Interesting, Odd, or "Different" Habits

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When you ask a dominican about the symbolism of the Dominican Habit, you get an earful of answers.

However, the prayers of their habit (from opwest.org):Putting on the Habit
The Tunic
Clothe me, O Lord, with the garments of salvation. By Your grace may I keep them pure and spotless, so that clothed in white, I may be worthy to walk with You in the kingdom of God. Amen.

Belt & Rosary
Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of justice and the cord of purity that I may unite the many affections of my heart in the love of You alone. Amen.

Scapular
Show thyself a Mother; may the Word Divine, born for us an infant, hear my prayers through thine. Amen.

Capuce
Lord, You have set Your sign upon my head that I should admit no lover but You. Amen.

This doesn’t address the black. However, their confession practices do. A dominican priest-friar need not don a stole to hear confessions while wearing the cappa negra and capuche negra over the habit blanca; their rite explicitly allows them to do so. Only during holy week do they use the purple stole to hear confessions.

And Rev. Fr. John Fearon, OP said to me that it represents their perpetual state of penitence as friars. It shields the white tunicle, which symbolizes the garment of salvation, from the stains of the world. Likewise, other friars have mentioned also that it reminds them directly that the garment of salvation can be hidden by sins as well, but that sins can be shed by penance.

Their use of the cappa negra as a penitential symbol is reflected in their rubrics for confession.

I will also note that when I’ve confessed to dominicans, they have worn either the cappa or the purple stole, but not both.
 
Aramis said:
When you ask a dominican about the symbolism of the Dominican Habit, you get an earful of answers.

However, the prayers of their habit (from opwest.org):Putting on the Habit
The Tunic
Clothe me, O Lord, with the garments of salvation. By Your grace may I keep them pure and spotless, so that clothed in white, I may be worthy to walk with You in the kingdom of God. Amen.

Belt & Rosary
Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of justice and the cord of purity that I may unite the many affections of my heart in the love of You alone. Amen.

Scapular
Show thyself a Mother; may the Word Divine, born for us an infant, hear my prayers through thine. Amen.

Capuce
Lord, You have set Your sign upon my head that I should admit no lover but You. Amen.

This doesn’t address the black. However, their confession practices do. A dominican priest-friar need not don a stole to hear confessions while wearing the cappa negra and capuche negra over the habit blanca; their rite explicitly allows them to do so. Only during holy week do they use the purple stole to hear confessions.

And Rev. Fr. John Fearon, OP said to me that it represents their perpetual state of penitence as friars. It shields the white tunicle, which symbolizes the garment of salvation, from the stains of the world. Likewise, other friars have mentioned also that it reminds them directly that the garment of salvation can be hidden by sins as well, but that sins can be shed by penance.

Their use of the cappa negra as a penitential symbol is reflected in their rubrics for confession.

I will also note that when I’ve confessed to dominicans, they have worn either the cappa or the purple stole, but not both.
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I knew about the cappa and the stole for confession. The same is true for the Carmelites. They can wear either.

But what I’m not sure about is why they ever made it a part of the habit. It did not begin that way. This was a later addition to their constitution. Augustine never mentions the cappa in his rule. The scapular was originally an apron that became a part of the Marian cult. I’m using cult in the good sense. The rosary was also not part of the habit. The rosary comes into the Dominican tradition sometime during the late 13th century or early 14th. Like Franciscans, this was added to the habit. The Dominicans added the 15 decades and the Franciscans added the seven decades. Unlike the Redemptorists who had a rosary from their birth. St. Alphonse designed the habit to be worn with a rosary in a very particular pattern too, that is very unique to the Redemptorists.

There is a legend about the Dominican belt. It’s probably not true, but it’s a nice story. 😉 The legend is that when Francis and Dominic met, they exchanged the belt and the cord. Dominic gave Francis a cord and Francis gave him his belt. We don’t believe it, because the Dominicans follow the Rule of Augustine. Augustinians wear a belt. The Dominican habit was fashioned after that of the Augustinians.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
LOL

I doubt very much that the cape has drawn in vocations. The Dominicans rank number four among the large religious communities. The first three don’t have the capes. There must have been another good reason.

