By Staff, September 5, 2026
Pray Tell is pleased to present Let my Prayer Rise: Incense in the Liturgy, the latest episode from the Australian Catholic University Centre for Liturgy’s podcast series, Speaking of Liturgy.
Since ancient times, incense has been a part of religious rituals. Dr. Johan van Parys explores the nature of incense as a sensory experience which invites us to encounter God’s presence. He notes some of the key rituals where incense is used in the liturgy.
The podcast can be accessed here.
Johan van Parys, Ph.D., a native of Belgium, is Director of Liturgy and the Sacred Arts and Managing Director of Ministries at The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. He holds graduate degrees in Archaeology, Art History, Religious Studies from the Catholic University of Louvain and a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Johan teaches at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville, MN and is the founder and President of the MN/ND Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. His books include Symbols that Surround Us (Liguori), What’s the Smoke for and And other Burning Liturgical Questions (Liturgical Press). His most recent publication Sacramentals was published in 2026.
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