Why Does The Catholic Church Use Incense?

"Incense is a symbolic sacramental. Its burning signifies zeal; its fragrance, virtue; and its rising smoke, prayer going up before the Throne of God." ~New Catholic Dictionary (A.D. 1910).

"Thou shalt make also an [altar to burn incense], of setim wood. It shall be a cubit in length, and another in breadth, that is, foursquare, and two in height. Horns shall go out of the same. And thou shalt overlay it with the purest gold, as well as the grate thereof, as the walls round about and the horns. And thou shalt make to it a crown of gold round about, And two golden rings under the crown on either side, that the bars may be put into them, and the altar be carried. And thou shalt make the bars also of setim wood, and shalt overlay them with gold.

[1] "An altar to burn incense"... This burning of incense was an emblem of prayer, ascending to God from an inflamed heart. See Ps. 140. 2; Apoc. 5. 8, and 8. 4.

And thou shalt set the altar over against the veil, that hangeth before the ark of the testimony before the propitiatory wherewith the testimony is covered, where I will speak to thee. And Aaron shall burn sweet smelling incense upon it in the morning. When he shall dress the lamps, he shall burn it: And when he shall place them in the evening, he shall burn an everlasting incense before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer upon it incense of another composition nor oblation, and victim, neither shall you offer libations. And Aaron shall pray upon the horns thereof once a year, with the blood of that which was offered for sin, and shall make atonement upon it in your generations. It shall be most holy to the Lord." ~Exodus 30:1-10

"And taking the censer, which he [Aaron] hath filled with the burning coals of the altar, and taking up with his hand the compounded perfume for incense, he shall go in within the veil into the holy place: That when the perfumes are put upon the fire, the cloud and vapour thereof may cover the oracle, which is over the testimony, and he may not die." ~Leviticus 16:12-13

"And for the altar of incense, he gave the purest gold: and to make the likeness of the chariot of the cherubims spreading their wings, and covering the ark of the covenant of the Lord." ~1 Chronicles (or Paralipomenon) 28:18

"Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice." ~Psalm 140(141):2

"For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure offering; for My name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts." ~Malachi 1:11

"And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary His mother, and falling down they adored Him; and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh." ~Matthew 2:11

"Once when he [Zechariah] was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense...." ~Luke 1:8-11

"...the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints...." ... "And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel." ~Apocalypse (or Revelation) 5:8; 8:3-4

"The hierarch having ended a sacred prayer before the divine altar, begins by censing there and goes throughout the whole enclosure of the sacred edifice. And returned once more to the holy altar, he begins the sacred melody of the psalms, the whole well-ordered ecclesiastical array chanting along with him the holy psalmic song." ~Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, de Eccl. Hierarch., iii. 2.

"...Burn yet the incense in the holy place...Give ye your incense to God." ~Testament of Saint Ephrem of Edessa (A.D. 306?-373)

Incense is mentioned throughout the Divine Liturgy of Saint Mark (5th century?): http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0718.htm and throughout the Divine Liturgy of Saint James (late fourth or early fifth century?): http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0717.htm

"In the liturgies of Ss. James and Mark, which in their present form originate in the fifth century, the use of incense is mentioned. A Roman Ritual of the seventh century marks it usage in the procession of a Bishop to the altar and on Good Friday. Moreover, in the Mass, an incensation at the Gospel appears very early; at the offertory, in the 11th century; and at the Introit, in the 12th century. Incense was also used at the Benedictus and Magnificat during Lauds and Vespers about the 13th century, and for the exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament about the 14th century. Gradually, its usage was extended to the incensing of the celebrant and assisting clergy...The purpose of incensing and the symbolic value of the smoke is that of purification and sanctification... Incense also creates the ambiance of Heaven...The usage of incense adds a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass. The visual imagery of the smoke and the smell remind us of the transcendence of the Mass which links Heaven with earth, and allow us to enter into the presence of God." ~The Use of Incense by Father William Saunders