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Karen1996
Guest
Did anyone else see this in church yesterday? In my church, there were 7 red candles set before the altar, to “represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit”, and 7 older ladies went up and lit them before Mass.
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mercygate
Guest
Quick! Barf bag!Did anyone else see this in church yesterday? In my church, there were 7 red candles set before the altar, to “represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit”, and 7 older ladies went up and lit them before Mass.
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baltobetsy
Guest
Sounds like your liturgy committee got creative. This is not an official rite of the Church, just a product of someone’s imagination.
Betsy
Betsy
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Spiller
Guest
I forgot to look in the Sacramentary but I think there are provisions for processing the paschal candle out of the church at the end of a Pentecost Mass…
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Spiller
Guest
Harmless. Might even be nicely symbolic. Seems wrong to pick people of the same sex/age though.Did anyone else see this in church yesterday? In my church, there were 7 red candles set before the altar, to “represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit”, and 7 older ladies went up and lit them before Mass.
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Spiller
Guest
Harmless. Might even be nicely symbolic. Seems wrong to pick people of the same sex/age though.Did anyone else see this in church yesterday? In my church, there were 7 red candles set before the altar, to “represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit”, and 7 older ladies went up and lit them before Mass.
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rpp
Guest
I have never heard of this, but I do not think this is a bad thing as such. I do not think it rises to the level of “abuse”. It is creative.
The problem that I have with such things is that so many Catholics have such a poor understanding of Catholic teachings that the symbolism is lost on the majority of people.
I mean, if you have to explain a symbol, how symbolic is it?
The problem that I have with such things is that so many Catholics have such a poor understanding of Catholic teachings that the symbolism is lost on the majority of people.
I mean, if you have to explain a symbol, how symbolic is it?
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Phemie
Guest
Sometimes you can’t blame the symbol. Some of us need to have symbols explained because our mind simply doesn’t work that way. I’m a cradle Catholic and I was 46 before I figured out what Holy Water was all about. I’m sure if you’d asked my mom & dad they could no more have connected it to Baptism than they could have flown to the moon.I have never heard of this, but I do not think this is a bad thing as such. I do not think it rises to the level of “abuse”. It is creative.
The problem that I have with such things is that so many Catholics have such a poor understanding of Catholic teachings that the symbolism is lost on the majority of people.
I mean, if you have to explain a symbol, how symbolic is it?
It was even later that I understood what the Paschal candle was all about - after getting very upset at Evening Prayer when it was incensed (you could say I was incensed at the incensing) – wondering when we’d started worshipping fire and questioning how we were different from the Incas & Aztecs. I had to have it spelled out – s l o w l y.
Think how hard studying literature always was for me: to me a tree is always a tree, a flower is always a flower and a river is never anything but a river. My brain just doesn’t go there.
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muffinmojo
Guest
I believe altar candles are supposed to be white and at least 51/49 beeswax/something else, except during lent when they are unbleached ones? Maybe that’s just a tradition…I’ve never seen a church that used altar candles in any color other than white…it’d just look weird.
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MCL
Guest
Yes, our church had something similar yesterday. The 7 red candles were in addition to the altar candles. The 7 red candles were set up in front of the altar. Since we went to noon Mass, the candles were already lit when we arrived and we did not see who lit them.
I thought it was rather nice. It differentiated the feast of Pentecost from ordinary time.
Father didn’t specifically refer to the candles or the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I, of course, picked up on the symbolism. Not sure who else did.
I remember when I first started teaching CCD 22 years ago. I kept asking myself, why don’t I know these things? It was then that I made a point of purchasing a catechism, reading the catechism, and reading other books in order to educate myself. It is my hope, that others, through similar situations take it upon themselves to learn of their religion. I think things like the 7 candles prompt discussion and inquiry.
I thought it was rather nice. It differentiated the feast of Pentecost from ordinary time.
Father didn’t specifically refer to the candles or the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I, of course, picked up on the symbolism. Not sure who else did.
I remember when I first started teaching CCD 22 years ago. I kept asking myself, why don’t I know these things? It was then that I made a point of purchasing a catechism, reading the catechism, and reading other books in order to educate myself. It is my hope, that others, through similar situations take it upon themselves to learn of their religion. I think things like the 7 candles prompt discussion and inquiry.
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NewUlm1976_2000
Guest
It is unique as many have said. It is not wrong, it is a very creative addition. It makes people pay attention even more.Did anyone else see this in church yesterday? In my church, there were 7 red candles set before the altar, to “represent the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit”, and 7 older ladies went up and lit them before Mass.
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