Baseball caps during communion!

[bpbasilphx]

I was watching Pope Benedict celebrate an outdoor mega-mass in Brindisi, and was quite taken with his using a Byzantine Chalice and diskos.

But I was overwhelmed by seeing MEN, even clergy, wearing secular baseball caps (mostly yellow) during the mass–and even receiving Communion wearing them. YES–even priests received Communion wearing baseball caps.

Did anyone see this? Any comments?

 

[childofmary1143]

I was watching Pope Benedict celebrate an outdoor mega-mass in Brindisi, and was quite taken with his using a Byzantine Chalice and diskos.

But I was overwhelmed by seeing MEN, even clergy, wearing secular baseball caps (mostly yellow) during the mass–and even receiving Communion wearing them. YES–even priests received Communion wearing baseball caps.

Did anyone see this? Any comments?

Any links on this? No I didn’t see it.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Any links on this? No I didn’t see it.

I watched the Mass on EWTN, so I doubt if there will be any on-line links yet.

 

[GemmaRose]

I didn’t see it, but the only thing I can think of is trying to shield bald pates from exposure to the sun.

 

[puzzleannie]

I think the rule is for men to take off hats in church, and an outdoor Mass is not in church, even temporarily, Yankee Stadium was not a church, and in the middle of the day in the sun a had is not unreasonable in those circs, and may even be a necessity.

 

[catharina]

I think the rule is for men to take off hats in church, and an outdoor Mass is not in church, even temporarily, Yankee Stadium was not a church, and in the middle of the day in the sun a had is not unreasonable in those circs, and may even be a necessity.

I can’t remember if I’ve said this before now, but I applaud the way you think.
You tend to look for the GOOD explanation and you often find it.

 

[brotherhrolf]

I don’t think it would have hurt to doff the hat and put it under one’s arm to receive the Eucharist. I drives me batty to go to restaurants here with men older than me wearing baseball caps at the table. I want to walk up to them and say “Didn’t your momma and daddy teach you better?”

BTW Annie, I have a completely bald pate and I’m extremely fair skinned. I wear a big panama and I can assure you that it would have been removed to receive Our Lord. A few minutes exposure to the sun is not that great a deal. And, yes, I would doff my hat at the consecration and at the Minor Elevation as well.

PS DW teaches at a local university and she has a hard and fast rule about hats in her classroom. You should hear here tales of the yowls and complaints - but it is NOT how we were raised.

Manners are the glue which holds society together.

 

[puzzleannie]

I can’t remember if I’ve said this before now, but I applaud the way you think.
You tend to look for the GOOD explanation and you often find it.

yeah but sometimes it is a real struggle to find the most charitable interpretation. and I have to work at it to counteract my natural cynicism. I do agree that communicants could have held the hat, and received on the tongue, but a balding communion minister standing out there in the sun for a long time, a hat I can understand. the other point is, being a priest, isn’t there some kind of official hat that is part of the outfit (I’m thinking Fr. Guido Sarducci).

 

[Spiller]

I was watching Pope Benedict celebrate an outdoor mega-mass in Brindisi, and was quite taken with his using a Byzantine Chalice and diskos.

But I was overwhelmed by seeing MEN, even clergy, wearing secular baseball caps (mostly yellow) during the mass–and even receiving Communion wearing them. YES–even priests received Communion wearing baseball caps.

Did anyone see this? Any comments?

To be blunt and without making a big deal of it, I think it was crude too.

There is some pretty effective sun-screen for sale these days that negates the need to cover one’s head in most cases. There are always a handful who are really sensitive to sun that still cover their heads (in addition to bishops) and that’s OK and they usually do it with something more appropriate than a ball cap.

The problem is in this case they institutionalized something bad. I’m sure when you picked-up your chasuble you also had the option of picking-up a ball cap and that’s just wrong.

Finally, ball caps are HORRIBLE when it comes to sun protection. If a priest was REALLY worried about sun protection he would be wearing a wide-brimmed hat…

 

[catharina]

Here is a link to the Holy Father’s comments to those in southern Italy and his appeal for their generosity in embracing the many immigrants who have fled to their area.

africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL15140036.html

Opening of article:

"Pope urges compassion for immigrants at Brindisi
Sun 15 Jun 2008, 10:10 GMT

By Robin Pomeroy

BRINDISI, Italy, June 15 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict has used a trip to southern Italy to urge Italians, who are embroiled in heated debate on immigration, to show solidarity with the poor and suffering who come to their shores seeking a better life.

The Pope made his appeal during a weekend trip to this southern port city which has for centuries been a historic arrival point for immigrants and refugees. … ."

Among those who have fled to southern Italy are “those from Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia.” It’s likely that among the first two groups, many are Catholic. If I have to think twice about expense before I buy any sun-block - and I’m an employed American - maybe we can figure that priorities are rather different for some/many in Brindisi?