But I give you 5 points for a good try. 😃

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Well, it drew me in anyway. I almost vowed to become a Dominican just so I could wear a cape for work full-time. 😃

But, out of curiosity, how do you know what the four biggest communities are? Is there a link you can give me, perhaps?
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Well, it drew me in anyway. I almost vowed to become a Dominican just so I could wear a cape for work full-time. 😃
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Such a desire would make your vows invalid, not to mention that the prior can order you to take it off.
But, out of curiosity, how do you know what the four biggest communities are? Is there a link you can give me, perhaps?
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Every once in a while the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life puts out statistics to the benefit of these communities.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Such a desire would make your vows invalid, not to mention that the prior can order you to take it off.

Every once in a while the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life puts out statistics to the benefit of these communities.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Oh, I know it would. And I know that wearing a cape is not reason enough to join a Religious order. I just think the capes are awesome. 😃

I see. Do you know what the current statistics are? Are the Franciscans #1?
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Oh, I know it would. And I know that wearing a cape is not reason enough to join a Religious order. I just think the capes are awesome. 😃

I see. Do you know what the current statistics are? Are the Franciscans #1?
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If you group all of the different branches of the Franciscan family together, we’re the largest family in the Church with about 1.7 million.

As to habits, we in America need to learn a little humility. I was watching the Holy Father’s visit to Africa. He was at the seminary greeting seminarians and religious. Their joy, spirituality and their devotion is (name removed by moderator)ressive.

What drove it home for me was to see the Archbishop standing there greeting the Holy Father in a cassock that was just above his ankles. You could tell that it was not made for him, but for someone shorter. The man wore shoes, but no socks. The cassock was clean, but old compared to that of the European and American clergymen sitting on the stage.

When they panned the crowd, the diocesan seminarians wore cassocks that looked like nightshirts, all in white, because of the heat. The religious sisters and brothers were dressed in very clean habits, but they too looked worn and down to the bare minimum. The sisters wore a tunic and a veil that looked like bath towels. This was not just one congregation. You could tell that they were from different congregations by their colors.

There were Christian Brothers. They were wearing white robes with the rabata, but the rabata was not as nice as the one worn in Europe and the USA. It was just a piece of linen cut into a square.

Then there were the Observant Franciscans from the USA. They too were wearing the white Franciscan habit. However, it was properly made, very neat looking, did not appear to be worn out and you could tell that each habit was tailor made for each friar. No one wore one too long or too short.

I remembered these threads that often pop up on CAF about habits and cassocks. I thought to myself that sometimes we demand or expect things that are not always within the reach of all people. I know how much fabric goes into making a Franciscan habit and how expensive it is. We’re talking up to $200.00 per habit. That’s not much to us, but it’s a lot to those people where the Holy Father was. They may not even be able to get the nice wash 'n wear fabric that we can purchase in the USA. I remembered why Franciscans like the Friars of the Renewal wear patched habits. That’s the reality of the poorest people in the world.

The habit must proclaim the presence of the Church, ground the religious in his or her tradition, and as Bl. John Paul said when he spoke about habits, they must conform to the poverty of the world.

St. Dominic said the same thing when he sent his friars out. Their original habit did not look as nice as the one that we see in the USA and Europe today. It was unbleached wool. That’s the reason that it’s off-white rather than white. The mantle was black wool. These friars wore it until it fell apart on them. Trust me, they did not look elegant. These habits were stained, torn, patched, itchy in the summer and threadbare in the winter. They didn’t have a change of clothes to work. They simply took off the mantle, cowl and scapular, rolled up their sleeves and worked. There was nothing elegant about how they wore their clothing. I think we tend to focus on the elegance and forget the ascetical.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
If you group all of the different branches of the Franciscan family together, we’re the largest family in the Church with about 1.7 million.

As to habits, we in America need to learn a little humility. I was watching the Holy Father’s visit to Africa. He was at the seminary greeting seminarians and religious. Their joy, spirituality and their devotion is (name removed by moderator)ressive.

What drove it home for me was to see the Archbishop standing there greeting the Holy Father in a cassock that was just above his ankles. You could tell that it was not made for him, but for someone shorter. The man wore shoes, but no socks. The cassock was clean, but old compared to that of the European and American clergymen sitting on the stage.

When they panned the crowd, the diocesan seminarians wore cassocks that looked like nightshirts, all in white, because of the heat. The religious sisters and brothers were dressed in very clean habits, but they too looked worn and down to the bare minimum. The sisters wore a tunic and a veil that looked like bath towels. This was not just one congregation. You could tell that they were from different congregations by their colors.

