Cardinal Pell in white clerical shirt

  • Thread starter Thread starter Londoner
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Londoner

Guest
I’ll post this here, as it doesn’t really seem to fit any of the other categories.

I was a bit surprised to see a photo of Cardinal Pell (surrounded by police officers, so I guess he was either entering or leaving court) wearing a white clerical shirt. The news reports I’d read had said he had been wearing a black shirt during his court appearances. They didn’t clarify whether it was a clerical shirt, but I guessed it would be. What I’m wondering is what are the circumstances when a white clerical shirt is appropriate? In general, I think of white as a colour reserved for the Holy Father or for clerics serving in extremely hot locations. Given that the temperature in Melbourne is currently 14C/58F, that wouldn’t explain the white shirt. I know that Anglican bishops normally wear purple or sometimes red, but I thought that the normal colour for all Catholic clergy, up to and including cardinals, was black (unless weather demands white). Is there a reason why he is wearing white? Is it usual and I just haven’t seen it before? I’m also wondering why he doesn’t wear a pectoral cross.
 
I think you are projecting way too much into this. It’s a white shirt.
Why does it matter to you?
 
Maybe his black shirt was in the wash? Actually, Father can wear a black shirt, a gray shirt or a bluish shirt if he wants. He can even wear a regular dress shirt or a shirt with short sleeves I guess it a matter of choice to an extent depending on the location, climate, culture. Here, after Mass, Father will pull that ‘white collar’ out and stick it in his pocket. Do I care? Nope.
 
Last edited:
It doesn’t really matter. I just have a curious personality! I wondered whether it might be an Australian custom, given that it gets really hot there in the summer, and maybe they just wear the same wardrobe all year round. I guessed that given Cardinal Pell’s closeness to the Holy Father and reputation for traditional values he wouldn’t do anything illicit. But I also wondered whether there are any restrictions on what clergy are allowed to wear. For example, whether there’s ever a risk of cleric appearing to claim a superior position by dressing in a particular way. I know that some dioceses don’t, for example, like permanent deacons to wear the clerical shirt and collar in case they are mistaken for priests (while others on the contrary think it helps them in their ministry to be marked out by distinctive dress). Obviously nobody is going to think that Cardinal Pell is claiming to be the Pope! But I did wonder whether there are restrictions on wearing white.
 
His Eminence, Cardinal Pell, can wear anything he wants to. So, yes, he is allowed to wear casual attire.

The clergy, of which he is one, are supposed to wear clerical attire, but it is not an absolute law that is to be enforced strictly. Even the Pope can wear casual clothing, if he wishes to do so, as long as it does not cause schism.
 
Lawyers do sometimes suggest how a client should dress for court so as to appear a certain way before the judge, such as more humble or respectful, etc., but we have no way of knowing if this occurred in Cardinal Pell’s case.
 
Indeed. It probably wouldn’t have gone down too well if he’d turned up in a ferraiolo.
 
He has worn both the black and the white in court appearances He wears his collar.
Our Bishop wears a white shirt, or other light coloured one, often. White shirt, collar and black jacket.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top