Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit!
You're currently viewing Catholic CyberForum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our online cyberparish, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.
Join our community!
Messages posted to this board must be polite and free of abuse, personal attacks, blasphemy, racism, threats, harrassment, and crude or sexually-explicit language.
If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Suitable ecclesiastical dress
Topic Started: Thursday, 10. February 2011, 21:50 (1,989 Views)
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
Canon Law
 
Can. 284 Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Episcopal Conference and legitimate local custom.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
We've had some relaxation discussing appropriate attire for church. We concentrated mainly on what laity should wear. How about discussing what is NOWADAYS in the DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, suitable ecclesiastical dress?

;) :wh:
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
I used to think it was terrible for a priest ever to be seen wearing clothing other than black suit and shirt, black shoes, clerical collar and on wet or cold days, a black overcoat or raincoat, and that not a stylish modern windproof waterproof proof against everything coat with contrasting collar and pocket flaps.

Since using the internet I have noticed it is becoming more common as time goes by for priests to be photographed dressed as other men dress.

If it were not stipulated in Canon Law how priests must dress, should it matter? I think it depends upon the situation.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gerard

I prefer to see priests wear the same sort of clothing as other men do.

Gerry
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Ned

Gerard
Thursday, 10. February 2011, 22:43
I prefer to see priests wear the same sort of clothing as other men do.
Same here, Gerry.

And in church as well as outside of it.

Regards

Ned
Edited by Ned, Thursday, 10. February 2011, 23:10.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Deacon Robert
Member Avatar

Gerard and Ned,

I agree with both of you. I am my happiest wearing jeans and a t-shrt or sweat shirt, however, not being a Priest I am required to wear attire that has been approved by the powers that be. If I am representing the "church", I must wear a dark suit, A shirt and tie (unless I choose to wear a collerless shirt), and a lapel pin signifiying that I am a Deacon. No option, no choice...
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
christyemily

When away from "the job," I have known some clergy to go ''mufty." Mufty is the clothing of some clergy on vacation, on days off, and traveling when they do not wish to be identified as priests. It is the clothing of their days off. Granted the stole and chrism is most usually on their person or near by. They are entitled to down time.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Anne-Marie

Not for me to dictate clerical dress... but whilst 'on duty' I do prefer a priest to look like a priest, as in dark suit and 'dog-collar'. I have known a few priests who wear a cassock all the time, which I find a little too much (as in 'almost-OTT').
Anne-Marie
FIAT VOLUNTAS DEI
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Penfold
Member Avatar

Rose of York
Thursday, 10. February 2011, 21:50
Canon Law
 
Can. 284 Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Episcopal Conference and legitimate local custom.
In northern Europe the norm is to wear a suit and tie for formal events and "Muffty" the rest of the time. In the UK it is still the norm to wear clerical dress when on formal occasions but many of us are increasingly wearing non-clerical dress when on home turf, ie our parishioners know we are priests so why should one need to advertise. The current clerical dress is actually a fairly recent and when the heirachy was restored in the 1850s they adopted the dress worn in Rome and to this day it is mainly in the former British Dominions and colonies that the "Dog Collar" is the convention. The Cassock is rarely worn outside the confines of the church building these days an I suspect that increasingly some form of Badge will replace the "Dog Collar" along the lines of the system mentioned by Deacon Robert,
In Ireland on holiday I now never wear a "Dog Collar" where once it would have been the norm because it has become a negative symbol to many. I do think, however we should avoid going down the route of reinventing clerical dress in the sense that the catalogues sell Sweat Shirts and Polo Shirts with "Priest" on them, if it is necessary for one to wear something that tells people one is a priest then wear a clerical collar if you are out for a run then wear the appropriate sporting attire.
Canon law on this issue is actually very relaxed for it allows for local norms and custom. In essence it is reminding clergy that we should remember that we represent the church while out and about in the community and our attire should be such that it does not cause scandal. When on the Altar one represents Christ and so one should dress respectfully and not say mass in jeans and tea shirt, wear an alb over your ordinary cloths and at the very least a stole. I have several lightweight albs and even with current luggage restrictions on airlines it is easy to fold one into a rucksack with my lightweight mass kit.
Edited by Penfold, Friday, 11. February 2011, 08:30.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus Toanimo
Member Avatar
Administrator
I much prefer to see priests outside of Mass wearing:

Posted Image

than civvies. Priests are not normal men, they are called by God.

Posted Image
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
Patrick
Friday, 11. February 2011, 09:29
Priests are not normal men, they are called by God.

We are all called by God, there is a variety of vocations.

I like Penfold's suggestion of a badge. When a stranger meets a person wearing the badge, a question could be asked "What is the badge you are wearing?" Oh what a shock some will get, if they are culturally conditioned to back off from clergy and practising Christians, to discover the man who is obviously perfectly normal, and good company, is a priest. The badge would show me I am in the company of a priest. The badge could lead to questions from people who ask what it signifies.

On Remembrance Sunday a parishioner asked me "What is that badge securing your poppy?" I told him, Royal British Legion. That led to a conversation. By the time we parted company that day he knew about the charitable work done by the Legion and later called upon their services, on behalf of his father, a former National Serviceman. All thanks to my badge!
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Mairtin
Member Avatar

Penfold

I've noticed some priests wearing a blue shirt, is there any particular significance in it? For some reason, I've always associated blue shirts with Protestant vicars.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Mairtin
Member Avatar

Patrick
Friday, 11. February 2011, 09:29
Priests are not normal men, they are called by God.

For once we agree, Patrick. I'm not fussed about the cassock but I do like priests to dress as priests except when they are on holidays or something.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
A priest told me that when visiting a parishioner in hospital, if he had the time he would spend some time in the cafe, because experience had taught him many people who did not have an affiliation to a denomination, would see his collar and approach him, requesting support and prayer.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Penfold
Member Avatar

Mairtin
Friday, 11. February 2011, 15:17
Penfold

I've noticed some priests wearing a blue shirt, is there any particular significance in it? For some reason, I've always associated blue shirts with Protestant vicars.
RAF Chaplains wear a Wedgwood Blue clerical shirt to match the uniform but as to any other reason for a blue clerical shirt, lik eyou I always associated them with protestants.
When I was 1st ordained I had a grey Harris tweed jacket that I had been given and which I found very comfortable. I called into a petrol station used by my cousin near Armagh and in accordance with her wishes charged the petrol to her account. Later she came home and was chuckling because the attendant had said he had known her cousin had been recently ordained but had not been aware that he (ie me) was protestant, priests in Armagh wore black never grey and certainly not blue. We blamed my Jesuit formation and the locals were content.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · General Catholic Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply