Use of Incense at the Cathedral

In the Roman Catholic Church, the use of incense at Mass is a long-standing tradition which has its roots in the Old and New Testaments (ps. 141:2 “Let my prayer rise like incense before you…” and Luke 1:10 “…when the whole assembly of the people was praying at the hour of the incense offering…”). The use of incense heightens the solemnity of the particular liturgy being celebrated. So, it is entirely fitting and appropriate that incense be used in expressing our heartfelt worship of God within our most solemn Catholic celebrations, especially in the Cathedral, the most solemn place of worship in the diocese. At the same time, however, charity demands that we be sensitive to the needs of our dear people who come to worship God.

We are aware that some people have respiratory problems which are exacerbated by the use of incense. To that end, we offer the following:

• A listing of the liturgies when incense will be used is below. A notice of the use of incense will also be posted in the bulletin the weekend prior to the liturgy. 

• For those who have a sensitivity to incense, you are encouraged to be strategic when choosing your seating for a Mass when incense is used; for example, please consider sitting in the gathering space or adoration chapel. These spaces have projection screens for Mass viewing.

• We will continue to search for an incense with the least amount of irritants.

Times when incense is used at Cathedral:

- Funerals

- Solemnities

• Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
• Palm Sunday
• Holy Thursday
• Easter
• Divine Mercy Sunday
• Ascension of the Lord
• Pentecost
• Trinity Sunday
• Corpus Christi Sunday
• Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (if on a Sunday)
• Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• All Saints
• Christ The King
• Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Christmas

• Chrism Mass
• Mass of Ordination

• A wedding when the couple requests it
• Exposition and reposition of the Blessed Sacrament when done by a priest or deacon
• Morning and Evening Prayer when they take place in the main church