Kaukauna Catholic Parishes

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. The placement of the votive candles varies based on the space and layout of each Catholic Church.

The word “vigil” comes from the Latin vigilia and refers to keeping watch. The vigil candle that is lit remains so for a period of time (either a certain number of hours or a few days) and symbolizes how the person desires “to remain present to the Lord in prayer even though we may depart and go about our daily business.” It also reminds the individual how the saint is constantly praying for their petitions.

Another word for these candles is a “votive” candle and 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. 

Recently at Holy Cross we moved some of our votive candles by the St. Joseph statue to a location behind the baptismal font and the other set of votive candles to the side of the St. Joseph statue. 

One of our priorities this year was to continue to focus on improving the music ministry in the parishes. In order to do this, it was essential for Holly to be able to work with small groups and cantors to achieve this important goal. We have learned, from Catholic parishes experiencing renewal and growth, the need for a strong and vibrant music ministry. It is for this reason that both Parish Councils made our music ministry a priority for the coming year. This required us to make some changes to how we use the space and the placement of the votive candles at Holy Cross. 

In a similar way, we move the votive candles by the statue of Mary for Advent, Christmas and Lent for important use of symbols in our church environment during these seasons. During Advent and Christmas, the crèche is placed in the area by the Mary statue. During Lent, we have a large wooden cross displayed as a symbol of our Lenten Journey. 

What we come to understand is the importance of utilizing our space to ensure our Sunday celebration of the Eucharist is as rich and full a celebration as possible. And, while we honor and respect the use of votive candles as part of our spiritual journey, it is important that their placement also be a part of the full vision of the Eucharist being the center of our faith life. 

If you have any questions or need any further information to understand what we are trying to do, or why we have arranged the layout of the church in the way that we have, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Peace and Joy,                 Fr. Don