How to dispose of Sacramentals

Since they are blessed objects, Sacramentals should always be treated with reverence and devotion. They play a pivotal role in the devotion and spiritual life of any Catholic and should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.

When a material sacramental becomes worn off, one should not casually toss it into the dustbin, to prevent desecration. Sacramentals should be returned to the earthly elements.

1. Holy water, for example, should be poured into a hole dug in the earth, in a spot no one would walk over.

 

1. Combustible Sacramentals, such as scapulars and holy books, should be burned and then buried.

 

1. Larger Sacramentals that do not burn should be altered so that their form no longer appears to be a sacramental (for example, 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.

Items lose their blessing or consecration if they are desecrated, if they are substantially broken such that they can no longer be used for their sacred purposes, or if they are publicly sold, for instance, If an item is sold by one individual to another for only the price of the material itself, that is, if no profit is made, the blessing remains, for instance, if you were to give someone a blessed rosary or sell it to him at cost, he would not have to have it re-blessed. If you were to sell a blessed rosary to someone for profit, he would need to take it to a Priest to be blessed.