Cassock and Pocket Watch?

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BartholomewB said:
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CRM_Brother:
In English style cassocks with a chesterfield front, a pocket was sometimes concealed over the breast under the fly fastening.
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I tried but failed to find out online what a cassock with a “chesterfield front” is. It sounds very odd, as though it had lapels and a velvet collar.

Not to mention the “fly fastening”.
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A Roman cassock often has a series of buttons down the front. In some English-speaking countries these buttons may be merely ornamental, with a concealed fly-front buttoning, known as a Chesterfield front, used to fasten the garment. A French cassock also has buttons sewn to the sleeves after the manner of a suit, and a slightly broader skirt. An Ambrosian cassock has a series of only five buttons under the neck, with a sash on the waist. A Jesuit cassock, in lieu of buttons, has a fly fastened with hooks at the collar and is bound at the waist with a cincture knotted on the right side.
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So your cassock is held together by plain plastic buttons, or a zipper, but those are covered by a piece of fabric, much like the zipper on your pants is covered by a piece of fabric (fly-front), and non-functional fabric covered buttons are sewn on the outside.
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Thank you, @Phemie! I am constantly amazed at the way CAF can increase my store of knowledge in unexpected directions.
 
Ahh, I was confusing the fly-front with another form of cassock. The English style cassock I was describing did not button straight up, but rather was buttoned at the shoulder with a triangular portion of cloth extending from one side of the cassock where the buttons would normally be up to the shoulder. The chaplain of my high school, who used to be an Anglican priest, wore one of those and used the breast pocket to keep his cell phone in. He said that those types of cassocks were also also used by some Catholic priests in England, but they weren’t as common as Italian or French cuts.

I imagine that it had a similar piece of fabric to fasten underneath to also fasten at the other shoulder like some albs.
 
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CRM_Brother said:
Ahh, I was confusing the fly-front with another form of cassock. The English style cassock I was describing did not button straight up, but rather was buttoned at the shoulder with a triangular portion of cloth extending from one side of the cassock where the buttons would normally be up to the shoulder. The chaplain of my high school, who used to be an Anglican priest, wore one of those and used the breast pocket to keep his cell phone in. He said that those types of cassocks were also also used by some Catholic priests in England, but they weren’t as common as Italian or French cuts.

I imagine that it had a similar piece of fabric to fasten underneath to also fasten at the other shoulder like some albs.
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I think those are the ones referred to as Anglican cassocks. They fasten at the shoulder and at the waist.

I had occasion to wear an alb designed like that when I served as the assistant at Evening Prayer many years ago.
 
Have we found out yet which pocket Pope Francis keeps his glasses in?
 
Just another reason to join a religious order – Who needs a cassock?

I have known a number of Capuchins who, though their habits were outfitted with pockets, were also able to carry a remarkable array of items inside their hoods! 😂
 
Hope this helps…

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Maximilian75 said:
Is there a specific way, if at all, that a cleric wearing a cassock should wear a pocket watch?
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In the pocket, of course!

And pockets can carry amazing amounts.

My grandfather filled three pie tins each night when he emptied his. The Coast Guard sent him to ships on cablers, as he carried enough to fix diesel engines!

hawk
 
Cassocks have two openings that allows the wearer to reach into the pocket of their pants that they are wearing under the cassock.
 
Heh. My cassock has 33 fabric buttons that are actually used for fastening. What I’m seeing in that photo seems rather redundant.
 
DignumEtJustum said:
Heh. My cassock has 33 fabric buttons that are actually used for fastening. What I’m seeing in that photo seems rather redundant.
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I guess not everyone wants to deal with lots of buttons. I’m sure some prefer to quickly zip it up but still have that 33 button look.
 
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