A Question on the Jesuit Cassock

[Ridgerunner]

I have studied in a Jesuit college and been to several Jesuit parishes… also been to Jesuit retreat houses, Novitiate and provincialate, also studied with Jesuits and only seen less than half a dozen who would wear a cassock until noe… Most wud not… Also knew a good number of Jesuits who were living in parishes but have never had a single cassock since the time they joined. Some would not even wear the vestments while celebrating mass.

I attended a Jesuit college long ago and at that time most of them wore those distinctive cassocks which I believe are called “soutanes”. But then came VII and BOOM! a lot of them left the order or the priesthood and the order diminished and (to my thinking) a lot of them went a bit secular.

The last time I saw a soutane on anyone (and the first time in years) was in an airport. That was maybe five years ago. I went up to the wearer and asked him if he was a Jesuit. “No” he said “Society of St. Pius X”

Oops!