Knights wearing hats in Church

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Adonia

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I know it is not allowed for men to wear hats in church. Maybe someone here can tell me why the Knights of Columbus members are exempt from this rule. I tell you, the first time I saw this I was extremely upset and even now I do not think that this practice is appropriate. So, I’m willing to listen with an open mind for the reason this is allowed. Anyone know?
 
There is no such 'rule;, but rather a social convention.

Case in point, bishops wear mitres and zuchettos at Mass 😉
 
Adonia said:
I know it is not allowed for men to wear hats in church. Maybe someone here can tell me why the Knights of Columbus members are exempt from this rule. I tell you, the first time I saw this I was extremely upset and even now I do not think that this practice is appropriate. So, I’m willing to listen with an open mind for the reason this is allowed. Anyone know?
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There is no stricture against it at all. It is considered socially rude in the West for MOST people to wear hats inside ANY building (not just a church). There are, however, exceptions to these rules:
  1. Women for whom their hat is clearly part of their outfit (and not just worn in addition to an outfit)
  2. Clergy
  3. Men carrying arms (rifle, sword, etc)
Because the KoC fit under the final category when they are carrying their swords, they not only CAN wear hats indoors, but by social convention SHOULD wear them indoors, even in church.

Try to calm yourself, it is not good for spiritual and physical well being to get upset over simple things like this.
 
It may have something to do with it being part of the uniform of a men’s organization that is devoted to the Catholic Church. Priests and bishops also wear a headcovering at times during the Mass. I really don’t know 🤷
 
Military, firefighters or police acting as an honor guard also wear their hats, as part of their uniformed function, while in church. However, they remove them when not functioning, as when they sit in the pews. Knights of Columbus do the same–they remove the hats when the procession or function is over and they sit down.

I am a fourth degree Knight.:tiphat:
 
zab said:
It may have something to do with it being part of the uniform of a men’s organization that is devoted to the Catholic Church. Priests and bishops also wear a headcovering at times during the Mass. I really don’t know 🤷
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I know traditional priests like the FSSP do wear “hats” at certain portions of the Mass. I guess its similar in the Byzantine Rite where headgear is worn until the end of the Cherubic Hymn (equivalent of offertory), then worn again after Communion.
 
Chatter163 said:
Military, firefighters or police acting as an honor guard also wear their hats, as part of their uniformed function, while in church. However, they remove them when not functioning, as when they sit in the pews. Knights of Columbus do the same–they remove the hats when the procession or function is over and they sit down.

I am a fourth degree Knight.:tiphat:
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ahem Minor correction: In the military, we wear a cover (hat) ANY time we are under arms, particularly long arms… not just while performing a function. However, before being seated, we would set our arms down (appropriately stored), hence the removal of the covers at that point. Honor guards which do not carry arms do not need to wear covers.

It’s not just function, it’s the presence of arms that determines when the military wears a hat.
filamvetsociety.com/files/AirForceDressUniformRegs.pdf
(table 2.8, note 1)

In other words, if you’re going to remove your hat whilst seated, you should be removing your sword first as well.
 
Thanks for the answers folks, it seems hats in church is really no problem, especially for the “men under arms” point and the Knights certainly fit into that category. I was upset because it just did not seem right to me, as a man would ordinarily take his hat off while indoors, and more so for church. I got upset also when people disrespect our flag, but I guess that’s just me. Well, I have been informed about this and all to the better.
 
The Knights of Malta and the Knights of St. John…will do battle with the Knights of Columbus …and make them remove them!

:knight1::knight2:

:tiphat:

:D:D
 
Seriously want to be a part of that!

Meh, I’d have to turn them down though, I’ve already sworn an oath of obedience to one nation, and that’s all there’s going to be. Le sigh.
 
promethius said:
Seriously want to be a part of that!

Meh, I’d have to turn them down though, I’ve already sworn an oath of obedience to one nation, and that’s all there’s going to be. Le sigh.
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I so wish there were a female equivalent group to all these knights.
 
YoungTradCath said:
Start one. 🤷
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Except therein lies the problem:

Just like the Knights of Columbus, such an order could CALL themselves knights, but they would still remain just normal persons of no title. An actual order of knights is… well… a pretty big deal. I don’t even know how such an order comes about, but I’m pretty certain it involves the actions of a national government (to start from) and a title-structure such as a nobility system.

The Knights of Columbus are awesome, don’t get me wrong, but they are not actual knights.
 
Get there early, sit in the front row, bow your head and look at the floor and pray to Jesus about your own sins. You won’t see any hats. Problem solved.

-Tim-
 
promethius said:
Except therein lies the problem:

Just like the Knights of Columbus, such an order could CALL themselves knights, but they would still remain just normal persons of no title. An actual order of knights is… well… a pretty big deal. I don’t even know how such an order comes about, but I’m pretty certain it involves the actions of a national government (to start from) and a title-structure such as a nobility system.

The Knights of Columbus are awesome, don’t get me wrong, but they are not actual knights.
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Then… request His Holiness to start one!
 
The only time I’ve seen fellow Knights wear hats in church is when a color guard is in attendance for a funeral or a special mass. And then in that case the hats, or headwear, are part of the color guard uniform.
 
TrueLight said:
I so wish there were a female equivalent group to all these knights.
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Which kind of knights? The Catholic Daughters of America is a spin-off of the Knights of Columbus. The Knights of Peter Claver have a Women’s Auxiliary. The Papal Orders (Order of Pius IX, Order of St. Gregory the Great, the Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr) are chivalric orders consisting of knights and dames. And the Order of Malta – i.e. the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta – and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem also consist of knights and dames (some EOHSJ jurisdictions call them ladies).
 
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