One Priest About Candles?

[lucien123]

Hi,

Well long story short, I’m a convert a few years now and never prayed with candles, Until some months ago, when a Franciscan Brother told me “Pray with a Candle, Talk to god and when you’re done, blow it out if you want to save the candle, or just let it burn”.

So over the past few months, I got in the habit of using candles when I pray (like 2 - 3 times a week), otherwise I just pray without.

Anyway Yesterday I went up to a Benedictine Monastery, and asked a Priest there to Bless some candles for me. And he asked me what I wanted them for, Obviously I said “I use them when I pray”. AND he responded by saying, “Thats not very Catholic” and proceeded to bless them anyway. I tried asking him why It wasn’t catholic, but he didnt respond, by just changing the topic.

So I’m in a Situation> Some months ago A Franciscan Brother (who is obviously Catholic) told me it was fine to use candles this way, and Yesterday A Benedictine Priest (who is also obviously Catholic), told me that doing this is not very Catholic.

I am confused. Thoughts? Ideas? Does anyone else do this? I find it rather weird, because I see Catholics burning candles everywhere.

Well, Please advise me here. Thanks,
Lucien

 

[oldcatholicguy]

I believe Father was offering you his personal opinion and Brother was offering you a tool to help you pray that he has known to work in the past. Neither one would direct you to do something that is against the teachings of the Church. If praying with a candle helps you, continue to do so.

 

[lucien123]

Thanks, I thought that It might have been a matter of preference here. I was just still too confused about it. Well It does help me to concentrate, etc so I’ll continue.

 

[BDEklof]

Candles are an OLD symbol of our prayers ascending to the Lord…

I often use them, but I think blessed candles are an option.
Obviously they are optional for personal prayer. Also, some
priests are strange about blessing certain things. I know a priest
who is waffling on the rosary.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

We are all given a candle at our Baptism, and candles have long been associated with Catholic prayer and devotional custom.

 

[corsair]

I use candles all the time, and if you notice, that at Mass there are candles. Notice, also, that when the Blessed Sacrament is in the Tabernacle, there is a candle always lit in the Sanctuary.

 

[HonoraDominum]

I have a little prayer nook, and in the nook I have a coule of votive candle stands. I also have a couple of votive holders in front of a picture of Our Lady of Mt Carmel next to my computer monitor, and keep them lit when I’m on my computer. They’re not blessed though - they’re just those 100 for $5 candles from Ikea.

At night, just before I go to bed most nights, I go into my room with the prayer nook, and light the candles and turn off the lights, and sit in the quiet, dim room with God for a few moments before I end my day. I think candles, like holy water and incense and other sacramentals of the church, help take a person out of the natural world and lift their senses towards the supernatural world.

If you like using candles, I think it’s fine to use candles. But I wouldn’t sweat it too much if they’re not blessed. It’s not like if you were, say, crossing yourself with plain water in a holy water font.