Can Laymen wear the Alb?

[NickVA]

I’ve done a little research and It seems to indicate that the lay are permitted to wear the Alb.

according to : thefreelibrary.com/Can+laypeople+wear+vestments+at+church%3F-a0146958073

" The alb is basically the white garment received at Baptism that signifies a person has been made a new creation in Christ. For that reason any baptized person can wear one. The protocol for who wears an alb in liturgy, however, is generally determined by local custom."

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=6767132

“Mattapoisett64” posted

“The alb is a garment proper to any baptized person, so I would think that wearing an alb would be perfectly OK.”

Is it true that the lay are permitted to wear the alb both in public and private worship?

Please do not digress to other subjects, It happens far to often on CAF. Stay on topic!

Pax Christi ✠

 

[Adonia]

Of course. My diocese proscribes it’s wear for all EMHC folks. I like it, because it helps show more reverence when we participate in giving out Holy Communion. We are of course doing something special here and the alb covers your “civilian” clothes. This is to me a religious/pious garment.

 

[tbtcom1213]

From Wikipedia

"The alb is a white garment coming down to the ankles and usually girdled with a cincture. It is simply the long linen tunic used by the Romans. In Early Medieval Europe it was also normally worn by secular clergy in non-liturgical contexts. The word is derived from a Latin word meaning “white”

It is the oldest liturgical vestment, and was adopted very early by Christians, and especially by the clergy for the Eucharistic liturgy. Nowadays, the alb is the common vestment for all ministers at Mass, both clerics and laypersons, and is worn over the cassock and under any other special garments, such as the stole, dalmatic or chasuble. If the alb does not completely cover the collar, an amice is often worn underneath the alb. The shortening of the alb for use outside a church has given rise to the surplice and its cousin the rochet, worn by canons and bishops. Post-Tridentine albs often were made with lace."

 

[jbuck919]

I have always found it rather ironic that the stand-alone alb, usually a rather elegant garment, can be worn by any baptized person for any parish Mass, while the surplice, which resembles something Aunt Fiona made out of a bedsheet, is considered a vestment proper to clerics and is worn preferentially by many of them at even the most solemn services in the grandest settings.

 

[Phemie]

I have always found it rather ironic that the stand-alone alb, usually a rather elegant garment, can be worn by any baptized person for any parish Mass, while the surplice, which resembles something Aunt Fiona made out of a bedsheet, is considered a vestment proper to clerics and is worn preferentially by many of them at even the most solemn services in the grandest settings.

I have only known two priests to wear very fancy albs. Most of priests I know wear very simple ones that I would never qualify as ‘elegant’. Utilitarian, yes; as nightgown-looking as the altar servers’ albs, no.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Personally, I think that it is better to have ministers, sacred and lay, serving in the sanctuary wearing something other than just street clothes. I just think it looks better. I am also a firm believer that when ordained clergy are in the sanctuary for any reason outside the celebration of a liturgy they should have a cassock on and not just their street clothes.

I would apply this to alter servers because they are present in the sanctuary for the whole Mass. Readers I don’t think should wear any sort of vestment. I think this for two reasons. First, their ministry is a lay ministry and by not wearing any vestment emphasises their lay ministry (plus in our parish church the Ambo is outside the sanctuary). I also think that extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion do not need any vestment because they really only come up to the sanctuary from the congregation for Communion.

I think that lay ministers such as altar servers look better in albs than say a cotta and cassock. To my mind that looks more clerical than an alb. Many years ago when I was an altar server we used to wear a red cassock and a white cotta and our parish priest used to call us his “little cardinals”. We later switched to albs.

(To digress my mother preferred the alb; she said it was easier to launder and iron than the cassock and cotta!)

 

[Elizium23]

Of course. My diocese proscribes it’s wear for all EMHC folks. I like it, because it helps show more reverence when we participate in giving out Holy Communion. We are of course doing something special here and the alb covers your “civilian” clothes. This is to me a religious/pious garment.

