Stuff Catholics Like

Catholics like candles. Lots of candles. We like them next to the altar. We like them next to the ambo (that’s the lectern, guys). We like to light them from big bonfires once a year, and give them to babies we’ve just splashed with water. We particularly like to talk about the significance of the flame on the candle as the abiding light of Christ in our lives, just before we tell people to blow their candles out.

Some candles show up in front of statues or pictures. These candles represent the prayers of people who want to pray for a long time but can’t stay there themselves, so they let the candle do the praying for them. The saints represented by the pictures or candles do a lot of praying for them, too. I know one church (I am not making this up) where they never turn on the heat because they have so many candles burning it keeps the church nice and toasty all winter long. And this is a big, stone, neo-gothic place with uber-high ceilings!

Sometimes, candles are the only light we use, especially for masses on college campuses late at night. It’s kind of romantic and kind of spooky and kind of medieval — except for those LED-booklights the priest and reader and musicians use so they can actually see the words. Still, it sets a certain tone, creates an atmosphere of … candle-ness.

Catholics also like candles outside the church. Purple, purple, pink (no! it’s rose!), purple, all December long. And whenever you take the time to pray with someone, it’s good to light a candle. My Dominican community has a seasonal retreat day, and so far there’s been candle-lighting as a big part of every one. When I was a student, we’d hang out with local sisters, and they used candles too! All the time! The local families at parishes I’ve lived at haven’t seemed to catch on to this candle-lighting craze, but they will soon.

They can’t help it. They’re Catholic, after all, and Catholics just love candles.

Guest post from Br. Robert King, O.P.