Deacon wearing Roman Collar

[MiserereMei25]

I was listening to Catholic Cafe on EWTN. But the host is a permanant deacon and wears a Roman Collar. Is this usual?

 

[tafan2]

If he was a transitional deacon, completely proper to wear clerical attire at all times.
If he is a permanent deacon, the norm in the US is lay attire, but the local Bishop can change or specify clerical attire depending on the occasion, eg at work wear lay attire, during certain ministerial work wear clerical attire.

 

[Diaconia]

I wouldn’t say usual, but permitted.

Frankly, deacons should wear clerical attire when in ministerial settings.

Deacon Christopher

 

[tafan2]

Frankly, deacons should wear clerical attire when in ministerial settings.

I think so also. But I thought the US Bishops had said no unless the local ordinary said differently. I certainly would prefer them to wear clerical attire when in any ministerial setting.

 

[ziapueblo]

In the Eastern Churches Father Deacon or Father is used.

ZP

 

[greenrangerx]

Whenever I’ve seen our 4 deacons, they are wearing a clerical collar, unless they are in the congregation with their wives during mass instead of serving at the altar.

 

[Mattapoisett64]

It always seemed like a form of clericalism to me that laymen who happen to be in a seminary are allowed to wear the Roman collar, but clergy in Holy Orders - permanent deacons - are not .

 

[tafan2]

Is this really a mistake? I would not mind if the term Father was used to address Deacons. I do not know if it still the case, but I believe transitional deacons used to be addressed as Father. I always find referring calling a Deacon “Deacon Jeff” as rather unnatural, perhaps its just me. But just saying “Jeff” (which I admittedly do with a couple of friends of mine who are deacons, and I always have a pang of regret) seems way too casual considering they are clerics.

I could get used to calling them Father rather quickly I believe, and I think we would all know soon enough who is a priest and who is a deacon.

 

[Diaconia]

As with many things in our Church - the Eastern practice is better for two reasons:

1. Using the term “deacon,” rather than “Fr. Deacon” is clumsy: we don’t call priests by their function: "Hello, Priest Tom, how are you? No, we say, “Hi Fr. Tom, how are you doing?”
2. Calling sacred ministers “Father,” or “Father Deacon” is a way to recognize those who have been ordained for sacred use by our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

People that fret over the possibility of someone confusing a deacon and a priest are clutching at pearls. Wearing a Roman collar (in the West) is the proper attire for clergy. Deacons are clergy. Clergy should be identifiable to the flock, particularly in a ministerial setting like at a wake, or visiting prisoners, etc.

Ironically, many of the louder (yet minority) voices on this issue are priests who simply don’t like wearing their Roman collar very much at all.

Deacon Christopher

PS: ALL deacons get called “Father” quite often. Typically after Mass, and such. “Great homily, Father,” and “how’s your wife, Father?” Or “it seemed a little cool in Church today, Father, can you look into that?” And so on. Even by people that know I am a deacon, and have been told so countless times. It just comes with the territory.

 

[Diaconia]

I could get used to calling them Father rather quickly I believe, and I think we would all know soon enough who is a priest and who is a deacon.

This point deserves a separate reply, as it underlines something important.

Most active parishioners know who the priest(s) and deacon(s) are in the parish. They see them at Mass, they are listed in the bulletin, and so forth. They interact with them at Church functions, and are readily available (or should be) to help with spiritual issues.

On the rare occasions where someone doesn’t know if the cleric is a priest or deacon – it presents a perfect opportunity for evangelization about Holy Orders; and about the diaconate in general. These times are gifts from the Holy Spirit to witness to sacred orders, and to teach about the sacrament. Sometimes it presents an opportunity to ask the questioner if he has ever considered the priesthood or diaconate.

Deacon Christopher

 

[Maximilian75]

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

Some dioceses have their PDs use a ‘brother’ collar like this

 

[HeDa]

When my parish church went through renovations and we weren’t allowed to use it for Mass we borrowed a Lutheran church. Our permanent deacon said after Mass one day that he is likely not going to get used to seeing women wearing a clergy collar shirt. I replied that I am getting used to seeing deacons in other colours than green!

My diocese lets the seminarians start wearing the collar just before they leave for their studies in Rome. There is a special Mass in the cathedral for them.

 

[dochawk]

In the Eastern Churches Father Deacon or Father is used.

Also, while the tendency in the US is for RC deacons to only wear clerical garb in liturgical or certain direct ministerial situations, and being forbidden otherwise, EC deacons are often expected to wear such for any church related matter, such as a KofC meeting.

I spoke with a priest who had been a long term deacon who said that upon getting home after liturgy, his wife snapped at him to get the collar off because he looked like a priest.

He responded to the effect, of, “wait minute; you’re bothered by the collar, but you’re fine with the black dress?”

I replied that I am getting used to seeing deacons in other colours than green!

I was quite startled when I saw priests in assorted colors of collared shirt in high school.

Then again, I was probably halfway through my Shakespeare class before discovering that he was a priest . . .

hawk