Frankincense

[RedDuke50]

I am sorry for possibly mispelling frakincense but I wanted to know why it is used in some of the Masses at church. My father said that it is a drug and it is used to help us experience spiritual things. I just want to know what others think since that doesn’t sound morally right since it sounds like a drug, but I don’t know.

~Thank you~

 

[lucusk]

I am sorry for possibly mispelling frakincense but I wanted to know why it is used in some of the Masses at church. My father said that it is a drug and it is used to help us experience spiritual things. I just want to know what others think since that doesn’t sound morally right since it sounds like a drug, but I don’t know.

~Thank you~

I promise, the church isn’t trying to drug us …

Frankincense is a type of incense. When burned, incense symbolizes our prayers rising to Heaven and purifying everything it touches. The RCC isn’t alone in the use of incense during services. Many religions (Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopal, etc…) use incense in some way or another.

Your father is somewhat correct about it being a drug. Frankincense, when ingested in its resinous form, has been used for hundreds of years as an anti-inflammatory to treat arthritis. More recently, some drug companies have been studying specific preparations of frankincense to determine efficacy in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, osteoarthritis and certain cancers.

Hope this helps!

 

[Aelred_Minor]

You don’t get high from incense I assure you.

I suspect your father may have run across some particularly wacky anti-Catholic source, someone without much actual experience of incense.

Another potential point of confusion is that some technically legal drugs are sold labeled as incense, but are really nothing of the sort. Those aren’t the substances used in Catholic incense.

 

[Aramis]

Certain poor formulations of church incense can induce a mild euphoria… however, the only person getting enough incense concentrated enough to experience it is the server tending the censor.

Sufficient quantities of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide can induce a euphoric state as well. Again, no risk in the pews at all.

The biggest risk in the pews is the use of resinous compounds to which someone is allergic.

Me, I have to take allergy meds if the incense includes solidified rose oil. A friend of mine is allergic to Myrrh.

Technically, Incense may be used for any Roman Mass. Priest’s choice. Many don’t, because quality incense is expensive; A box holding 500g (just over a pound) is often from $30 to $50. Pure resin incense is the best, and mixtures of Frankincense and Myrrh are the most traditional. Many more don’t because parishioners threaten to leave if they do so regularly. And many more have such budget constraints that they use it sparsely, for major feasts, or even just some of: the Nativity, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost.

Many of the Eastern Churches in Union with Rome require incense in their particular law and/or liturgical rubrics for all liturgies.

If you want more incense used, ask your pastor why he doesn’t use it. If he says “expense,” offer to provide it, and then get a GOOD resin incense. Or two.

One that a local Roman parish used during Advent included pine resin… I hated it, but the parishioners loved it. And kept telling the padre so. But one mass on sunday was designated “incense free”…

 

[Nigel7]

I am sorry for possibly mispelling frakincense but I wanted to know why it is used in some of the Masses at church. My father said that it is a drug and it is used to help us experience spiritual things. I just want to know what others think since that doesn’t sound morally right since it sounds like a drug, but I don’t know.

~Thank you~

Matthew 2;

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,…
…And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts; gold, and FRANKINCENSE and myrrh.



Good enough for Jesus, and so is good for us. That is why.

Matthew, Ch 2 - biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2&version=KJV

 

[Aeolian]

I am sorry for possibly mispelling frakincense but I wanted to know why it is used in some of the Masses at church. My father said that it is a drug and it is used to help us experience spiritual things. I just want to know what others think since that doesn’t sound morally right since it sounds like a drug, but I don’t know.

~Thank you~

Download the free booklet from www.SmellsBells.com There is a hint of truth to your dad’s belief and no, there is no morals issue with incense use…

 

[Aeolian]

Certain poor formulations of church incense can induce a mild euphoria… however, the only person getting enough incense concentrated enough to experience it is the server tending the censor.

Sufficient quantities of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide can induce a euphoric state as well. Again, no risk in the pews at all.

The biggest risk in the pews is the use of resinous compounds to which someone is allergic.

