USCCB Says Fake Candles Not Allowed

[Aramis]

I have never seen nor heard of a Catholic Church or Chapel that uses electric “candles” for the vigil lamp or on the altar.

If this is truly what you are talking about then this is a non-issue.

I have. St. Patrick’s, in Anchorage, for a period of a several months. Totally without the bishop’s permission. late 1980’s. They were later used only in the processions… after the archbishop found out… Eventually, they stopped entirely.

Until the new GIRM came out post 1974, it was explicitly required in the legislation to use wax candles on the altar and the tabernacle lamp (aka Altar Lamp), and the delegation by the CDW via the GIRM was explicitly to the conferences.

Now, the material for the candles isn’t specified - but it does say candles. And it’s not within the conferences’ powers to change it, either under the new code.

And pope Benedict has been pretty clear as well, as had been Cdl Arinze: bishops are NOT competent to change the contents of the missal nor the GIRM. They can only alter what isn’t covered. Do the red, say the black, obey the general instructions.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Hmmmm. In my church, the altar candles, though they LOOK real,
are not real wax candles.
They are white hard plastic sheaths. At the top of the sheath
is some kind of little vessel filled with fuel, in which a wick is placed.
A glass cup is placed over that, and the flame (an actual flame)
burns during the entire Mass, after which Father or an altar server
extinguishes them.

Should they no longer use these?
Our parish is poor (the parishoners mostly aren’t poor, which is proven by all their gorgeous late-model, top of the line new cars and SUVs) but the average offering weekly is about $3 or $4. That is the “average” offering. As the collectors have noted, most individuals put a mere dollar bill in the plate), and the cost of 51% or more beeswax candles made for liturgical use would, I think, be very high considering my parish’s limited resources (again, because
the average weekly offering is so, well, frankly, CHINTZY.)
**What should I tell my pastor about this rule?**God bless,
Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+

It is not your job to tell your pastor anything about this rule. His bishop will tell him. Whatever changes need to take place will (or won’t) happen at the direction of the pastor. Even though your weekly collection is small, there is every chance that a parishioner may choose to donate what is needed for beeswax candles, if the pastor asks. Simply pray about it.

 

[pnewton]

It is not your job to tell your pastor anything about this rule. His bishop will tell him.

Or a bishop can decline from saying anything, deciding not to put an additional financial burden on a parish. I think this whole issue illustrates how we should all be willing to trust our priests and bishops a little more, especially in piddling matters.

 

[TheMc]

Hmmmm. In my church, the altar candles, though they LOOK real,
are not real wax candles.
They are white hard plastic sheaths. At the top of the sheath
is some kind of little vessel filled with fuel, in which a wick is placed.
A glass cup is placed over that, and the flame (an actual flame)
burns during the entire Mass, after which Father or an altar server
extinguishes them.

Should they no longer use these?
Our parish is poor (the parishoners mostly aren’t poor, which is proven by all their gorgeous late-model, top of the line new cars and SUVs) but the average offering weekly is about $3 or $4. That is the “average” offering. As the collectors have noted, most individuals put a mere dollar bill in the plate), and the cost of 51% or more beeswax candles made for liturgical use would, I think, be very high considering my parish’s limited resources (again, because
the average weekly offering is so, well, frankly, CHINTZY.)
What should I tell my pastor about this rule?
God bless,
Jaypeeto4
+JMJ+

If people are not tithing, then maybe he could preach on it. For a while.

 

[pnewton]

If people are not tithing, then maybe he could preach on it. For a while.

I do not know about 10%, but $3-4 a person seems like a good sermon might be in order. The Church’s operating expenses are as important as a household’s. Nothing happens except by the donations of the faithful. My parish truly does have a lot of poverty, some able to give almost nothing but time (and many give a lot of time), but even at that, we need that sermon from time to time.

 

[jimrob]

The idea is not to lose the imagery of the candle being consumed.

The fake candles that are basically a plastic bottle with a wick, are filled with a special oil. This is made of beeswax dissolved in light kerosene and complies with the rules about minimum beeswax content. In the England and Wales Province, they are generally not encouraged but they are tolerated.

The shape of my church means that there is a strong down-draft in the sanctuary. That tends to scatter candle wax all over the altar cloths. We therefore use approved fake candles on the altar. The altar servers carry real candles - they are more easily washed. For Benediction, we put real Benediction candles on the altar, but we have to place plastic sheets underneath to catch the wax.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Or a bishop can decline from saying anything, deciding not to put an additional financial burden on a parish. I think this whole issue illustrates how we should all be willing to trust our priests and bishops a little more, especially in piddling matters.

Exactly.

 

[TheMc]

The idea is not to lose the imagery of the candle being consumed.

The fake candles that are basically a plastic bottle with a wick, are filled with a special oil. This is made of beeswax dissolved in light kerosene and complies with the rules about minimum beeswax content. In the England and Wales Province, they are generally not encouraged but they are tolerated.

The shape of my church means that there is a strong down-draft in the sanctuary. That tends to scatter candle wax all over the altar cloths. We therefore use approved fake candles on the altar. The altar servers carry real candles - they are more easily washed. For Benediction, we put real Benediction candles on the altar, but we have to place plastic sheets underneath to catch the wax.

Couldn’t plastic sheets be put under the altar candles outside of benediction? That’s what I often see done all the time, not just during benediction.