The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-04-24
HOLY WATER.

very beneficial for the souls in purga-
tory. Whenever a priest blesses the
water, he does it as substitute, and
in the name of the Church, whose
prayer the Divine Saviour readily
deigns to hear for whomsover the holy
Church may pray.
Hence, whenever we take holy wa
ter, and with but one drop of the same
bless ourselves, or any other object,
present or absent, the prayer of the
Church from anew penetrates the
clouds, finds it's way to the footstool OF
God and obtains graces and blessings
for body and soul for every object
that is touched by the blessed water.
1t also lays low the power of the
evil spirits, whence the saying, HE
fears this or that as satan does holy
water" Millions of facts can be adj
duced to show and prove the great
and dreadful fear satan harbors for
holy water.
But how does it come that we also
can bless distant persons, and the
poor souls with holy water so it may
prove salutary to them? The solution
of the question is evident from what
has been said. For, as often as we
give holy water to an absent child,
or brother, the prayer of the Church
ascends to the Divine Heart and in-
duces it to protect our relatives bodily
and spiritually Similarly God is
moved in behalf of the poor souls
when holy water is used with that in
tention o the great alienation one
drop of holy water calls forth for d
suffering soul!
The venerable Dominicus a Jesu
had, as it was customary with the Car
melite order, the skull of a dead man
upon his table 1t came to pass that
the Father Dominicus sprinkled it
with holy water it addressed him and
exclaimed most piteously, More holy
water" for it had greatly lessened the
violent heat of the tremendously pain
full fires of purgatory.
One drop of holy water certainly
has more power and a greater effect
than a long prayer. Our prayer is
very often lukewarm and distracted,
whereas the prayer of the Church is
always without defects. 1t is pleasing
to the Divine Saviour at every mo-
ment, at all places, and when and
where and by whom it may be said in
the name of his holy Church.
Hence the great desire of the poor
souls for holy water. If we could wit
ness their anguish and prayers for
but one drop of blessed water, un-
doubtedly every Christian soul would
endeavor to use holy water morning
and evening, and frequently during
the day for their relief.
4 How often do we not pass iTf and
out the door, at the side of which is
attached a holy water font? What
pains does it take to permit drop of
holy water to fall from our fingers to
diminish or extinguish the fires of
purgatory?
What great JOY do we thereby cause
to the souls in purgatory? What great
benefits do we draw from such an
act of charity? The poor souls are
grateful to their benefactors; the very
moment we remember them by such a
salutary act, they raise their hands to
heaven, and pray so fervently for their
intercessors, as the most sanity per-
a willing ear to their prayers, as to
the prayers of His pure spouses, and
showers abundant graces upon their
friends on earth.
Indeed, a Christian should not leave
his room for any length of time with.
out distributing three drops of holy
water, one for himself and his rela.
tives, so God may protect them against
all injuries of body and soul; a sec
ond for the dying, especially sinners
in order that God may grant them the
grace of repentance and a happy
death; and finally third for the poor
souls.
o how many blessings, how many
merits and graces would we gain by
such pious practices, for ourselves
for our relatives, and for innumerable
men within but one year, and thereby
have made for ourselves intercessors
here during life, at the hour of death
and in particular whilst suffering in
purgatory.
/. If man knew that within few
miles from his home is doctor, gratis
administering a medicine that already
cured innumerable sick of all descrip
ton, with the only condition that the
medicine must be procured regularl!
at that place every eight days, how
readily and untiringly would people
take their refuge to this means. Be
hold, what an excellent medicine hol.
water is. Thousands and Thousands
have been cured by the confident AM
faithful use of the same combined
with prayer. Misfortunes in houses
harms and fields have often beer
averted.
q, AS dangers are daily Threatening
the welfare of our souls, we stand il
need of graces and assistance. One 0
the most handsome and efficaciou
means to vanquish our fierce and re
lentless enemy is the pious use of hol
water. AS often as we take it devout
ly, our Redeemer sends us assistance
consolation and power that we ca
accomplish the good and avoid tn
bad.
8. If an alarm of fire would b
given, we would hasten to the seen
of destruction, in order to rescue froT
the consuming fire whatever would b
in our power Alas, are we not firml