Cardinal's Clothing Budget $20,000! ?

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Perhaps this may be an article the OP refers to

globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/belief/catholic-church-pope-francis-vestments

"In trying to live up to Jesus’s message about solidarity with the poor, Pope Francis has called for a church geared to social justice. This pope wants church officials to live more modestly.

As he told newly-named bishops in Rome on Sept. 19, according to The Tablet, “We pastors must not be men with a ‘princely mindset.’”

But try telling that to Cardinal Raymond Burke, the chief judge of the Vatican’s supreme court.

The fruits of high officialdom come naturally to Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American, as found in photographs that show him in lavish procession with a train of watered silk, wearing fine scarlet gloves and jeweled red hats, suggesting nobility "

"Cardinal Burke, who made his remarks several weeks before the government shutdown, is often clad in the sumptuous attire of a Prince of the Church, as cardinals are called. Francis seemed to have ornamental practices in mind when he said in an interview with La Repubblica published this week: “Heads of the church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers.”
Shocking; even in the age of hyper-sensationalism we live in, it’s rare to find a published piece so slanderous and polemical. This “journalism” is about as legitimate as a tabloid :rolleyes:

I have to wonder if Cardinal Burke is the target here because he’s pro-life. When pro-abortion Catholics dress and live extravagantly, they tend to slip under the radar.
 
Perhaps this may be an article the OP refers to

globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/belief/catholic-church-pope-francis-vestments

"In trying to live up to Jesus’s message about solidarity with the poor, Pope Francis has called for a church geared to social justice. This pope wants church officials to live more modestly.

As he told newly-named bishops in Rome on Sept. 19, according to The Tablet, “We pastors must not be men with a ‘princely mindset.’”

But try telling that to Cardinal Raymond Burke, the chief judge of the Vatican’s supreme court.

The fruits of high officialdom come naturally to Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American, as found in photographs that show him in lavish procession with a train of watered silk, wearing fine scarlet gloves and jeweled red hats, suggesting nobility "

"Cardinal Burke, who made his remarks several weeks before the government shutdown, is often clad in the sumptuous attire of a Prince of the Church, as cardinals are called. Francis seemed to have ornamental practices in mind when he said in an interview with La Repubblica published this week: “Heads of the church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers.”
I’d like to point out that Burke likely does not actually own those vestments. He’s likely borrowing them. Some of them might be even owned by the Vatican.

And again, I’d like to point out the Holy Father doesn’t go for understated at Mass. That’s not a bad thing.
 
God commanded many precious items of great value to be used in His Temple. The priests wore valuable clothes when they went in to serve at the Temple. How much would these things be worth now? Good question. Take for example the bells and pomegranates that were to be on the hem and made of pure gold. Gold adds up rather quickly. A lot of vestments are provided for special Masses by the Churches hosting the Masses. Many saints in religious orders had the philosophy that they would live simply but their chapels were to be decorated with the finest rich things to honor God. There is nothing wrong with priests acquiring fine vestments or wearing them in the service of Almighty God.

