When is incense allowed to be used

[user1234]

When is incense allowed at a Novus Ordo mass? Can a priest technically use it whenever he wants?

I ask, because I really wish my parish used it more often. Especially when I get to be the Thurifer.

 

[IOGD]

Within the context of the Mass, or at a specific Mass (daily, Sunday, Votive Masses?) I believe that it can be used at any Mass, since there aren’t high/low Masses in the Ordinary Form, and the rubrics refer to it as a valid option whenever it’s mentioned. Let your priest know your thoughts, he’s surely appreciate it!

 

[user1234]

Within the context of the Mass, or at a specific Mass (daily, Sunday, Votive Masses?) I believe that it can be used at any Mass, since there aren’t high/low Masses in the Ordinary Form, and the rubrics refer to it as a valid option whenever it’s mentioned. Let your priest know your thoughts, he’s surely appreciate it!

I don’t think any of the priests would go for that idea unfortunately. Incense is really expensive, and most of the congregation doesn’t like it too much.

 

[corsair]

I attend the EF Mass every Sunday. We use incense at every High Mass (10:30am) but not in the low Mass at 8:00am.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

I attend the EF Mass every Sunday. We use incense at every High Mass (10:30am) but not in the low Mass at 8:00am.

As an occasional EF Mass attendee, this is what I would expect in my area. However, the OP’s question specifically pertains to the OF.

I know of no liturgical restriction on the use of incense for Mass in the OF. Indeed, there are places where all Masses are celebrated in the OF and incense is used at every Mass on Sundays and solemnities. The Benedictine abbey where I go on retreat every year is one example (it also serves as the parish church for the local community, so it is not just a monastic setting).

That said, if incense is seldom used in a given parish, it is probably not due to the priest not knowing he can use it more frequently. More likely, the main factor is objection by the parishioners or cost.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

When is incense allowed at a Novus Ordo mass? Can a priest technically use it whenever he wants?

I ask, because I really wish my parish used it more often. Especially when I get to be the Thurifer.

This brought a smile to my face as I was thurifer in the years before I was ordained a transitional deacon.

Technically, it can be used at any Mass in the *novus ordo *but, practically, the use of incense is one of the ways in which the celebrant can indicate an increase in solemnity…he can do this in a number of ways such as the use and the extent of incense, the use and extent of singing in the Mass, the use and extent of candles beyond the minimum, the use of torches/incense at the Gospel and at the showings of the Host and Chalice during the Eucharistic Prayer, and so forth.

It never hurts to mention to the priest how much you enjoy being thurifer and that you appreciate the use of incense. It is true, however, that a priest always hears negative things about incense as well…that I can very definitely tell you Sometimes, I have chosen not to use it in light of some requests not to do so – or, at least, to announce ahead of time that incense will be used at such and such Mass.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

^^^More complete answer than mine - I failed to mention the “increase in solemnity” reason. Thank you, Father

 

[John_Lazarus]

I used to attend a Latin OF (Mass of Paul VI) at Holy Family parish in Toronto. Lots of incense, whole mass sung or chanted (except, IIRC, the first reading and the homily), etc. Very beautiful.

Incense at every Mass.

 

[adamhovey1988]

When is incense allowed at a Novus Ordo mass? Can a priest technically use it whenever he wants?

I ask, because I really wish my parish used it more often. Especially when I get to be the Thurifer.

Whenever you go to a Melkite (or any Byzantine, I’d imagine) Divine Liturgy (yes it makes me sneeze, but I don’t care)

 

[TimothyH]

This brought a smile to my face as I was thurifer in the years before I was ordained a transitional deacon.

Technically, it can be used at any Mass in the *novus ordo *but, practically, the use of incense is one of the ways in which the celebrant can indicate an increase in solemnity…he can do this in a number of ways such as the use and the extent of incense, the use and extent of singing in the Mass, the use and extent of candles beyond the minimum, the use of torches/incense at the Gospel and at the showings of the Host and Chalice during the Eucharistic Prayer, and so forth.

It never hurts to mention to the priest how much you enjoy being thurifer and that you appreciate the use of incense. It is true, however, that a priest always hears negative things about incense as well…that I can very definitely tell you Sometimes, I have chosen not to use it in light of some requests not to do so – or, at least, to announce ahead of time that incense will be used at such and such Mass.

This is exactly what the priests at my parish do.

Incense the altar only at the beginning of Mass vs two or three times during Mass. “Full incense” for the big solemnities.

On a side note, I also love to be the Thurifer. I saw Pope Paul VI using incense on TV when I was a little boy and thought it was so cool. Fast forward 45 years and I still get a thrill when I raise the thurible at the consecration.

Especially love to the the Thurifier at furnerals though. I think that is the most special time for me.

-Tim-

 

[Usige]

Sometimes it’s not just the parishioners that are the reason incense isn’t used. My pastor has really bad allergies so I think I’ve only seen him use incense maybe 3 or 4 times in 6 years. Strong scents cause him breathing problems and he says that he sometimes has issues making it through a nuptial mass because of all the flowers and hairspray.

