Centurian Guard, the reason I said "sacristan" was because I thought it might be more prudent to approach a fellow lay person (especially if they are in the same situation you were, of not agreeing with the practice) who would then be able to say "hey Father, remember when you said to empty out the fonts? Well, some person came up to me after mass yesterday and said that's not in keeping with the Church's regulations/practice/etc...." That could perhaps remove the "confrontational" issue from the table... and if it is the sacristan himself doing it, it would save the priest another battle (I know many priests who have these troubles with lay "ministers")...