There were Christian Brothers. They were wearing white robes with the rabata, but the rabata was not as nice as the one worn in Europe and the USA. It was just a piece of linen cut into a square.

Then there were the Observant Franciscans from the USA. They too were wearing the white Franciscan habit. However, it was properly made, very neat looking, did not appear to be worn out and you could tell that each habit was tailor made for each friar. No one wore one too long or too short.

I remembered these threads that often pop up on CAF about habits and cassocks. I thought to myself that sometimes we demand or expect things that are not always within the reach of all people. I know how much fabric goes into making a Franciscan habit and how expensive it is. We’re talking up to $200.00 per habit. That’s not much to us, but it’s a lot to those people where the Holy Father was. They may not even be able to get the nice wash 'n wear fabric that we can purchase in the USA. I remembered why Franciscans like the Friars of the Renewal wear patched habits. That’s the reality of the poorest people in the world.

The habit must proclaim the presence of the Church, ground the religious in his or her tradition, and as Bl. John Paul said when he spoke about habits, they must conform to the poverty of the world.

St. Dominic said the same thing when he sent his friars out. Their original habit did not look as nice as the one that we see in the USA and Europe today. It was unbleached wool. That’s the reason that it’s off-white rather than white. The mantle was black wool. These friars wore it until it fell apart on them. Trust me, they did not look elegant. These habits were stained, torn, patched, itchy in the summer and threadbare in the winter. They didn’t have a change of clothes to work. They simply took off the mantle, cowl and scapular, rolled up their sleeves and worked. There was nothing elegant about how they wore their clothing. I think we tend to focus on the elegance and forget the ascetical.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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The friars of St Dominic. You stated there was nothing elegant about how they dressed. I would venture to say there was probably not much (in a worldly view) elegant about their work. But I can imagine it was quite elegant around the throne of God and that is what matters in the final analysis! I imagine one could say the same about St Francis and his friars.🙂
 
LegoGE1947 said:
The friars of St Dominic. You stated there was nothing elegant about how they dressed. I would venture to say there was probably not much (in a worldly view) elegant about their work. But I can imagine it was quite elegant around the throne of God and that is what matters in the final analysis! I imagine one could say the same about St Francis and his friars.🙂
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You have understood my point and you have spoken wisely. 👍

In America, we tend to bring our worldliness into this discussion. We speak about the appearance of a religious habit:

Which looks better
Which is my favorite
Which is prettier
Which is more pleasing to the eye
Etc

When we go back and think about these folks, such as the early Friar Preachers (Dominicans), they did not look elegant. They did not really stand out too much. The same is true for the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Neither Francis nor Dominic were going for a specific look. They chose their way of dress according to their way of life and in accordance with the poor of the time.

The beauty of the habit is not in the cut, color, length, details, but in how the wearer looks to God.

That’s what impressed me about this very poor bishop standing before the Holy Father. There were the Americans and Europeans in their tailor-made cassocks and habits, of the best fabrics available, with proper shoes and socks or sandals, depending on their state in life.

My attention could not ignore this bishop who was probably wearing the best cassock that he owns and the best shoes he owns, albeit without socks, because he probably does not own socks. In the pope’s eyes and the eyes of the Lord, he was as elegantly clad as all the rest.

As you listened to him, you could tell that this is a man who loves his Church, diocese and his pope. However, in our world, this appearance would raise some eyebrows. He reminded me of something that St. John Vianney once said. I can’t quote it exactly, but it was something like a good priest was one whose soul was clean and beautiful and the cassock was worn and patched.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
You have understood my point and you have spoken wisely. 👍

In America, we tend to bring our worldliness into this discussion. We speak about the appearance of a religious habit:

Which looks better
Which is my favorite
Which is prettier
Which is more pleasing to the eye
Etc

When we go back and think about these folks, such as the early Friar Preachers (Dominicans), they did not look elegant. They did not really stand out too much. The same is true for the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Neither Francis nor Dominic were going for a specific look. They chose their way of dress according to their way of life and in accordance with the poor of the time.

The beauty of the habit is not in the cut, color, length, details, but in how the wearer looks to God.

