The use of holy water is an ancient custom. Its employment in primitive times is evidenced by the presence of basins to contain it found in ancient basilicas.

Water may be hallowed anywhere and as often as it is required, but the blessing is normally confined to the church or sacristy. The rubrics require the water for use in church to be blessed by a priest in surplice and stole. The form for blessing water may be found in the Anglican Missal or A Priest's handbook.

On entering and leaving a church it is a pious custom to "take holy water" in memory of our baptism and in token of the purity of heart with which we should worship almighty God. The middle finger of the right hand is dipped in the water and the forehead touched with it, and the sign of the cross made.

As an act of courtesy or mark of respect, a person, after dipping a finger in the water, sometimes offers it to another who touches the outstretched finger, and then both convey the water to their foreheads and sign themselves with the holy sign. It is also quite proper for the server at low Mass (the deacon at high Mass, or the MC at sung Mass) thus to present holy water to the celebrant on leaving the sacristy for the beginning of Mass.

At funerals it is customary in many places for those present to asperse the remains with holy water with three single propulsions of the sprinkler -- center, left, right -- while silently saying a prayer for the departed soul or for the souls of all the faithful.

In the past, there was a commendable custom in some churchyards of hanging a vessel of holy water with a sprig of boxwood near a grave so that the faithful may devoutly sprinkle the resting places of their relatives and others held in loving remembrance.

Holy water, obtained from the parish priest, may be (and indeed should be) taken away and kept for the use privately by the faithful in their homes. This more especially should be done when sickness is in the house or danger of death is imminent.

Those who desire holy water for use in their homes should contact the priest who will help obtain a supply. In our parish church a supply of holy water is always available in the sacristy. Any clean small bottle may be used for transporting Holy Water to one's home. A variety of inexpensive plastic and glass bottles are available in many stores. Small Holy water fonts are available for ones home, and are generally wall-hung, but some that may set upon a table are available. It is a pious custom to place a holy water font near the principal door to a home. The price for these range from a couple of dollars to rather expensive depending upon the age, quality, material, etc. They may be found at good Catholic bookstores, but a large variety is available on ebay ® as well, with a profound range of styles and types. Do a search on ebay ® under "holy water" and see how may options come up!

Holy Water is not used at Baptisms. Baptismal water is used, which is water that is blessed during the rite of Baptism or was blessed during the Vigil of Easter.