I saw a young priest wearing a cassock

[redrosetea]

You’re not alone in thinking a cassock looks good, but is this a valid reason to wear one? I remember arguments of this sort where seminarians actually talked about the “swish factor” of the cassock. I can accept the cassock as a means of pointing out one’s dedication to the Church and one’s vocation of service, but I hope no one becomes a priest merely to be stylish or to look thin.

There is some truth in this…A person just like that was very concerned about getting a clerics hat that is not seen very much now…He also sent me nasty private emails because I said I wouldn’t veil unless the Holy Father said I must…I think he had a hat thing

However ,I doubt that most of the people discerning a vocation give it much thought…One thing I have heard Fr Groschel say though is the orders that are flourishing are those that still wear the habit

 

[Toribus]

How does one determine the swish factor? Is there an optimal swish, a “sweet spot” as such?

This is a serious and important question. I am discerning the call to priestly life and am grievously concerned that I may not (due to my particular body structure) be able to give Holy Mother Church the quality of swish she so rightly demands of her sons.

 

[Tsuwano]

How does one determine the swish factor? Is there an optimal swish, a “sweet spot” as such?

This is a serious and important question. I am discerning the call to priestly life and am grievously concerned that I may not (due to my particular body structure) be able to give Holy Mother Church the quality of swish she so rightly demands of her sons.

Don’t worry. They offer cassock swishing practicums in the seminary.

 

[anlej]

Our local priest ( a Benedictine monk who has charge of the parish) wears a cassock, it’s his normal garb and you’re as likely to see him pottering into the local shop for a loaf as you will him sweeping the church steps in it

 

[Freshman88]

How can you possibly connect trust with a person’s garb. That just makes no sense whatever. People certainly have the right to traditionalism and orthodoxy but it so often manifests itself as nostalgia and a desire to return to the past. Fine with me but let’s call it what it is…not some sort of theological purism.

Bob Byrnes

Wow, no need to be so aggressive.

I think it shows that the priest doesn’t care about modern trends or doesn’t care for any ridicule he may receive from other priests. It shows that he is willing to take scrutiny for this small symbol of the faith from both the culture and certain elements within the Church.

It’s isn’t nostalgia (I’m only 21), it’s a longing for a return to a strong Catholic identity.

 

[redrosetea]

Wow, no need to be so aggressive.

I think it shows that the priest doesn’t care about modern trends or doesn’t care for any ridicule he may receive from other priests. It shows that he is willing to take scrutiny for this small symbol of the faith from both the culture and certain elements within the Church.

It’s isn’t nostalgia (I’m only 21), it’s a longing for a return to a strong Catholic identity.

I think many of the young Catholics feel like this…They seem to seek out the orders that are very traditional and they are so happy, to embrace the habit

I heard one very sweet, young ,nun say she wanted Christ to be her only treasure…We lost so much and I think it is missed…Vatican !! let fresh air into the church ,but they forgot to use screens…We also got a lot of bugs

 

[Bob_Byrnes]

Wow, no need to be so aggressive.

I think it shows that the priest doesn’t care about modern trends or doesn’t care for any ridicule he may receive from other priests. It shows that he is willing to take scrutiny for this small symbol of the faith from both the culture and certain elements within the Church.

It’s isn’t nostalgia (I’m only 21), it’s a longing for a return to a strong Catholic identity.

I hardly thought I was aggressive. Actually I thought I was quite kind. If the priest wants to wear a cassock that’s his prerogative. My objection was connecting the priest’s cassock with the concept of trust.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I see cassocks all the time on the priests in my perfectly ordinary diocesean parish. Not just on Sundays, but I’ve never seen them when the priests are playing sports! lol

 

[redrosetea]

I see cassocks all the time on the priests in my perfectly ordinary diocesean parish. Not just on Sundays, but I’ve never seen them when the priests are playing sports! lol

I’ve seen video of them playing basketball wearing them…The Franciscans play basketball when they wear their habit, so I don’t see much difference…Clothing is clothing

I also watched a wonderful European production about the life of Pope JPII, they showed him playing soccer wearing a cassock…from what I have read they tried to make this program as authentic as they could…so maybe he wore one to play sports too…He was very athletic in his younger years…

 

[Aramis]

I’ve seen video of them playing basketball wearing them…The Franciscans play basketball when they wear their habit, so I don’t see much difference…Clothing is clothing

I also watched a wonderful European production about the life of Pope JPII, they showed him playing soccer wearing a cassock…from what I have read they tried to make this program as authentic as they could…so maybe he wore one to play sports too…He was very athletic in his younger years…

There are Photos of his holiness hiking with cassock and backpack in his younger days.

I’ve seen a dominican friar in habit join a game of hackey-sack.

