Incense at every Mass?

[FR0G]

Do Catholics burn incense at every Mass? Just thinking about my uncle's funeral Mass, and how my daughter barked like a seal for a week afterward.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Do Catholics burn incense at every Mass? Just thinking about my uncle's funeral Mass, and how my daughter barked like a seal for a week afterward.

No, not every Mass. At least not where I go to Church.

Michelle

 

[BAChristian]

Same here...

 

[ps139]

Do Catholics burn incense at every Mass? Just thinking about my uncle's funeral Mass, and how my daughter barked like a seal for a week afterward.

I wish we did. I love how it smells!! The only Masses I remember incense being burned at are Christmas Masses, burning frankincense, one of the gifts of the Magi.

 

[Miss Shelby]

I wish we did. I love how it smells!! The only Masses I remember incense being burned at are Christmas Masses, burning frankincense, one of the gifts of the Magi.

What about Good Friday and Holy Saturday? I seem to recall incense at Holy Saturday's Mass. And at every funeral that I've ever been to.

Michelle

 

[pax]

I love incense. I wish our Church used it more...

 

[Axion]

Incense is great. It adds dignity to the mass celebration, showing honour to the gifts, the altar and the gospels. It's used far too little IMHO. Although sometimes it can make the eyes water, when the "special brew" goes in!

 

[BAChristian]

It's used far too little IMHO.

Totally.

 

[Veritas]

We have incense at almost every Sunday Mass (we're the Cathedral). Sometimes, with a visiting priest, we don't. If you have trouble with the incense, try sitting in the back, as far from the altar as possilbe. Also, there are different types of incense; some are not to noxious. Anyway, some parishes rarely use it, so you could also go there. Just so that you know, the use of incense is scriptural. They are the prayers of the faithful raising up to heaven. They are a pleasing fragrance to God.

 

[Carrye]

Incense is used most often at "high Mass," which can be celebrated at any parish, but more frequently in a Cathedral. The Dominican priory I attend Mass while at school uses it every Sunday, and my parish at home uses it for the more typical celebrations of Christmas, Epiphany, and the events of Holy Week. I personally love incense, but my cousin fainted last year when she was kneeled next to Father during benediction, so I understand how it could pose problems for others.

 

[Phoebe]

Do Catholics burn incense at every Mass? Just thinking about my uncle's funeral Mass, and how my daughter barked like a seal for a week afterward.

Poor thing. How old is she?
At your uncle's funeral, did you have an aisle seat?

 

[FullyMT]

We usually only use incense on Holy Thursday, somtimes on Good Friday and Easter. The last time we used incense was at last years celebration of Holy Thursday (the first time I had ever gone to it! I got my feet washed too! Very cool experience and the symbolism meant a lot to me.) I had a sinus infection and really bad cough. After receiving Communion, I went to the back of the church and coughed a lung up by the drinking fountain. Usually I don't get a bad reaction from it though...
The last time I have been near insence was during adoration about 2 months ago, and it didn't have any coughing...
I do enjoy the symbolism, smell, and meaning of incense though.

At a Mass we celebrated on a monday night for the Jr. High and Conf. I students, a mom asked if we were using incense. It was really sad because she was very rude about it. She said, "my son can't be in the church if incense is being used or else he'll have an asthma attack!". That was word for word. I think she was a tad overdramatic about it...

 

[BlueCanary]

It was really sad because she was very rude about it. She said, "my son can't be in the church if incense is being used or else he'll have an asthma attack!". That was word for word. I think she was a tad overdramatic about it...

The problem is that many people do suffer from conditions such as these, and people with bad asthma will have attacks in the presense of incense. If she was rude, I am sure it was only because she feared for the safety of her son, or feared he would not be able to participate in mass, or feared that he would be embarassed by having an attack in the middle of mass. I'm sure she did not intend to be rude, and it was not personal.

It does irritate the lungs of many people, especially those with asthma or other lung conditions, and I suspect this is why it is not used on a day to day basis. My church uses it only in funerals, and then only at the option of the family of the departed.

 

[thereselittleflower]

Something I have noticed at our Church is that incense is being used every mass now to incense the Gospel . . . I am not sure why the change but I do love that it is being used more now . .


Peace in Hm!