That’s what impressed me about this very poor bishop standing before the Holy Father. There were the Americans and Europeans in their tailor-made cassocks and habits, of the best fabrics available, with proper shoes and socks or sandals, depending on their state in life.

My attention could not ignore this bishop who was probably wearing the best cassock that he owns and the best shoes he owns, albeit without socks, because he probably does not own socks. In the pope’s eyes and the eyes of the Lord, he was as elegantly clad as all the rest.

As you listened to him, you could tell that this is a man who loves his Church, diocese and his pope. However, in our world, this appearance would raise some eyebrows. He reminded me of something that St. John Vianney once said. I can’t quote it exactly, but it was something like a good priest was one whose soul was clean and beautiful and the cassock was worn and patched.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
Click to expand...
There is a verse (I Samuel 16:7) that says “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”
 
JReducation said:
If you group all of the different branches of the Franciscan family together, we’re the largest family in the Church with about 1.7 million.

As to habits, we in America need to learn a little humility. I was watching the Holy Father’s visit to Africa. He was at the seminary greeting seminarians and religious. Their joy, spirituality and their devotion is (name removed by moderator)ressive.

What drove it home for me was to see the Archbishop standing there greeting the Holy Father in a cassock that was just above his ankles. You could tell that it was not made for him, but for someone shorter. The man wore shoes, but no socks. The cassock was clean, but old compared to that of the European and American clergymen sitting on the stage.

When they panned the crowd, the diocesan seminarians wore cassocks that looked like nightshirts, all in white, because of the heat. The religious sisters and brothers were dressed in very clean habits, but they too looked worn and down to the bare minimum. The sisters wore a tunic and a veil that looked like bath towels. This was not just one congregation. You could tell that they were from different congregations by their colors.

There were Christian Brothers. They were wearing white robes with the rabata, but the rabata was not as nice as the one worn in Europe and the USA. It was just a piece of linen cut into a square.

Then there were the Observant Franciscans from the USA. They too were wearing the white Franciscan habit. However, it was properly made, very neat looking, did not appear to be worn out and you could tell that each habit was tailor made for each friar. No one wore one too long or too short.

I remembered these threads that often pop up on CAF about habits and cassocks. I thought to myself that sometimes we demand or expect things that are not always within the reach of all people. I know how much fabric goes into making a Franciscan habit and how expensive it is. We’re talking up to $200.00 per habit. That’s not much to us, but it’s a lot to those people where the Holy Father was. They may not even be able to get the nice wash 'n wear fabric that we can purchase in the USA. I remembered why Franciscans like the Friars of the Renewal wear patched habits. That’s the reality of the poorest people in the world.

The habit must proclaim the presence of the Church, ground the religious in his or her tradition, and as Bl. John Paul said when he spoke about habits, they must conform to the poverty of the world.

St. Dominic said the same thing when he sent his friars out. Their original habit did not look as nice as the one that we see in the USA and Europe today. It was unbleached wool. That’s the reason that it’s off-white rather than white. The mantle was black wool. These friars wore it until it fell apart on them. Trust me, they did not look elegant. These habits were stained, torn, patched, itchy in the summer and threadbare in the winter. They didn’t have a change of clothes to work. They simply took off the mantle, cowl and scapular, rolled up their sleeves and worked. There was nothing elegant about how they wore their clothing. I think we tend to focus on the elegance and forget the ascetical.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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You make a great point. And I agree, too many people focus on the Habit. Believe it or not, I’m much better. It used to be where I wouldn’t even consider a Religious Order if I didn’t like the Habit. Now, I’m much more open. I of course have my preferences: Having a hood (Regular and not a capuche most definitely. I absolutely hate capuches), a cord, sandals or no shoes at all, the Habit being one piece, and not a bunch of separate pieces like many of the Habits are today, etc. But through the intercession of Mary and of all the Saints, I’ve been able to let go of my preferences, and to at least look into an Order before deciding that I couldn’t live with their Habit. I believe the world (Especially America) would be a better place if we forgot about possessions and remembered what was really important. We should especially think about these things now since it’s the holidays.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
You make a great point. And I agree, too many people focus on the Habit. Believe it or not, I’m much better. It used to be where I wouldn’t even consider a Religious Order if I didn’t like the Habit. Now, I’m much more open. I of course have my preferences: Having a hood (Regular and not a capuche most definitely. I absolutely hate capuches), a cord, sandals or no shoes at all, the Habit being one piece, and not a bunch of separate pieces like many of the Habits are today, etc. But through the intercession of Mary and of all the Saints, I’ve been able to let go of my preferences, and to at least look into an Order before deciding that I couldn’t live with their Habit. I believe the world (Especially America) would be a better place if we forgot about possessions and remembered what was really important. We should especially think about these things now since it’s the holidays.
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LOL . . . a capuche is a hood. The word comes from Spanish and Italian where the word for hood is capucha.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
LOL . . . a capuche is a hood. The word comes from Spanish and Italian where the word for hood is capucha.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
Click to expand...
Well, the capuche I’m talking about is the one the Capuchines use. I absolutely hate it and cannot stand it. But I still discerned and spoke with the Capuchines, despite this major vanity block. Luckily enough for my vanity, I don’t like the Capuchines as much as the other Orders I’ve looked into. 😃
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Well, the capuche I’m talking about is the one the Capuchines use. I absolutely hate it and cannot stand it. But I still discerned and spoke with the Capuchines, despite this major vanity block. Luckily enough for my vanity, I don’t like the Capuchines as much as the other Orders I’ve looked into. 😃
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The Capuchins’ cowl is awesome. It’s the original Franciscan cowl, down to the waist, without a collar. The Bavarian provinces sew them on the outside.

