Disposing
of Sacramentals
Disposing of Old,
Worn-out Material Sacramentals
When a material sacramental
becomes so worn that it can no longer be used as a sacramental, a Catholic
won't casually toss it into the trash. To prevent desecration, the sacramental
should be returned to the earthly elements. Holy water, for example,
should be poured into a hole dug in the earth, in a spot noone would
walk over. Combustible sacramentals, such as scapulars and holy books,
should be burned and then buried. Larger sacramentals that don't burn
should be altered so that their form no longer appears to be a sacramental
(ex., a statue should be broken up into small pieces) and then buried.
Objects made of metals can be melted down and used for another purpose.
In the Sacristy (also called "Vestry")
of a church -- the room where vestments, vessels and oils are stored,
there is a special sink called a "sacrarium" (also "piscina")
which is used for cleaning sacred vessels and getting rid of Holy Water,
etc. This sink's drainage pipe doesn't lead to the sewer as do those
of most sinks; instead, it goes directly to the earth so that liquid
sacramentals, such as Holy Water and oils, and even the tiniest morsels
of the Blessed Sacrament or drops of the Precious Blood which might
be found on Patens or Chalices will be disposed of correctly and with
reverence.
Items lose their blessing or consecration if
they are desecrated, or are substantially broken such that they can
no longer be used for their sacred purpose, or if they are publicly
sold (if an item is sold by one individual to another for only the price
of the material itself -- i.e., if no profit is made, the blessing remains.
E.g., if you were to give somone, say, a blessed rosary or sell it to
him at cost, he would not have to have it re-blessed; if you sell a
blessed rosary to someone for profit, he would need to take it to a
priest.)
Note that on 23 June -- the Eve of the Feast
of St. John the Baptist -- it is custom to build large bonfires in which
no longer useful material sacramentals are burned.
Written
by Tracy Tucciarone López
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