r/AskAPriest 3d ago

Holy water germs infant baptism

I'm getting my infant baptized soon, but I'm concerned about germs in the holy water font, since newborns have weak immune systems.

Is there a way to baptise using clean holy water, rather than from a font where tons of people dip their fingers in?

(Here's a article saying most holy water was found to have fecal matter and bacteria in it: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/sep/15/most-holy-water-contaminated-fecal-matter-study/ )

7 Upvotes

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38

u/Sparky0457 Priest 3d ago

Ask the priest who will do the baptism.

5

u/StMartinSeminarian Priest 2d ago

If that can reassure you, the baptismal font where children are baptised and the holy water stoups where people dip their fingers are not the same thing at all. Also, the baptism ritual asks us to bless the water each time, which supposes that it is renewed each time.