Your vanity block is a serious problem.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
The Capuchins’ cowl is awesome. It’s the original Franciscan cowl, down to the waist, without a collar. The Bavarian provinces sew them on the outside.

Your vanity block is a serious problem.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
Click to expand...
Well, I read about it (On Wikipedia, but it seemed sound) that the reason the Capuchines use it is because they were being housed and defended by a Monastic Order that used it, so in turn they used this as a form of eternal gratitude. I believe it was Cistercians that were housing them.

Like I said, it’s not a problem anymore. Sometimes I may think “I don’t really like the Habit…” but I always convince myself to look into the community and forget about it, and I always get over it. In fact, I usually grow attached to Habits that repulse me at first.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Well, I read about it (On Wikipedia, but it seemed sound) that the reason the Capuchines use it is because they were being housed and defended by a Monastic Order that used it, so in turn they used this as a form of eternal gratitude. I believe it was Cistercians that were housing them.

Like I said, it’s not a problem anymore. Sometimes I may think “I don’t really like the Habit…” but I always convince myself to look into the community and forget about it, and I always get over it. In fact, I usually grow attached to Habits that repulse me at first.
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Throw that article out. The Capuchins (without an “e”) first lived with the Camaldolese, not the Cistercians. The Cistercians and the Camaldolese are Benedictines. The Benedictine cowl is square when you lay it out flat. The Capuchin cowl is cone shape, which was the common cowl worn by farmers in the 13th century. The Camaldolese cowl was common to monks and hermits.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Throw that article out. The Capuchins (without an “e”) first lived with the Camaldolese, not the Cistercians. The Cistercians and the Camaldolese are Benedictines. The Benedictine cowl is square when you lay it out flat. The Capuchin cowl is cone shape, which was the common cowl worn by farmers in the 13th century. The Camaldolese cowl was common to monks and hermits.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Right, that’s what I meant. It was Camaldolese Monks, not Cistercians. I simply mix them up because they’re both very unknown and both start with C’s.

And when you said Capuchins without the E, I knew that. I simply got confused because the thing that I lovingly refer to as the “ineffective type Nazi” tells you you’re wrong either way, so I forgot which one was right.

I didn’t know that though. It’s very interesting, really. The Benedictine Monks close to me don’t even have hoods, which I think is weird, to be honest.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Right, that’s what I meant. It was Camaldolese Monks, not Cistercians. I simply mix them up because they’re both very unknown and both start with C’s.

And when you said Capuchins without the E, I knew that. I simply got confused because the thing that I lovingly refer to as the “ineffective type Nazi” tells you you’re wrong either way, so I forgot which one was right.

I didn’t know that though. It’s very interesting, really. The Benedictine Monks close to me don’t even have hoods, which I think is weird, to be honest.
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There are Benedictine habits without cowls. Each house is autonomous. The abbot decides what the habit will be and he can change it at will without consultation.

Benedictines have a very strict vow of obedience to the abbot. His voice is the voice of Christ.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
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