One of the unique elements of Catholic liturgies is the use of incense.  Many wonder why the need for all that smoke?  The use of incense in religious worship dates back thousands of years and it was integrated into the Church's liturgy very early on.  Incense appears 170 times in the Bible.  At. St. Anthony and St. Mary, incense is used during solemn exposition and benediction for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  It is also used during Masses related to solemn celebrations and special feast days.  Some people have difficulty because of respiratory conditions.  At both parishes we seek to offer certain Masses without incense and also provide certain areas in the Church that reduce the exposure to the incense smoke for those who still want to attend a Mass with incense but still have a health concern.

At St. Anthony, this area is in the entryway.  There is limited seating here and doors and clear glass windows to aide in participation and reduce the exposure to incense smoke.

At. St. Mary, there are two areas.  A chapel and cry room on the south side of the church (to the right as you look toward the sanctuary).  There is also a narthex at the back of the church, but this is a standing area only with no seating.

Note:  If you are attending a Mass with incense and do not believe you can come forward to receive Holy Communion, you can notify the priest or sacristan before Mass and one of us can bring the Eucharist to you at the back narthex of either church.

To further explore the history and significance of incense for Catholic liturgy, here are some additional resources to check out:

Article:  The History of Incense and Why it is Used at Mass

Article:  Holy Smoke:  The Use of Incense in the Catholic Church

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