And he made, of violet and purple, scarlet and fine linen, the vestments for Aaron to wear when he ministered in the holy places, as the Lord commanded Moses. So he made an ephod of gold, violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen, With embroidered work, and he cut thin plates of gold, and drew them small into threads, that they might be twisted with the woof of the foresaid colors, And two borders coupled one to the other in the top on either side, And a girdle of the same colors, as the Lord had commanded Moses. He prepared also two onyx stones, fast set and closed in gold, and graven, by the art of a lapidary, with the names of the children of Israel: And he set them in the sides of the ephod, for a memorial of the children of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses. He made also a rational with embroidered work, according to the work of the ephod, of gold, violet, purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen: Foursquare, double, of the measure of a span. And he set four rows of precious stones in it. In the first row was a sardius, a topaz, an emerald. In the second, a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper. In the third, a ligurius, an agate, and an amethyst. In the fourth, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl, set and enclosed in gold by their rows. And the twelve stones, were engraved with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, each one with its several name. They made also in the rational little chains, linked one to another, of the purest gold, And two hooks, and as many rings of gold. And they set the rings on either side of the rational, On which rings the two golden chains should hang, which they put into the hooks that stood out in the corners of the ephod. These both before and behind so answered one another, that the ephod and the rational were bound together, Being fastened to the girdle, and strongly coupled with rings, which a violet fillet joined, lest they should flag loose, and be moved one from the other, as the Lord commanded Moses. They made also the tunic of the ephod all of violet, And a hole for the head in the upper part at the middle, and a woven border round about the hole: And beneath at the feet pomegranates of violet, purple, scarlet, and fine twisted linen: And little bells of the purest gold, which they put between the pomegranates at the bottom of the tunic round about: To wit, a bell of gold, and a pomegranate, wherewith the high priest went adorned, when he discharged his ministry, as the Lord had commanded Moses. They made also fine linen tunics with woven work for Aaron and his sons: And mitres with their little crowns of fine linen: And linen breeches of fine linen: And a girdle of fine twisted linen, violet, purple, and scarlet twice dyed, of embroidery work, as the Lord had commanded Moses. They made also the plate of sacred veneration of the purest gold, and they wrote on it with the engraving of a lapidary: The Holy of the Lord: And they fastened it to the mitre with a violet fillet, as the Lord had commanded Moses. So all the work of the tabernacle and of the roof of the testimony was finished: and the children of Israel did all things which the Lord had commanded Moses. And they offered the tabernacle, and the roof, and the whole furniture, the rings, the boards, the bars, the pillars and their sockets, The cover of rams’ skins dyed red, and the other cover of violet skins, The veil, the ark, the bars, the propitiatory, The table, with the vessels thereof, and the loaves of proposition: The candlestick, the lamps, and the furniture of them, with the oil: The altar of gold, and the ointment, and the incense of spices: And the hanging in the entry of the tabernacle: The altar of brass, the grate, the bars, and all the vessels thereof: the laver, with the foot thereof: the hangings of the court, and the pillars, with their sockets: The hanging in the entry of the court, and the little cords, and the pins thereof. Nothing was wanting of the vessels, that were commanded to be made for the ministry of the tabernacle, and for the roof of the covenant. The vestments also, which the priests, to wit, Aaron and his sons, use in the sanctuary, The children of Israel offered, as the Lord had commanded. And when Moses saw all things finished, he blessed them.
 
Very good post, SerraSemper 👍.

This matter reminds me of an article I recently read called the Decline of Christianism. I think in large part the judgment against these priests and bishops who are accused of over spending it is exactly the triumph of the philosophy of “Christianism” (i.e. the values of Christianity being self-serving and absolute in Western cultural mentality) as opposed to the motivations of true Christian worship. Not to sound like an anti-modernity kook but this is the result of the Church beginning to look at itself like it is seen: a political institution that has an ideology.
 
When I belonged to an Anglo Catholic parish, the priest wore beautiful vestments. It appeared that there might have been some gold in some of them, of course, that is probably not the case.

When the priest and some of the congregation left the parish to become Catholic, the vestments were left behind, as they were given and still to this day are owned by one of the members. He is now allowing an Ordinariate priest to wear some of the ones he purchased.

In fact, the Ordinariate priest could not afford, nor could the small congregation afford to purchase a decent looking Mass set.

As I recall when Pope Benedict left, he had few personal belongings, also when Pope John Paul II died he had little to leave and I assume this is also true for Cardinals etc. unless they have a family who is wealthy and have given him expensive vestments.

As one poster mentioned that Cardinals are human beings and there might be some who have personal finances to purchase the very best. My take is that these vestments will be passed on to whoever takes the Cardinal’s place when he either dies or retires.

God deserves the best we have to offer Him.

Also has anyone noticed that many TV evangelists and mega church pastors spend thousands of dollars for their clothing, own expensive homes, cars etc. These are personal items not used for the glory of God in a liturgical setting.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
 
Sensationalism at it’s finest.

To the person who posted the bishop’s vestments with price tags on everything on the first page… yes, vestments are expensive. Even a non-ornate chasuble (and the one you showed it not made of gold, FYI) costs more than $1000 (try buying vestments… even if you have someone sew them and not charge you labor, the material alone is expensive for an entire set). Prudence is one thing, but these diagrams that show price tags if you sold at the purchase value of things demonstrate (1) a lack of understanding in sunken cost and (2) an idea that everything should be as simple as possible just to essentially function, even if it is being put to the service of God. To shame bishops because the amount they spend (if prudential) is an intrusion of Puritanism and a triumph of values over religion (one should remember, values are part of orthodoxy but values do not dictate religion… i.e. when Judas says the perfumed used to anoint Jesus could’ve been sold for the poor (Matthew 26:6-13), it seems more important that homage be paid to God.

