Good Albs for Women

[Roseeurekacross]

Chemical bean, do you pray the Liturgy of the Hours now? If so how often?

In a group or alone? If in a group, what kind of group?

 

[TheOldColonel]

Very, very insightful. Thank you.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

We don’t costume up when praying the LOTH, and if done according to tradition, it would be a dress change every few hours.

 

[Usige]

The are no stylistic norms for albs. I have a pullover style with shoulder zipper, one that is coat style with shoulder buttons as well as one that has what might be called a monastic cowl. Which I wear depends on where I am serving and in which setting. It is possible to get a more fitted alb, but the goal is not to look good so much as distract from street clothes.

While albs represent the baptismal garment, it must also be understood that things like the Liturgy of the Hours is part of the Church’s public worship and therefore has certain norms that should be followed.

In particular I am thinking about section 258 of the General Instructions for the Liturgy of the Hours:

1. In the absence of a priest or deacon, the one who presides at the office is only one among equals and does not enter the sanctuary or greet and bless the people. {emphasis added)

This norm speaks against a lay leader vesting in alb since they are one among equals. I only vest in an alb when serving in my liturgical office as an instituted lector because I was specifically appointed to the office by the bishop. I did not chose to get an alb, but rather did so at the instruction of the bishop.

The point is that you need to make sure that you are doing as instructed rather than what you believe is correct.

 

[HeDa]

Alb is Latin for white so white or off white colour. Long sleeves and reach down to around the ankle. There are usually deep pleats from shoulders on both front and back sides to the hem. The pleats are needed so that people can sit, stand up and kneel.

Collar or hood varies as well as embellishments like embroidery or lace if any at all.

 

[TomH1]

An alb is not required for any of the reasons that you give.

It is not a fashion item that is meant to look good on you. An alb is meant to be a loose fitting and free flowing garment.

Before you go ahead and do this unilaterally I think you should talk to your priest about this.

 

[ChemicalBean]

Thanks everybody for your responses about guidelines/norms for alb style. It seems there really are none.

Additional commentary supposing my motives and judgement of them isn’t necessary or helpful. I sometimes wonder if I had identified myself as a male, if I would have received the same responses. I suspect not, but then there would be less of a need to even ask the question, since albs designed with men in mind are ubiquitous.

 

[Cor_ad_Cor]

The liturgical documents DO provide for laity to wear an alb during liturgies in absence of clergy such as you describe if the bishop or pastor has approved, in most cases. Since there seems to be an established trend of the men doing so, I would see no harm in you doing so as well, but you would be prudent to ask your pastor first before spending the money.

 

[OmnesBonum]

Although you should ask your bishop first as the canon law directs, since the alb is the vesture of all Christians, it certainly does not mean that one is trying to be part of the clergy, as all the faithful have the right to and could wear an alb to church. I believe it is usually much more fitting for someone leading public offices to be vested than wearing regular street clothes, for some of the same reasons that the clergy wear them. Of course, other vestments such as stole and chasuble should not be used by lay people.

 

[Phemie]

I’ve donned an alb as as a leader of Morning Payer and as assistant at Evening Prayer. But it was in a university chapel setting during a course on Liturgy. Those who taught it did say that in a parish setting you’d have to take serious care to make sure people weren’t misinterpreting it. I know that a majority of the folk in my parish would have a fit if you had a lay adult in an alb to do anything. They don’t even wear them to serve Mass.

That said, since lay men in the OP’s parish don albs to lead various services, there is no reason that a woman should refrain from doing so while performing the same ministry. With her pastor’s help she may be able to find one that is does not look like a nightgown. She could even offer it to the parish for other women to use, though it might kind of defeat the purpose of being able to wear a clean alb.