Can I wear my cassock everywhere?

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Usige said:
I would think a good compromise would be to reserve a different color for deacons versus priests. If the USCCB specified black clerical dress for priests and grey for deacons I think it could solve the confusion problem while still allowing deacons their right to wear clerical garb.
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That would be a really good compromise.
We have several permanent Deacons that work directly with the chancery that will were clericals. There’s one gentleman that wears a very old style of cassock ( see post #25 in this thread for an example ) Really interesting person, he does a lot of the pre-mandation training for our EMHC and lectors. Other than those that serve within the chancery office, most of the permanent Deacons I’ve met in our diocese don’t wear the clericals because they don’t want to be confused with the Pastor/Parish-Priest(s). Seems a little unfair to me… they spend all of that time in training, devote their lives to the church, etc… but, as one Deacon told me… I have the great privilege to help those in need, to baptize, to help wed, and to participate in the Holy Mass - what more do I need?
😊 Would that I had that humility:blush:
 
ServusHumilis said:
I once heard Fulton Sheen say during an interview that it was illegal for priests even to wear cassocks out and about in the United States. This was probably in the 50s and I doubt it’s changed.
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My understanding is that this was, indeed, the case at one time in the United States, due to the huge anti-Catholic sentiment in the time. It may, indeed, have been the case into the 50’s. Instead, Priests were to wear long overcoats and black hats when in public (I assume that this was at the correct time of year…long woolen overcoat in Texas in the middle of summer probably didn’t work so well). Unfortunately, I don’t have a source for this off the top of my head and am repeating this from memory, so take it for what it’s worth.

That being said, I do know of Priests who wear the cassock out in public, so I assume that these rules have been relaxed.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
Well, sadly, most of the permanent deacons in the U.S. aren’t even allowed to wear the Roman Collar while engaged in ministry such as hospital visits, cemetery committals, etc. It’s a diocese-by-diocese decision, and most bishops don’t allow it.
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In our diocese, they (deacons) are supposed to wear clerical garb when involved in ministry.
 
mommyof4 said:
In our diocese, they (deacons) are supposed to wear clerical garb when involved in ministry.
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In our Diocese, I don’t think it’s either prohibited or mandated, but I’m only aware of one who does.
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
Well, sadly, most of the permanent deacons in the U.S. aren’t even allowed to wear the Roman Collar while engaged in ministry such as hospital visits, cemetery committals, etc. It’s a diocese-by-diocese decision, and most bishops don’t allow it.
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With more than one good reason. Within the Catholic Church, the Roman collar is associated with priests. There are too many Catholics - and for that matter, non-Catholics - who associate the collar with priests that it would cause far, far more chaos and/or confusion than good.

The role of deacons is service and evangelization; neither requires a collar to do so, and again, the common association with a collar is with the sacramental authority of the priest. A deacon visiting the sick could easily be misinterpreted as a priest, a confusion not necessary and one impeding his mission.

There has been far, far more clericalism within the Church, some of it within memory of some of the older posters. There are people who strongly support clericalism, and those who don’t, and those who are bitter concerning it. There is no need to do something which can exacerbate that issue.

The role of a deacon, as it is one of service, is one of humility. I am not suggesting that wearing the collar automatically equates with pride, but certainly serving without a visible sign is an act of humility.

The bishops are not without some wisdom; there are times, instead of railing against the decisions they make, that it might behoove us to step back and accept their wisdom over our perceptions.
 
You would probably be taken for an SSPX priest. They’re the only ones I know of who still wear a soutane in public.
 
Usige said:
As I understand it the bishop’s conference can determine the norms of clerical dress. So while a deacon is entitled to wear clerics (and be addressed as Rev. Mr. Jones), the USCCB has put out a mixed message for permanent deacons. In general it says that since permanent deacons normally are employed in secular positions that they should not wear clerical attire unless their ordinary makes an exception. Later in the same document they state that wearing a cassock is at the cleric’s discretion. Since a permanent deacon is a cleric it would be at their discretion.
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That is not correct; where there is a clear subset rule, the subset rule applies and modifies the majority rule, not withstanding the majority rule may be noted later. Your interpretation makes the rule for deacons meaningless, and you can take it to the bank that the document had no intention of making a rule and within the same document, making the rule meaningless.
 
One thing about the deacons, it’s all up to the bishop. I am in fourth year formation for the diaconate and our bishop has stated that deacons are allowed to wear a gray clerical shirt with collar BUT only while performing official duties required of the deacon.

So, while it may be nice to walk around with the clergy shirt on all the time, even ordained deacons cannot in some dioceses unless they are performing official clerical duties…
 
Charybdis said:
One thing about the deacons, it’s all up to the bishop. I am in fourth year formation for the diaconate and our bishop has stated that deacons are allowed to wear a gray clerical shirt with collar BUT only while performing official duties required of the deacon.

So, while it may be nice to walk around with the clergy shirt on all the time, even ordained deacons cannot in some dioceses unless they are performing official clerical duties…
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When do you become ordained? My husband is in his 4th year of formation, too. He will, God willing, be ordained in May of 2016.
 
Charybdis said:
One thing about the deacons, it’s all up to the bishop. I am in fourth year formation for the diaconate and our bishop has stated that deacons are allowed to wear a gray clerical shirt with collar BUT only while performing official duties required of the deacon.

So, while it may be nice to walk around with the clergy shirt on all the time, even ordained deacons cannot in some dioceses unless they are performing official clerical duties…
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Or in the case of many other dioceses, not even when performing official clerical duties.
 
Yes, again it’s all up to the bishop.

as for my ordination (God Willing), it will be in February 2016…
 
otjm said:
With more than one good reason. Within the Catholic Church, the Roman collar is associated with priests. There are too many Catholics - and for that matter, non-Catholics - who associate the collar with priests that it would cause far, far more chaos and/or confusion than good.
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That’s a very recent idea — One I don’t think will catch on in the long run.

Clerical clothing is for clerics, not just priests. Even now, since the clerical state has been restricted more than it has in the past, those who are approaching the clerical state wear it too.

The bottom line is: If one is not a cleric, one ought not to wear clerical garb, unless that person is directed to by their legitimate superior (e.g.: a seminarian by his bishop).
 
I walk home in my cassock after mass and I only live 5 minutes away and I have to go through the town and I do get the odd look but I just ignore them
 
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