**If we are to judge people by what might seem exorbitant to us at a glance without looking into the matter, why are we permitted to judge witlessly in this circumstance and not others? **And even if perhaps a bishop bought something a tad more expensive than necessary because of a deficiency in their judgment, has your prudence always been perfect in retrospect? Are you a terrible person because you purchased a new TV when you had your old one from the '90s? Or perhaps a new laptop when your old one was noticeably slower than the new models? To amend for it, did you sell all your possessions and your house and downsize to an apartment in a bad neighbor?

The people who defect from the Faith for these reasons do not have faith to begin with because when the sun rises their shallow roots are scorched. Instead of passing judgment on matters I don’t know, I’ll do as the Syrian proverb says and leave the accusation to God.
I agree with the statement in red. St. Josemaria Escriva teaches that it is not a sin for someone to live according to their state in life as long as they do so for God’s glory.

A politician or powerful executive requires nice suits befitting his state in life. A real estate agent might require a larger car to drive clients around. I dressed much nicer when I did business in New York City than I do in suburban Atlanta - a jacket and tie were expected in many places where they are out of place here in the south. A cardinal is no different, and should have nice vestments.

A decent business suit costs $300 minimum. Even Levi’s are $55 at the cheapest department store. Good running shoes start at $85 and can easily cost over &100. Even underwear costs a fortune nowadays and I can’t believe how much women’s underwear costs!

Someone who leaves the faith over the cost of a cardinal’s vestments has other problems with their faith.

-Tim-
 
Everyone needs to calm down. First of all, yes religious garb is very expensive. A simple Franciscan habit costs over $300.00 and no lay brothers cannot make them, because only monks have lay brothers. No one else does. Religious brothers don’t sew. They have very active ministries outside of the religious house.

However, there is no fixed budge for people to dress. If the man is a secular priest, then he is a secular cardinal. In which case, his clothing comes out of his salary whatever that may be. Salaries are going to differ from one region to another.

If the man is a regular priest, then he is a religious cardinal. He is allowed to keep his salary, but his community withdraws all financial support. However, his vows remain in place, including the vow of poverty. It is up to him to judge what is necessary and what is not.

For example, a mitre is necessary. If the cheapest one costs $300, then it’s a necessary $300 expense. If it costs $150, then it’s a necessary $150 expense and so forth.

If the cardinal is secular, there is a difference. He is not bound to poverty. He is bound to be mindful of his circumstances. It would be a different set of circumstance for a cardinal who is in a developing nation and one in Europe or North America. The aim for these men is to remain in the middle class range. But we know that middle class is not he same around the world.

Also, if you’re in a country where these clothes are not made and you have to shop in Europe or the USA, you’re going to pay European or American prices. There is no way around that.

As far as the prices that you see in catalogs are concerned, the company can charge whatever it wants. If the item is worth the price, then it’s fair. If it’s poor quality, find another company.
 
Maybe cardinals could tend sheep and make their own vestments out of the wool? 🤷

Oh, wait… that was a different thread. Sorry. My bad. 😉

-Tim-
 
Maybe cardinals could tend sheep and make their own vestments out of the wool? 🤷

Oh, wait… that was a different thread. Sorry. My bad. 😉

-Tim-
Even Bonaventure and John Newman didn’t go that far. Bonaventure refused to be a bishop, because he had been elected superior and he preferred to company if his brothers to a diocese. But he didn’t tend sheep. He wrote books and taught at the University of Parish. He would only wear the red cape when he had to go to Rome.

Newman rarely dressed up as well. He too was a scholar, not sheep there.

I’ve known Sean O’Malley for 40 years. He was my confrere and later my superior. Sean wouldn’t know what to do with a needle, much less a sheep. LOL He was a scholar and a servant to the poor. Not many sheep in Washington, DC. 😃

Many of us would have qualified. We were dumb enough, especially me. But I’m not wooly. :nope:

I guess there aren’t too many cardinals who are country boys.
 
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