I think you meant “prescribes” here, because “proscribes” means “prohibits.”

 

[ohioszo]

Of course. My diocese proscribes it’s wear for all EMHC folks. I like it, because it helps show more reverence when we participate in giving out Holy Communion. We are of course doing something special here and the alb covers your “civilian” clothes. This is to me a religious/pious garment.

I would be interested in viewing a photo of an EMHC wearing the alb in your diocese!

Sometimes, when I wear a scarf, and let it dangle … not serving HC … attending Mass, I start to feel self-conscious about it … and pull at it, tie it or take it off. I wonder now that it has so much meaning as a liturgical garment, that some of that meaning may be imparted to all stole wearing. Don’t mean to digress.

I can’t imagine wearing an Alb, so, it must not be as bad as I can imagine it to be … for an EMHC.

 

[SimonDodd]

Of course. My diocese proscribes it’s wear for all EMHC folks. I like it, because it helps show more reverence when we participate in giving out Holy Communion. We are of course doing something special here and the alb covers your “civilian” clothes. This is to me a religious/pious garment.

You mean prescribes. If your diocese proscribes the wearing of the alb, it forbids it. Also, let’s talk about the correct use of apostrophes in “its”…

 

[diggerdomer]

I’ve done a little research and It seems to indicate that the lay are permitted to wear the Alb.

according to : thefreelibrary.com/Can+laypeople+wear+vestments+at+church%3F-a0146958073

" The alb is basically the white garment received at Baptism that signifies a person has been made a new creation in Christ. For that reason any baptized person can wear one. The protocol for who wears an alb in liturgy, however, is generally determined by local custom."

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=6767132

“Mattapoisett64” posted

“The alb is a garment proper to any baptized person, so I would think that wearing an alb would be perfectly OK.”

Is it true that the lay are permitted to wear the alb both in public and private worship?

Please do not digress to other subjects, It happens far to often on CAF. Stay on topic!

Pax Christi ✠

Yes, laymen and laywomen can wear an alb.

 

[Luger]

I have always found it rather ironic that the stand-alone alb, usually a rather elegant garment, can be worn by any baptized person for any parish Mass, while the surplice, which resembles something Aunt Fiona made out of a bedsheet, is considered a vestment proper to clerics and is worn preferentially by many of them at even the most solemn services in the grandest settings.

You make a very good point. I serve Mass as a laymen, often as an MC at larger Masses with the bishop. When I really have to dress my best it’s a black cassock with an alb over it instead of a surplice or cotta. You can still see the cassock (for those who care) through the lace above the hem or on the sleeves.

Add an amice and a white cincture and it’s a very formal and far more elegant look than a cassock with a surplice – especially sans collar.

 

[Luger]

I think EMsHC wearing albs blurs the line too much between clerics and the laity. I think it would also add to the cliquishness already common amongst some EMsHC.

That said I would still welcome their use to cover some of the trash some EMsHC wear while distributing communion.

 

[dconklin]

Are not what (at least our) altar servers wear an alb? Our altar servers wear a simple white pull-over piece that goes to the ankles and has a cincture. We have a few adult altar servers.

 

[ohioszo]

I think EMsHC wearing albs blurs the line too much between clerics and the laity. I think it would also add to the cliquishness already common amongst some EMsHC.

That said I would still welcome their use to cover some of the trash some EMsHC wear while distributing communion.

Never happens in Ohio! … Where are you from? Not trashy, but too casual, perhaps, you mean.

 

[diggerdomer]

I think EMsHC wearing albs blurs the line too much between clerics and the laity. I think it would also add to the cliquishness already common amongst some EMsHC.

That said I would still welcome their use to cover some of the trash some EMsHC wear while distributing communion.

The alb is not a garment restricted to the ordained. Wearing an alb thus involves no blurring.

