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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
	Clement	Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Question: I was reading Father Amorth's book " An Exorcist Tells His Story" and at page 117, he talks about exorcised water, oil and salt. This is the first time I see the term "exorcised" being used on these sacramentals. My question is, are "exorcised" water, oil and salt any different from the normal "Holy" water, oil and salt blessed by a normal priest? There are not many reliable place for me to ask this and this is the only Catholic site I know that touches on the area of exorcism. Thanks for your help and keep up the good work here Bro!
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Clement: Father Amorth is speaking of the old Blessing formula that includes specific language of exorcism. The old formula says: God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God + the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen. Let us pray. O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour forth your blessing + on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord. Amen. [Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:] May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. This blessing of the water is preceded by a similar blessing of salt. The salt is mixed with the water. Salt symbolizes purification. The new formula has several options for the blessing, all of which use similar language. The primary blessing option is: Blessed are you, Lord, all-powerful God, who in Christ, the living water of salvation, blessed and transformed us. Grant that, when we are sprinkled with this water or make use of it, we will be refreshed inwardly by the power of the Holy Spirit and continue to walk in the new life we received at baptism. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. The old formula focuses on the aspect of Holy Water as a sacramental to drive away demons and such. The new formula focuses on the aspect of Holy Water as a symbol and reminder of our baptismal promises (which includes rejecting Satan). Both forms are efficacious. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Clement

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Question:

I was reading Father Amorth's book " An Exorcist Tells His Story" and at page 117, he talks about exorcised water, oil and salt. This is the first time I see the term "exorcised" being used on these sacramentals.

My question is, are "exorcised" water, oil and salt any different from the normal "Holy" water, oil and salt blessed by a normal priest?

There are not many reliable place for me to ask this and this is the only Catholic site I know that touches on the area of exorcism.

Thanks for your help and keep up the good work here Bro!

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Clement:

Father Amorth is speaking of the old Blessing formula that includes specific language of exorcism.

The old formula says:

God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God + the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus + Christ, His Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy + Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.
Let us pray.
O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour forth your blessing + on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:]
May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This blessing of the water is preceded by a similar blessing of salt. The salt is mixed with the water. Salt symbolizes purification.

The new formula has several options for the blessing, all of which use similar language. The primary blessing option is:

Blessed are you, Lord, all-powerful God, who in Christ, the living water of salvation, blessed and transformed us. Grant that, when we are sprinkled with this water or make use of it, we will be refreshed inwardly by the power of the Holy Spirit and continue to walk in the new life we received at baptism. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The old formula focuses on the aspect of Holy Water as a sacramental to drive away demons and such. The new formula focuses on the aspect of Holy Water as a symbol and reminder of our baptismal promises (which includes rejecting Satan).

Both forms are efficacious.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.