Me, I have to take allergy meds if the incense includes solidified rose oil. A friend of mine is allergic to Myrrh.

Technically, Incense may be used for any Roman Mass. Priest’s choice. Many don’t, because quality incense is expensive; A box holding 500g (just over a pound) is often from $30 to $50. Pure resin incense is the best, and mixtures of Frankincense and Myrrh are the most traditional. Many more don’t because parishioners threaten to leave if they do so regularly. And many more have such budget constraints that they use it sparsely, for major feasts, or even just some of: the Nativity, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost.

Many of the Eastern Churches in Union with Rome require incense in their particular law and/or liturgical rubrics for all liturgies.

If you want more incense used, ask your pastor why he doesn’t use it. If he says “expense,” offer to provide it, and then get a GOOD resin incense. Or two.

One that a local Roman parish used during Advent included pine resin… I hated it, but the parishioners loved it. And kept telling the padre so. But one mass on sunday was designated “incense free”…

Incense is forbidden at the Low EF Mass (Missa Lecta) and the Dialogue Mass (Missa Recitata.)

 

[Aeolian]

You don’t get high from incense I assure you.

I suspect your father may have run across some particularly wacky anti-Catholic source, someone without much actual experience of incense.

Another potential point of confusion is that some technically legal drugs are sold labeled as incense, but are really nothing of the sort. Those aren’t the substances used in Catholic incense.

How do you know? Have you read all the legitimate literature on the subject? www.SmellsBells.com

 

[asia53]

Many more don’t because parishioners threaten to leave if they do so regularly.

Oh, so true. We compromised. Sunday, 11 AM Mass, incense is used, or if Holy Day, one of the three offered Masses will use incense, proclaimed in the bulletin, website, etc.

 

[Nelka]

I love the smell of it.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Certain poor formulations of church incense can induce a mild euphoria… however, the only person getting enough incense concentrated enough to experience it is the server tending the censor.

Sufficient quantities of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide can induce a euphoric state as well. Again, no risk in the pews at all.

The biggest risk in the pews is the use of resinous compounds to which someone is allergic.

Me, I have to take allergy meds if the incense includes solidified rose oil. A friend of mine is allergic to Myrrh.

Technically, Incense may be used for any Roman Mass. Priest’s choice. Many don’t, because quality incense is expensive; A box holding 500g (just over a pound) is often from $30 to $50. Pure resin incense is the best, and mixtures of Frankincense and Myrrh are the most traditional. Many more don’t because parishioners threaten to leave if they do so regularly. And many more have such budget constraints that they use it sparsely, for major feasts, or even just some of: the Nativity, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Pentecost.

Many of the Eastern Churches in Union with Rome require incense in their particular law and/or liturgical rubrics for all liturgies.

If you want more incense used, ask your pastor why he doesn’t use it. If he says “expense,” offer to provide it, and then get a GOOD resin incense. Or two.

One that a local Roman parish used during Advent included pine resin… I hated it, but the parishioners loved it. And kept telling the padre so. But one mass on sunday was designated “incense free”…

Incense is forbidden at the Low EF Mass (Missa Lecta) and the Dialogue Mass (Missa Recitata.)

I’m sure Aramis meant the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. After all, we are not in the Traditional Catholicism Forum.

 

[RedDuke50]

Thank you for your answers everyone. I have been wondering about this for a while.

 

[CompSciGuy]

I once got some Ethiopian Frankincense from a guy, it was the kind used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. I tried burning it because I was curious what it smelled like. I didn’t like the smell at all. It had a strange effect on me, it made me feel very anxious for some reason. Probably not because it is a drug but because the smell probably reminded me subconsciously of something from past experiences, and the effect was powerful because the scent was so strong. But I don’t think it does this to everyone. I am easily affected by these kinds of things.

 

[Aeolian]

I’m sure Aramis meant the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite. After all, we are not in the Traditional Catholicism Forum.

I wasn’t sure of that at all based on the language. People talk about the EF on this forum all the time.