Incense is another point of contention. However there are several passages that show the beneficial use of incense, such as Rev 8:3-5 :

"3 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a gold censer. He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with burning coals from the altar, and hurled it down to the earth."

and Rev 5:8

"8 When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones."

As Catholics we must be careful that we understand to whom we pray and why. It cannot be stated more strongly that no Catholics should ever worship a statue. But we can definitely venerate our favorite saints, and pray in front of their images WHILE praying to God.

• ¹What Catholics Really Believe-Setting the Record Straight: 52 Answers to Common Misconceptions About the Catholic Faith, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 1992, by Karl Keating, director Catholic Answers, a lay-run apologetics and evangelization organization, and editor of the magazine, This Rock. He is also the author of the best-seller, Catholicism and Fundamentalism.

• 2Nuts & Bolts: A Practical Guide for Explaining and Defending the Catholic Faith, Basilica Press, San Diego, 1999, by Tim Staples, a former Assemblies of God youth pastor who converted to the Catholic Church.

• ³Catholic Source Book, Harcourt Religion Publishers, 2000, by Rev. Peter Klein. Rev Peter Klein is a priest of the Diocese of Winona in Minnesota.
• ⁴Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Encyclopedia, Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Huntington, Indiana, 1998, by Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas, editor. Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas is the author of eleven books and more than 500 articles. He is the founding editor of Catholic Answer and the administrator of St. John the Baptist Church of Bayonne, New Jersey. He likewise serves as adjunct professor of education at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

To read the rest of the series on Catholic Apologetics, please select one of the links below.

Apologetics Part 1: Catholic Practices and Traditions - Be Proud of Them

Apologetics Part 2: Catholic Devotion To the Virgin Mary

Apologetics Part 3: Bible Catholics?

Apologetics Part 4: The Catholic Beliefs Are Not Found in the Bible

Apologetics Part 5: Everything the Pope Says is Infallible

Apologetics Part 6: Catholics Are Not Born-Again - So They Are Not Saved

Apologetics Part 7: Catholics Worship Saints, Icons and Statues

Apologetics Part 8: Anointing the Sick with Holy Oil

Did You Know? Priestly Celibacy Is A Disciplinary Rule and not a Doctrine

Did You Know? That criticism of the Catholic Church comes from both the right and the left

Non-Catholic Criticism: Indulgences: A Catholic Can Buy Salvation

Non-Catholic Criticism: Communion of Saints - Why Catholics believe in Saints

Non-Catholic Criticism: Call No One on Earth Your Father

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