Expert: Fr. Michael - 8/17/2004

Question
I have been told that the new Blessings for Holy Water and Salt and Oil has been "watered down" since Vatican II.  After reading the prayers that the Priests use for the Excorcism of Holy Water - I agree.  It has also been said that the demons know the difference between Holy Water and Excorcised Holy Water.

I would like to have the official Pre-Vatican II format for Blessing Holy Oil - to share with my priest.  I would also like to see the format for the new blessing of Oil.

Answer
The three Holy Oils are traditionally consecrated on Maundy Thursday at the Mass celebrated by the bishop at the cathedral.  The traditional blessing would be found in the liturgical book called the "Memoriale Rituum."

I don't use the Novus Ordo rite that was "composed" in the late 1960s, so I'm not sure where you would find the "new" blessing.  The "new" rite (which to traditional Catholics is no better than a Protestant service) rewrote everything by man's hand (actually a Freemason's hand, with the assistance of six Protestant ministers) rather than accepting the Catholic and Apostolic rite used from the early Church.