Wwe want to provide you with the opportunity to have burning votive candles at our altars of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

The suggested offering for a votive candle is $3.00.

But why do we even light candles?

Almost nothing says Catholic like votive candles, especially if they are placed before images or statues in a church setting. When a film or television show wants the audience to know a character is Catholic, a confessional or a rack of votive candles is sure to turn up.

Votive comes from the Latin votum, meaning promise, dedication or simply “prayer.” It reinforces the idea that the candles represent our prayers before God.

As humans, we are body and soul and our prayers often need to be expressed in a physical, tangible way. This helps our soul be at rest and is a way to deepen our spirituality. Similar to incense, the light of the candles is a physical reminder that points our souls to God. We light them not because we believe our prayers will be better heard by God, but because we need something visual to connect our body and soul.

The beeswax symbolizes the purity of Christ, the wick symbolizes the human soul of Christ and the light is for His divinity.