A year ago, I traveled to Ireland with my traveling buddies for a little over a week. Ray, the self-imposed travel agent for our group, has always been an expert at finding amazing places to stay. This time we stayed in a lovely manor south of Dublin in a tiny Irish town.
It wasn’t exactly like being at Highclere Castle, but more like Lady Mary’s guest house. And it was spectacular! Amazing masonry, English walking gardens, pebble stone drive and an indoor pool.
What struck me, other than the sheer beauty of the surroundings, was the smell that literally hit me in the face when I walked in the front door. It smelled of MASS. I don’t know how else to describe it. Hot wax, furniture polish, old wood, incense….
As I looked around the entryway, I was visually transported into a small Gothic church too. I shared my observances with the owner of the manor, and he confirmed that the wall paneling and much of the furniture in the entryway had indeed been resurrected from a cathedral that was being renovated. Literally, the smell of several hundred years of Masses had absorbed into every inch of the wood fibers.
So, that led me onto a search for “that Catholic smell”. During my stay at the manor, I found a diffuser that the owner had in different rooms that had a lovely scent. I quickly purchased my own once I returned to the states. However, at $60 a pop, I pursued alternatives.
That is when I found a couple of delicious candles carried seasonally by Bath and Body Works. My favorite is Frankincense and my sister’s is Winter. Either way, you will burn these candles as soon as the weather turns below 60 degrees and continue through the Christmas season. For some reason, I have had trouble finding Frankincense on their website, but some creative entrepreneurs are selling their extras on eBay for a pretty penny.
And probably one of the BEST scent that screams Catholic like nobody’s business is chrism oil. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love the smell of a baby’s head right after they’ve been baptized? Or after your God Daughter has been confirmed? I was visiting that sister of mine in Denver and my hands were suffering from dryness terribly. Right there in her console, I found a tube of Khrisma by CheruBalm. They claim it’s like SALVEation for sensitive skin. I ordered some for myself and it is heavenly.
Check out our Bellator Bests Resource Page for links to all the Catholic smells!
12 thoughts on “Smells like Catholic….”
Chrism is most definitely my favorite Catholic smell!
Who doesn’t LOVE Chrism? So good!
I know exactly what you mean about Catholic smells, Kerry! There are no sustitutes for the years of memories and smells that have engulfed each of us in our liturgical celebrations. It is amazing how a fragrance can transport us to such sacred places in our hearts, our minds, our spirits.
You are spot on!
Love this and you. ♥️ Gonna be at the capital tomorrow with a group of kids from Morrilton. Cory is doing our tour. Hope to run into you! Merry Christmas!
Proud of you! Very interesting & moving. Love you.
Loved your article. Now I am on the hunt for those “smells” and got to find a tube of Khrisma…
You won’t be disappointed!!
Kerry, I use Frankincense oil almost everyday. Some people say the odor is too pungent, I do not. So many wonderful benifits come from this oil and it too reminds me of time at Holy Redeemer.
Love the blog!
Sweet memories!
I loved reading this, though not Catholic I can appreciate the smell of chrism oil! Now I’m on the hunt for it!
Stay tuned. . .we may be able to help you with your search very soon!