Quick question

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Catholic : One Thread

Someone asked me the other day if it was accepted for Catholics to use incense personally (not just for the smell, I mean like people use candles personally - ie candles with a votive candle purpose used in the home). I wasn't sure, so I told her I'd get back to her. If there is a problem with it, I can't think of what it would be, but I've never known any Christian of any stripe to do so, and I was wondering if that could be because there was something I missed.

Anybody know?

.......................................

-- Anthony (fides_spes_et_caritas@hotmail.com), February 20, 2001

Answers

Keep up the lying, cutting, pasting, Alex. Nobody reads them anymore. The moderator told you that would get you banned. I ought to say Bye, we might not see you here anymore! You and your friend ''Tony raised in Italy'' make me laugh. CIAO, Tony-- Teach Alex to speak English, would you?

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), February 20, 2001.

Hey, Steve. If you never saw your post come up in the forum, it may not have got in. Sometimes my computer just doesn't work, and the posts I write don't appear.

-Hannah

-- Hannah (archiegoodwin_and_nerowolfe@hotmail.com), February 21, 2001.


I don't recall getting it, and I have email alerts, so hannah's probably right.

.............................

-- Anthony (fides_spes_et_caritas@hotmail.com), February 21, 2001.


Thanks. My question was more, "is this only acceptable in conjunction with prayer during liturgy, or could it be used privately as well?" One of the sites I found indicated that it was perfectly okay.

...........................................

-- Anthony (fides_spes_et_caritas@hotmial.com), February 21, 2001.


It would appear that the moderator is deleting my posts for some obscure reason known only to himself. ["Steve" (with >10 other AKAs), your posts are being deleted for sending threatening e-mails to the moderator. Please take a vacation and think about the purpose of this forum. Moderator]

-- steve vincent (svvincent@hotmail.com), February 22, 2001.


Maybe I'm mistaken, Steve. But Alex's posts are off limits now (I'm almost sure), and any others that come in immediately after his are being chopped off too. Plausible? Keep on trying, and we'll see. I am personally happy to see him gone, although it makes me feel sorry for him. He isn't a bad man. He just has no talent for this.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), February 22, 2001.

Jmj

Hello, Anthony.
I have checked several reliable sources of information and guidance, and I have found nothing that bans or restricts private use of incense. It is a sacramental and, like holy water, can apparently be used both in church and at home.
Since it symbolized our prayers rising up to heaven, and since the Church uses it only in various liturgical ceremonies, my recommendation would be that you use it while taking part in the one truly liturgical ceremony that you can celebrate at home -- while praying the Liturgy of the Hours. A solemn celebration of Morning Prayer (Lauds) or Evening Prayer (Vespers) in church is done with incense. If you are not drawn to participate in the Liturgy of the Hours privately, perhaps the next best time to use incense may be during the praying of the Rosary, sort of a "para-liturgical" celebration.
I would also suggest that you use incense sparingly at home -- not just because it is extremely expensive (!), but so that it would retain the character of something especially meaningful (rather than commonplace) when you encounter it in church.

St. James, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jgecik@desc.dla.mil), February 23, 2001.


Thanks. I'll pass that along.

..............................

-- Anthony (fides_spes_et_caritas@hotmail.com), February 23, 2001.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