[Question:]{.underline} What is to be done with blessed items that can no longer be used?
[Answer:]{.underline} There are many such items that the Church uses, including sacred vessels, altar linens, Mass vestments, containers for holy oils, scapulars and other such sacramentals.
The Church treats with a special respect and reverence all such items that are blessed or consecrated, that are used in some way in divine worship, or that God uses as an instrument in the bestowal of grace on souls, whether it be via the sacraments, or the devotion of the faithful in using or receiving the sacramentals. This principle is clearly explained in Canon 1296 of the 1917 Code, that requires that all blessed and consecrated items be kept in the sacristy or another decent and safe place, and forbids that they be employed for profane uses. The Church says the same about blessed or consecrated sacramentals, for although they may be given to catechumens or non-Catholics even, that they might receive the light of the Faith, they must always be treated reverently, and may not be used for a different use than that for which they were blessed (Canon 1150 in the 1917 Code & Canon 1171 in the 1983 Code).
However, a blessed or consecrated item can lose its blessing. Canonically it is called “desecration”, although it may not be intentional or malicious. It takes place if it suffers such a massive alteration or damage that it loses its former shape and is no longer suitable for the uses for which it was blessed (Canon 1305 in the 1917 Code). This is also the case when such an item is employed in an irreligious or unsavory way, or if it is sold publicly. Such items, having lost their blessing or consecration, can be employed for honest secular uses, such as displaying in a museum. However, the use of vestments and chalices and the like that have lost their blessing through public sale, but have not lost their shape or form, should not be employed for any use that would be injurious to our holy religion, such as for heretical worship, for drama, comedy or other secular events, in which case this use would be a mockery of religion.
The dilemma that arises as to what to do with such blessed or consecrated items when they have become used or damaged, so that they are no longer apt for divine worship, or as to what to do with sacramentals that are no longer wanted or are now worn out (e.g. old scapulars). Clearly one way to prevent any danger of disrespect to sacred items is to entirely destroy them. This is the case when chalices or ciboria are melted down, or when vestments, scapulars are burned. It is not, however, always necessary to be so radical. Sometimes the form of the item can be so radically changed, that the elements of which it is made can be used for secular uses.
This is the case, for example, with blessed linens. They “need not be burned. The material may lawfully be put to a profane but decent use, provided that the form of the linen is sufficiently changed to desecrate it” (Matters Liturgical, 1956 edition, § 134). The same applies to vestments: “If withdrawn from sacred use, a blessed vestment need not be burned. The material may lawfully be put to some profane but decent use, provided that the form of the vestment is sufficiently changed so that the blessing is lost” (Ib. 1956 edition, § 112). This means that it is perfectly permissible to take apart linen altar cloths, and to make finger towels or purificators, or even napkins about of them. Likewise it is permissible to take apart old vestments, and use the trim or material for decoration, clothing etc.
Some items that cannot be burned could be buried, where there is no chance of these items being used in an inappropriate manner. However, they ought to be sufficiently destroyed as to lose their appearance first (=canonical desecration). This could be the case of material from scapulars or vestments that could not be reused. It could also be the case for blessed medals, or other items that are frequently blessed such as holy oil stocks, or a pouch to carry the Blessed sacrament. If possible, though, such items ought to be destroyed so as no longer to be able to perform a sacred function, before being buried.
Answered by Father Peter Scott, SSPX.