I’ve played hackey sack in cassock. With two other altar servers, also in cassocks. Fr. Moore was somewhat annoyed by this. We did unbutton the cassock from mid thigh down.

 

[Captain_America]

I’m rather surprised at the “swish” concept mentioned. I rather think of them as masculine; long coats for serious people, more or less.

It’s interesting to see this topic, since I’d mentioned some time ago to my wife that if I was a priest, I’d wear a long black cassock. Nice, neat, plain and simple. Dignified as well.

 

[redrosetea]

I’m rather surprised at the “swish” concept mentioned. I rather think of them as masculine; long coats for serious people, more or less.

It’s interesting to see this topic, since I’d mentioned some time ago to my wife that if I was a priest, I’d wear a long black cassock. Nice, neat, plain and simple. Dignified as well.

I certainly agree, and I wouldn’t call it swish…I can’t understand how that word came up in connection with a cassock…I doubt that the Holy Fathers garments would be considered swish by anyone…I am not sure what his garments are called, but they resemble a cassock

 

[Silas_Barnabas]

Presumably it would be okay for me to ask (although just let me know and I can make a new thread) what the different kinds of cassocks are? What do they look like? What are the different histories?

 

[redrosetea]

Presumably it would be okay for me to ask (although just let me know and I can make a new thread) what the different kinds of cassocks are? What do they look like? What are the different histories?

It’s fine with me…It is about the same subject

 

[Tsuwano]

I certainly agree, and I wouldn’t call it swish…I can’t understand how that word came up in connection with a cassock…I doubt that the Holy Fathers garments would be considered swish by anyone…I am not sure what his garments are called, but they resemble a cassock

The term “swish factor” was used in the seminary I attended to refer to the way the cassock, especially below the knees, swished back and forth as one walked. It was actually a cynical and pejorative term used against those who wore the cassock for the sake of style only. I also think there was a bit of anti-homosexuality in the use of the term because it was assumed, in the mid 70’s and early 80’s, that those seminarians with homosexual tendencies would be more prone to wear the cassock. It was not a nice term and I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it in one of my posts. I did so because I wanted to point out that focusing on the cassock as a mere element of style or desiring to see seminarians wear cassocks simply because they look good, is to miss the major point of the cassock. I’ve met African and New Guinean missionaries who sometimes wore their cassocks for weeks at a time without washing because it’s sometimes difficult to do so in the bush or in outlying mission stations. There was nothing stylish about their cassocks and due to the caked mud along the bottom of the cassock, there was very little “swish factor” at all. They were however, practical, and they served as a recognizable sign that the individual was a representative of the Church. All of this is merely to say that the cassock may be a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but style, in my opinion, should be one of the least to consider.

 

[redrosetea]

The term “swish factor” was used in the seminary I attended to refer to the way the cassock, especially below the knees, swished back and forth as one walked. It was actually a cynical and pejorative term used against those who wore the cassock for the sake of style only. I also think there was a bit of anti-homosexuality in the use of the term because it was assumed, in the mid 70’s and early 80’s, that those seminarians with homosexual tendencies would be more prone to wear the cassock. It was not a nice term and I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it in one of my posts. I did so because I wanted to point out that focusing on the cassock as a mere element of style or desiring to see seminarians wear cassocks simply because they look good, is to miss the major point of the cassock. I’ve met African and New Guinean missionaries who sometimes wore their cassocks for weeks at a time without washing because it’s sometimes difficult to do so in the bush or in outlying mission stations. There was nothing stylish about their cassocks and due to the caked mud along the bottom of the cassock, there was very little “swish factor” at all. They were however, practical, and they served as a recognizable sign that the individual was a representative of the Church. All of this is merely to say that the cassock may be a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but style, in my opinion, should be one of the least to consider.

That sounds just like something a bunch of guys would dream up…and they say women are catty…lol…

 

[Tsuwano]

That sounds just like something a bunch of guys would dream up…and they say women are catty…lol…

Oh Lord, yes! Put a bunch of people together in a closed environment, men or women, especially if they are young and have the world by the tail, and sparks are sure to fly sooner or later. I guess it’s human nature. The wonderful thing is that out of all this human brew, mixed with with God’s grace, some pretty amazing servants of God also emerge.

 

[redrosetea]

Oh Lord, yes! Put a bunch of people together in a closed environment, men or women, especially if they are young and have the world by the tail, and sparks are sure to fly sooner or later. I guess it’s human nature. The wonderful thing is that out of all this human brew, mixed with with God’s grace, some pretty amazing servants of God also emerge.

It probably was funny when it first happened though…I can laugh at about anything…It ticks some off I guess, but it is never done with malice

If we can’t find humor in stuff we are in big trouble