Holy Water is blessed before the High Mass or Parish Mass on Sundays, by means of the following ancient exorcisms and prayers. When salt and the water to be blessed have been made ready in the sacristry, the Priest who is going to say Mass, or another appointed for the purpose (Holy Water may be blessed at other times also), wearing an alb, or surplice and stole, says:
V. Our help is in the name of the Lord. R. Who made heaven and earth.
He then begins the exorcism of the salt.
I exorcize thee, created element of salt, by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God, by GOd Who by the hand of Eliseus the prophet mingled thee with water in order that the barrenness thereof might be healed; that thou mayest be made salt from whichthe evil spirit hath been cast forth for the health of the faithful, and mayest bring to all who partake of thee health of soul and body: and that there may be banished from the place in which thou shalt be sprinkled, every kind of hallucination and wickedness, or craft of devilish deceit, and every unclean spirit, in the name of Him Who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.
Let us pray.-- We humbly entreat, O God, Thy boundless mercy and love for us, to bless + and hallow + this created element of salt, which Thou hast given to mankind for their use, that it may make for health of mind and body to all who partake of it, and that everything touched or sprinkled with it may be freed from all uncleanness, and from all assaults of wicked spirits. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.
Exorcism of the water. I exorcize thee, created element of water, 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 + Ghost; that thou mayest be made water from which the evil spirit hath been driven out for the banishment of every power of the enemy, that thou mayest be able to uproot and cast out entirely that enemy himself, together with his rebel angels, by the power of the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. R. Amen.
Let us pray.--O God, Who for the salvation of the human race didst ordain Thy greatest Sacraments in the substance of water: graciously hearken to our prayers, and impoart to this element which hath in manifold ways been purified, Thy power and blessing +: so that this creature of Thine may be used in Thy mysteries and endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases; that whatever in the houses or possessions of the faithful shall be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean and hurtful. Let no spirit of pestilence or baleful breath abide therein. Let all the snares of the denemy who lieth in wait for us be driven forth, and let everything that threateneth the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water: so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy holy name may be guarded from all assault. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
Is water and salt still in need of exorcism ?
If not why not?
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In fact, those prayers are still said at parishes that use the pre-Vatican II liturgy.
Why?
"And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards." -- Isaiah 19:3