Post by barb43 on Dec 26, 2019 19:01:46 GMT
Well, I'd wonder if the holy water would still be clean or pure enough to still be considered holy water - after all, was the plane's spray tank(s) cleaned to remove pesticide residue prior to loading the holy water? Or would the plane's water tank need cleaning after the holy water was sprayed prior to returning it to use with pesticides? I've read, of course, that holy water is merely water that's been blessed. I've also read that it's water to which salt has been added (didn't say what sort of salt - sodium chloride or potassium chloride or what). We were told in the catechumenate program that a few drops of the oil of chrism were added to it. People at church were told to be sure & not let children or pets drink it, if they decided to take some home. I have no definitive answer on the consistency of holy water - this article just brought up the subject in my mind.  As for whether it would be disrespectful to any one in town who isn't Catholic? They would most likely chuckle and consider this project nonsense, if they didn't support it. <-- Just my opinion.  |
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 26, 2019 19:23:02 GMT
I've read, of course, that holy water is merely water that's been blessed. I've also read that it's water to which salt has been added (didn't say what sort of salt - sodium chloride or potassium chloride or what). We were told in the catechumenate program that a few drops of the oil of chrism were added to it. People at church were told to be sure & not let children or pets drink it, if they decided to take some home. I have no definitive answer on the consistency of holy water - this article just brought up the subject in my mind. Because I had nothing better to do for a half hour or so, I looked up the Catholic Ritual for making Holy Water.
The Blessing of Water, including exorcisms and adding Exorcised Salt to the Holy Water from “The Roman Ritual”.
(Priest vests in surplice and purple stole)
P (Priest): Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R (Response): Who made heaven and earth.
Exorcism and Blessing of Salt (necessary for Exorcism of Water)
P: O salt, creature of God, I exorcise you by the living (+) God, by the true (+) God, by the holy (+) God, by the God who ordered you to be poured into the water by Elisha the prophet, so that its life-giving powers might be restored. I exorcise you so that you may become a means of salvation for believers, that you may bring health of soul and body to all who make use of you, and that you may put to flight and drive away from the places where you are sprinkled; every apparition, villainy, turn of devilish deceit, and every unclean spirit; adjured by him who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire.
R: Amen.
P: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, we humbly implore you, in your immeasurable kindness and love, to bless (+) this salt which you created and gave to the use of mankind, so that it may become a source of health for the minds and bodies of all who make use of it. May it rid whatever it touches or sprinkles of all uncleanness, and protect it from every assault of evil spirits. Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
Exorcism and Blessing of Water
P: O water, creature of God, I exorcise you in the name of God the Father (+) Almighty, and in the name of Jesus (+) Christ His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy (+) Spirit. I exorcise you so that you may put to flight all the power of the enemy, and be able to root out and supplant that enemy with his apostate angels, through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire.
R: Amen.
P: Let us pray. O God, for the salvation of mankind, you built your greatest mysteries on this substance, water. In your kindness, hear our prayers and pour down the power of your blessing (+) into this element, made ready for many kinds of purifications. May this, your creature, become an agent of divine grace in the service of your mysteries, to drive away evil spirits and dispel sickness, so that everything in the homes and other buildings of the faithful that is sprinkled with this water, may be rid of all uncleanness and freed from every harm. Let no breath of infection and no disease-bearing air remain in these places. May the wiles of the lurking enemy prove of no avail. Let whatever might menace the safety and peace of those who live here be put to flight by the sprinkling of this water, so that the health obtained by calling upon your holy name, may be made secure against all attack. Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
(Priest pours exorcised salt into the water, in the form of a cross)
P: May a mixture of salt and water now be made, in the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
R: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
R: And with your spirit.
P: Let us pray. O God, Creator unconquerable, invincible King, Victor ever-glorious, you hold in check the forces bent on dominating us. You overcome the cruelty of the raging enemy, and in your power you beat down the wicked foe. Humbly and fearfully do we pray to you, O Lord, and we ask you to look with favor on this salt and water which you created. Shine on it with the light of your kindness. Sanctify it by the dew of your love, so that, through the invocation of your holy name, wherever this water and salt is sprinkled, it may turn aside every attack of the unclean spirit, and dispel the terrors of the poisonous serpent. And wherever we may be, make the Holy Spirit present to us, who now implore your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.
R: Amen.
End of ritual.
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 26, 2019 19:26:15 GMT
As for whether it would be disrespectful to any one in town who isn't Catholic? They would most likely chuckle and consider this project nonsense, if they didn't support it. <-- Just my opinion. You may be right, but I can't help thinking that it would be interesting (or amusing?) to see the reaction if a group such the Freedom from Religion Foundation or the American Atheists Association were to discover that they were being "blessed" in this way.
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Post by barb43 on Dec 26, 2019 21:59:17 GMT
As for whether it would be disrespectful to any one in town who isn't Catholic? They would most likely chuckle and consider this project nonsense, if they didn't support it. <-- Just my opinion. You may be right, but I can't help thinking that it would be interesting (or amusing?) to see the reaction if a group such the Freedom from Religion Foundation or the American Atheists Association were to discover that they were being "blessed" in this way.  I hadn't thought of it this way! Those are probably more easily triggered people than your average Southern Baptist or United Church of Christ member.  I'd never, ever hear of exorcising salt and water.  That's totally a new one on me - and I was around Catholics all of my jr high and high school years, as well as being engaged to a Catholic for almost a year in college, and then I married a Catholic, joined the church, and was a practicing Catholic for about 20 years. Wow! |
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Post by M. Hawbaker on Dec 28, 2019 22:05:09 GMT
Rev. Matthew Barzare, the parish’s young priest, told NPR that this was the largest amount of water he had ever blessed. “I’ve blessed some buckets for people and such, but never that much water,” the priest said. Barzare told The Guardian that the event was so popular with his church that he hopes to repeat it next year. “We can bless a larger area with 300 gallons of water than we can with 100,” he said. www.yahoo.com/news/holy-water-crop-duster-louisiana-233752140.html |
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Post by barb43 on Dec 28, 2019 22:35:17 GMT
That's interesting! At a very basic level, I think blessing the farm fields is worthwhile. As levels are added, like the tradition of blessing the fields during Ember Days, I start cringing. We know what Jesus had to say about traditions in Mark 7. It has always bothered me when Christians, in general, and Catholics, in specific, adopt pagan customs into Christian/Catholic practices. That's how we got Christmas, as an example - which occurs at the wrong time of year, involves a lot of pagan customs, and has led to adopting the secular character of Santa as a big part of the production. The Catholic Encyclopedia, which is linked in the article cited, explains it this way, while explaining Ember Days: www.newadvent.org/cathen/05399b.htmAh-ha! . . . That does explain a lot, but doesn't mean I have to agree with continuing to recognize Ember Days. |
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I hadn't thought of it this way! Those are probably more easily triggered people than your average Southern Baptist or United Church of Christ member. 
That's totally a new one on me - and I was around Catholics all of my jr high and high school years, as well as being engaged to a Catholic for almost a year in college, and then I married a Catholic, joined the church, and was a practicing Catholic for about 20 years. Wow!