Is it wrong yo use an incense censer for secular purposes?

[Brendan_64]

Is it wrong to buy an incense censer (presumably unblessed) from a company (or indivudual) who makes and sells incense censers (on Amazon or ebay) and tjen use this censer for secular purposes, in this case medieval historical reenactment?

Presumably when the censers were made, the maker had it in mind that they would be used for religious purposes, (although this is simply a logical presumption) so is it wrong then to buy one for purely secular use?

 

[Crusaderbear]

No, incense is used in more than just religious settings. If they are blessed at all, it would be by the ‘end-user’ priest. I assume you are accurately portraying history and not creating a questionable fiction…

 

[Cathoholic]

My advice Brendan 64?

If you buy a “secular” censer, use it for ONLY “secular” purposes.

If you buy a “secular” senser and ask a Catholic Priest to dedicate it for purposes pertaining to the faith, then ONLY use it for purposes pertaining only for the faith thereafter.

Use it only for the faith, unless an incredibly unlikely situation of “life or death” arise (in which case the “usage” would still be essentially “for the faith”).

If you buy an “already-consecrated” or dedicated censer, from a Catholic Church auction (i.e. a parish closing), I would also use this censer for purposes exclusive to the faith.

Your Priest or Bishop COULD PROBABLY “decommission” it (after all, parishes and Catholic Churches have been “decommissioned”), but I would use THAT censer for purposes dedicated to the Catholic Faith ONLY.

God bless.

Cathoholic

 

[Brendan_64]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, it will be used in an attempt to reenact 13th century clerical practices (as best as can rewsonably be with the information available and perhaps using common sense to try to suppose what the gaps might be).

It won’t be used for religious purposes.

I guess I can go ahead and use it now for reenactment purposes with good conscience.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Since our parishes never use them I like the idea of using them in other settings. It beats them collecting dust.

I believe the second Vatican council mandated only the alcoholic smell of hand sanitizer be the only incense allowed.,…

 

[psalm90]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes, it will be used in an attempt to reenact 13th century clerical practices (as best as can rewsonably be with the information available and perhaps using common sense to try to suppose what the gaps might be).

It won’t be used for religious purposes.

I guess I can go ahead and use it now for reenactment purposes with good conscience.

If you read exodus about the construction of the tabernacle and holy of holies, with all the details, you will come across the instructions for the formula for incense to be used in the tabernacle along with the admonition that that formula is not to be profaned by any other use.

You might want to spend the money to get the expensive liturgical incense, and the stores may be willing to sell it to you, in the original setting, that particular formula of incense was dedicated to use in the tabernacle and no where else.

I would opt for a non-liturgical brand of incense, if you’re just using it for effect, out of respect for the biblical commandment. You would be shooting yourself in the foot to use a sacred formula for a profane purpose. What have you proved by doing that?

And, in your readings, what is the purpose of the incense, in the first place? There’s a practical consideration and a spiritual consideration. What are they?

 

[psalm90]

The spiritual overtone of using the incense is that it covers the stench of our sins in the Temple of God, so that we may approach the throne of grace.

 

[Brendan_64]

From archeological finds from 12th century Northern Europe they have found residue on what they believe are the remains of a ceramic censer. The residue showed a mixture of Frankincense, pine resin and juniper. I’ve made a mixture of these ingredients which smells good when burned (the ground dried juniper berries really adds a lot to the aroma)

But, for convenience (and for economic reasons) I was also going to burn ordinary incense bought from a Catholic supplies shop (I presumed that burning this incense would also be fine since it’s basically just an unblessed mixture of natural ingredients).

 

[ConfusedLucy]

I don’t see how its any different to scenes in film and TV where they portray people taking communion.

 

[TK421]

Is it wrong to buy an incense censer (presumably unblessed) from a company (or indivudual) who makes and sells incense censers (on Amazon or ebay) and tjen use this censer for secular purposes, in this case medieval historical reenactment?

Presumably when the censers were made, the maker had it in mind that they would be used for religious purposes, (although this is simply a logical presumption) so is it wrong then to buy one for purely secular use?

No. It’s just a device.

If it’s going to serve an R&R function, it wouldn’t be appropriate to have it blessed.

 

[Solomonson]

**Is it wrong to buy an incense censer (presumably unblessed) from a company (or indivudual) who makes and sells incense censers (on Amazon or ebay) and tjen use this censer for secular purposes, in this case medieval historical reenactment? **

Presumably when the censers were made, the maker had it in mind that they would be used for religious purposes, (although this is simply a logical presumption) so is it wrong then to buy one for purely secular use?

Nope.

 

[Solomonson]

The spiritual overtone of using the incense is that it covers the stench of our sins in the Temple of God, so that we may approach the throne of grace.

Actually I believe the spiritual symbolism is that as the smoke rises to the heavens, so do our prayers…