Albs vs cassock and surplice

  • Thread starter Thread starter Florida123
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
F

Florida123

Guest
are the traditional cassocks and surplices still good for serving in the OF?

Also are albs allowed to be worn to serve the EF?
 
The altar boys in my parish wear cassocks and surplices for the OF. It has been awhile since I’ve seen any altar servers wearing an alb.

I do not know what is directed for the EF Mass. Since the alb existed, I am sure some servers have worn it at some time in history.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The altar boys in my parish wear cassocks and surplices for the OF. It has been awhile since I’ve seen any altar servers wearing an alb.

I do not know what is directed for the EF Mass. Since the alb existed, I am sure some servers have worn it at some time in history.
Click to expand...
I’ve seen quite a few old photographs of the altar boys wearing albs for what was then the Ordinary Form (the Tridentine). The pattern that I’ve noticed is that the albs looked like monastic habits, and they appeared in parishes bring run by religious order priests. So, I’ve seen photos of the altar boys at a Franciscan parish wearing albs that look like Franciscan habits. I’m not saying they all did this–only that the photos I remember were taken at parishes run by Order priests.
 
I’m not sure of the official postion but the adult altar servers at my parish wear traditional cassock and surpice to serve at the OF.

The children will be going from cassock and surplice to albs or the OF in the near future.

-Tim-
 
The reason I have heard for using albs rather than cassock and surplice sets is that the c&s is more closely related to clerical attire. Using that line of thought, it would be inappropriate to have c&s sets if you have both altar boys and girls. (not saying I agree with that line of thought but that’s the way the rationale goes)

The flip side is that C&S sets are more modest and less likely to experience wardrobe malfunctions. 🤷
 
FrDavid96 said:
I’ve seen quite a few old photographs of the altar boys wearing albs for what was then the Ordinary Form (the Tridentine). The pattern that I’ve noticed is that the albs looked like monastic habits, and they appeared in parishes bring run by religious order priests. So, I’ve seen photos of the altar boys at a Franciscan parish wearing albs that look like Franciscan habits. I’m not saying they all did this–only that the photos I remember were taken at parishes run by Order priests.
Click to expand...
If I recall, they use albs in the Dominican rite. I may be wrong though. I saw in on NLM a long time ago. Maybe some of you remember the B/W photos…
 
TheMc said:
??
Click to expand...
Cassock and surplice. The poster is arguing that they are more modest, which IMO they are. I’ve seen some cheap albs that are see through when they light hits them at a certain angle.
 
archangel04 said:
Cassock and surplice. The poster is arguing that they are more modest, which IMO they are. I’ve seen some cheap albs that are see through when they light hits them at a certain angle.
Click to expand...
But shouldn’t servers be wearing modest clothing already? I guess I thought that was a given. 🤷
 
archangel04 said:
Cassock and surplice. The poster is arguing that they are more modest, which IMO they are. I’ve seen some cheap albs that are see through when they light hits them at a certain angle.
Click to expand...
😃 I have to remind my boys to wear solid polos on the days they serve. If they wear stipes, they look like prison inmates. 😃 Also, some of the styles of albs create problems. The ones our parish uses wrap around and then velcro at the shoulder. If the wearer doesn’t then tie their cord correctly, the wrap opening just falls open everytime he/she walks. They also tend to be really snug accross the wearer’s backside. I know this is mainly a fault of this particular type of alb not of all albs.
 
archangel04 said:
Cassock and surplice. The poster is arguing that they are more modest, which IMO they are. I’ve seen some cheap albs that are see through when they light hits them at a certain angle.
Click to expand...
I certainly hope they’re wearing clothes underneath the albs!
 
My parish uses albs and cinctures for the OF Mass. The Traditional Dominican Rite calls for albs and cinctures only on special occasions (ex. The Feast of St. Dominic). I believe the norm for the EF Mass is cassock and surplice, and at a Dominican Low Mass where a Dominican is serving, the Dominican habit.
 
I love the Cassock and Surplice. I’ve never officially witnessed an OF Mass as an adult seeing Alter boys or Acolytes wearing the Cassock and Surplice.

Last time I saw the Cassock and Surplice was when I was an Alter Boy in the 1960’s to the mid 1970’s
 
corsair said:
Go to this link to see Altar boys in the Dominican Rite. dominican-liturgy.blogspot.com/search/label/Holy%20Rosary%20Portland%20OR

The priests and brothers wear monastic albs with the hood up and down at various points during the Mass. 🙂
Click to expand...
Thank You for the link. Brings back good ole memories.
I like the Chasuble style. And the person wearing the Dalmatic in the picture is actually a “sub-deacon” Full deacons have an extra stripe on the lower backside end of the Dalmatic.
 
I’m an Altar server and I wear a white alb. I’m going to beg Fr. that he order in some Cassock + Surpluces, they look far better!
 
The reason boys should wear cassock and surplice at the Extraordinary Form is that, especially at Low Mass, they are performing clerical functions. They are standing in the place of the deacon and sub-deacon. So it’s appropriate that they wear clerical garb. Even candle-bearers at a High Mass are standing in the place or clerics (acolytes).

However this is all completely lost in the Ordinary Form and so the most aesthetically pleasing should be chosen for boys, which is cassock and surplice. However it still remains clerical garb and girls shouldn’t be anywhere near them.
 
Te_Deum said:
The reason boys should wear cassock and surplice at the Extraordinary Form is that, especially at Low Mass, they are performing clerical functions. They are standing in the place of the deacon and sub-deacon. So it’s appropriate that they wear clerical garb. Even candle-bearers at a High Mass are standing in the place or clerics (acolytes).

However this is all completely lost in the Ordinary Form and so the most aesthetically pleasing should be chosen for boys, which is cassock and surplice. However it still remains clerical garb and girls shouldn’t be anywhere near them.
Click to expand...
I don’t know if it’s fair to say it’s all lost in the OF. They are still in the place of the acolytes, which was (is?) a clerical function, and by definition, is a male role.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top