 

[Phemie]

The alb is not a garment restricted to the ordained. Wearing an alb thus involves no blurring.

Unfortunately, there is a lack of catechesis regarding many things within the Church. That is why we have people incensed by the term ‘extraordinary ministers of holy Communion’, querying “What’s so special (extraordinary) about them??”
It’s also why they don’t make the connection between the white garment presented at Baptism and the alb worn by priest and altar servers. To make the connection more obvious we now use an alb as the white garment when older children are baptized.

 

[centurionguard]

Unfortunately, there is a lack of catechesis regarding many things within the Church. That is why we have people incensed by the term ‘extraordinary ministers of holy Communion’, querying “What’s so special (extraordinary) about them??”
It’s also why they don’t make the connection between the white garment presented at Baptism and the alb worn by priest and altar servers. To make the connection more obvious we now use an alb as the white garment when older children are baptized.

**Unfortunately, there is a lack of catechesis regarding many things within the Church. **

Regrettably; this applies to the majority of Catholics today.

I grew up believing that the Alb; newadvent.org/cathen/01251b.htm was one amongst a number of blessed vestments worn by the priest. Although now it can be used by lay Catholic acolytes who serve the Priest in sacramental functions within the Church.

In my ten years of service as former sacristan of my parish I never once witnessed vestments of any kind being blessed by a priest, giving it some sort of distinguished meaning set aside from ordinary clothing worn by priests and the lay.

If an Alb or any other Priestly vestment should take on any significant meaning set apart I should think it should be blessed. This is not always done.

Obviously; almost every Catholic visually recognizes the vestments worn by priest.
But seemingly few care to research the significance of such.

 

[diggerdomer]

Unfortunately, there is a lack of catechesis regarding many things within the Church. That is why we have people incensed by the term ‘extraordinary ministers of holy Communion’, querying “What’s so special (extraordinary) about them??”
It’s also why they don’t make the connection between the white garment presented at Baptism and the alb worn by priest and altar servers. To make the connection more obvious we now use an alb as the white garment when older children are baptized.

Excellent points.

 

[Aramis]

Regrettably; this applies to the majority of Catholics today.

I grew up believing that the Alb; newadvent.org/cathen/01251b.htm was one amongst a number of blessed vestments worn by the priest. Although now it can be used by lay Catholic acolytes who serve the Priest in sacramental functions within the Church.

In my ten years of service as former sacristan of my parish I never once witnessed vestments of any kind being blessed by a priest, giving it some sort of distinguished meaning set aside from ordinary clothing worn by priests and the lay.

If an Alb or any other Priestly vestment should take on any significant meaning set apart I should think it should be blessed. This is not always done.

Obviously; almost every Catholic visually recognizes the vestments worn by priest.
But seemingly few care to research the significance of such.

The Alb is not a priestly vestment, per se. The GIRM makes clear that the proper garment for those serving in the mass in any ministry are properly garbed in the Alb and Cincture, and if need be, an amice.

The Alb is also the specified garment for the newly baptised in the rite of adult baptism.

And most of the people who are assisting the deacon and priest are altar servers, not Acolytes… there are VERY FEW acolytes, as the term refers to those men having recieved installation into the instituted order of acolytes… and acolytes have a few tasks permitted them that non-acolyte laity may not do.

 

[JesuXPIPassio]

Is it true that the lay are permitted to wear the alb both in public and private worship?

If you wanna pray at home with an alb, that’s fine. It’s something for anyone baptised. And, well, if you’re in the privacy of your own home, you can wear whatever you want. The Church doesn’t pretend to have the authority to dictate that.

The Vatican did, however, write that if you’re not clergy, you shouldn’t be wearing clerical clothing, especially at Mass, because it would just cause confusion. The alb isn’t clerical clothing, but even then you shouldn’t wear it at Mass unless you’re a part of the liturgy (including assisting). Aside from the confusion, it’s just weird to do that.