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Thursday, December 12, 2019

IS THERE EVER TOO MUCH INCENSE? WELL YES!



The smoke detector went off at the Savannah Cathedral’s Solemn Sung Mass for the Immaculate Conception and the Second Sunday of Advent. Fortunately it only sounded in the narthex, but it could have been a catastrophe if the full alarm went off as Mass was celebrated at the high altar for the first time in 50 years. I credit Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception for isolating the alarm to the vestibule and would like to attribute the miracle to the intercession of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen to our Immaculate Blessed Mother!

So there you have it and the beatification can move forward!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have there ever been studies on the impact excessive incense has on our health? It is pretty well documented that breathing cigarette smoke isn't so good for you.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

In God's Divine Providence, it is more than likely carcinogenic and helps us to ascend more quickly to our final destination like incense rising to God.

Anonymous said...

"If you can still see the altar after you have used incense, you have not used enough."

The Egyptian said...

Anon2 yes you are right, I get ticked when I go to a mass and seated halfway back I can barely even smell the incense, I love the smell, when I was young I loved to hold the thurible slowly swinging it, smelled heavenly.

Just curious Fr, have the niches in the high altar always been empty, seems kind of strange or barren, should be fulled with colorful statues.

a while back you posted about mishaps with the thurible,didn't have time to post a reply then, my later Father related that when he was young, 1930's to 40s, when he was serving, one of the servers bumped the thurible and the hot coal fell out on the brand new carpet in the sanctuary, the server panicked and got out his handkerchief and picked it up and put it in his pocket before Fr Freidel noticed,(he had quite the temper if anyone messed up), moments later said server fled benediction and ran outside, When Fr checked on him he was behind church, cassock and pants off, smoldering on the ground, in his boxers, bathing his thigh under the water tap, Fr laughed out loud, said he wished he had a camera

Anonymous said...

In my parish, after incensing the altar or Gospel book, the priest has the thurifer immediately put the censer outside even before the incense has had a good chance to burn. The only people who get to smell the incense are the priest, thurifer and boat bearer and maybe the people in the front pews. Somehow years ago incense never seemed to bother anybody, but now there are people who start coughing if they just see the censer before any incense is even put it! I think it's more psychological than anything; they'd probably cough if they looked at a picture of a smoking censer. Our pastor announced several times that he bought special "non choking" incense. But they still cough. But again, the majority have to suffer because of a few.