Candles from Churches

[Alex5]

Hi

Can you take candles from churches?

Last weekend I visited The Sacre Coeur basilica in Paris. Like all churches they had some tea light type candles that you can lite for a small donation of 2 or 3 Euros. They also had the larger type candles that come in a plastic container. Hopefully you know the type I mean. They are about 18cm tall and often have the image of a saint or the name or logo of the church on them. Sometimes they have a prayer printed on the back. When new they often have a lid.

I thought I would like to have one of these for my home prayer space. So I gave them a donation and took it home with me. I guess you are meant to pay the donation and light the candle there and leave it there.

Did I do anything wrong?
I was just thinking that I am going to be in New York in a few months and would like to get one from St Patrick’s cathedral. Just not sure that its ok to pay for the candle and take it away.

Any thoughts?

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[UpUpAndAway]

Beautiful church, been there many times. Even spent the night twice, to adore the Blessed Sacrament.

The type of candle pictured and described by you is called a novena candle, as shown on the sign in the photo. Once you have left the donation, you may light it and leave it on the stand provided for this purpose, or you may take with it you unlit. Your choice. Either is fine.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

At most churches, the candles in the fixed stands are intended for you to light and leave; your donation covers their replacement. The lit candle is your “stand-in” for your prayer in God’s house after you leave, and simultaneously alerts others that a prayer has been requested. They may not know who you are or what your intention is, but they can still pray with/for you when they see that candle.

However, there are sometimes others, as @UpUpAndAway mentioned, that are available for you to take. When in doubt, ask!

 

[Joe_5859]

I concur with the previous posters. Based on your photo, it looks like there is a stash of candles, so it seems like making a donation and taking it with you would be fine.

At my parish, the candles are already in place with no extra ones sitting around, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to take one to go. But it looks like that’s not the case everywhere.

 

[Kaliaa]

Candles at my parish are also already in place . However, the women who take care of replacing ones that have been used and doing whatever else needs doing are pretty vigilant. If someone took a candle and put the money in the money slot they would replace it with a fresh one soon. There are always unlit candles available.

Churches buy those candles several cases at a time. There is very little chance that taking one will cause them to run out.

I use them myself in my prayer space at home.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

Churches buy those candles several cases at a time. There is very little chance that taking one will cause them to run out.

This is true, and I agree, but I would advise anyone who donates to the candle boxes or even if you don’t but can, put some extra in! Most parishes don’t cover the costs just based on those suggested donation boxes.