Because of that I don’t see him using incense anytime soon. When I need to get my “bells and smells” fix I head down to Our Lady of Mt Carmel for a high mass offered by the FSSP.

 

[user1234]

Sometimes it’s not just the parishioners that are the reason incense isn’t used. My pastor has really bad allergies so I think I’ve only seen him use incense maybe 3 or 4 times in 6 years. Strong scents cause him breathing problems and he says that he sometimes has issues making it through a nuptial mass because of all the flowers and hairspray.

Because of that I don’t see him using incense anytime soon. When I need to get my “bells and smells” fix I head down to Our Lady of Mt Carmel for a high mass offered by the FSSP.

I went to an FSSP Mass at Our Lady of Mt Carmel once when I was little… My family won’t be convinced to go again…

 

[1ke]

Sometimes it’s not just the parishioners that are the reason incense isn’t used. My pastor has really bad allergies so I think I’ve only seen him use incense maybe 3 or 4 times in 6 years. Strong scents cause him breathing problems and he says that he sometimes has issues making it through a nuptial mass because of all the flowers and hairspray.

We had one lady who had an asthma attack at Vigil from the incense. You could hear her wheezing and I thought she was going to keel over. I don’t know if there are more allergies and more asthma than in days gone by, but it sure seems that way.

 

[katy]

My parish uses incense all the time, at every form of the Sunday Mass. It’s not a particularly rich parish, but we use good incense which burns well and our thurifurs know their duties well. I’m not aware that there is any problem. I’m on 2 different kinds of antihistamine for allergies and have no problem myself.

 

[Usige]

We had one lady who had an asthma attack at Vigil from the incense. You could hear her wheezing and I thought she was going to keel over. I don’t know if there are more allergies and more asthma than in days gone by, but it sure seems that way.

I never know if the allergens have been increased by hybridization of plants or simply that the air (in general) is cleaner so people aren’t as used to the irritants. In any case it does seem that more people have allergies than in the past. It also seems like the reactions are worse too.

 

[57classic]

I read somewhere, wish I could remember where, that it is not the incense that irritates, it is the quality of the charcoal used to burn the incense that is the problem. Parishes where there are a lot of complaints should try to find charcoal that puts fewer particles into the air.

 

[TimothyH]

I read somewhere, wish I could remember where, that it is not the incense that irritates, it is the quality of the charcoal used to burn the incense that is the problem. Parishes where there are a lot of complaints should try to find charcoal that puts fewer particles into the air.

I’m not sure that what you read is accurate. I am a Thurifer and regularly handle the lit thurbile.

Maybe cheaply made coals do irritate. I don’t know. I know from experience however, that my parishoners don’t complain until incense is put in the thurible. I can sit next to the lit thurbile all day long without incense in it. No so when it is loaded.

-Tim-

 

[user1234]

I think there’s some placebo effect with the incense. People expect that it causes allergies, so they get real symptoms. If they were told that incense doesn’t cause reactions, I think there would be less complaints.

 

[OraLabora]

I’m not sure that what you read is accurate. I am a Thurifer and regularly handle the lit thurbile.

Maybe cheaply made coals do irritate. I don’t know. I know from experience however, that my parishoners don’t complain until incense is put in the thurible. I can sit next to the lit thurbile all day long without incense in it. No so when it is loaded.

-Tim-

I love the smell of incense. Our abbey uses it according to the degree of solemnity and also changes the scent according to the degree, using only what I could describe as a more “perfume-like” sent for the really big ones, but regular church incense for Sundays (I think they get it from Prinknash Abbey in the UK, and they sell it in the abby shop).

So I tried to use it in my little oratory while chanting the Divine Office.

Alas, the incense seized up my throat so effectively I couldn’t chant. Makes me wonder how the deacon at the abbey does it when he has to chant the gospel and the acolyte is swinging the thurible under his nose as he chants.

It doesn’t bother me in church though, just in confined places like my oratory.

i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/OraLabora/ae170e2f-0fa6-423c-9105-e9c54becfe28_zpswssjzjlg.jpg

 

[Usige]

I’m not sure that what you read is accurate. I am a Thurifer and regularly handle the lit thurbile.

Maybe cheaply made coals do irritate. I don’t know. I know from experience however, that my parishoners don’t complain until incense is put in the thurible. I can sit next to the lit thurbile all day long without incense in it. No so when it is loaded.

-Tim-

Really dirty burning coals might cause issues, but I’ve never seen any that bad. Normally it’s based on the aromatics in the incense. I have real problems with roses so when an incense with roses is used I start to cough up a storm. Frankincense and balsam can cause the same problems.

As I understand it the problems are often for the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene that are given off whIle the incense burns. Different aromatics and resins will release different amounts and types of VOCs. There are incense blends that cause fewer problems for people, but I don’t think you will ever find one that causes zero issues for everyone.