Priest doesn’t wear a chasuble

[twf]

I know that a priest must always wear a chasuble when celebrating Mass. That is not in dispute. I’m looking for advice on whether I should take any steps…
I am in a fairly traditional / conservative diocese where “liturgical abuses” are, in my experience, a rarity. Heck, our cathedral still uses the altar rail for its original intended purpose… Our diocesan priests tend to be more on the traditional side of the spectrum (chant, incense, etc.). Religious priests are a mixed bag. A parish I sometimes attend (though it’s not my geographical parish) is entrusted to a religious order. After 17 years, the superior recalled the pastor and dispatched a new priest. He doesn’t wear a chasuble. At first, back in the summer, I assumed in charity that he was simply unbearably hot. It’s now winter and he still doesn’t wear a chasuble (at least not when I’ve been there)… alb and stole only. I am 100% certain that the archbishop would not be OK with this. This is a diocese where priests at his own cathedral often wear traditional style fiddleback vestments. My question is simple… should I contact someone? I hate the “email the bishop immediately!” response I see on some threads. What would people suggest? Just leave it be?

 

[Maximilian75]

Speak to the priest after Mass sometime, and come armed with passages from the GIRM. If he ignores that, then yes- email the bishop.

 

[Maximilian75]

https://www.dol-in.org/documents/GIRM-2011.pdf

 

[FrDavid96]

I know that a priest must always wear a chasuble when celebrating Mass. That is not in dispute. I’m looking for advice on whether I should take any steps…
I am in a fairly traditional / conservative diocese where “liturgical abuses” are, in my experience, a rarity. Heck, our cathedral still uses the altar rail for its original intended purpose… Our diocesan priests tend to be more on the traditional side of the spectrum (chant, incense, etc.). Religious priests are a mixed bag. A parish I sometimes attend (though it’s not my geographical parish) is entrusted to a religious order. After 17 years, the superior recalled the pastor and dispatched a new priest. He doesn’t wear a chasuble. At first, back in the summer, I assumed in charity that he was simply unbearably hot. It’s now winter and he still doesn’t wear a chasuble (at least not when I’ve been there)… alb and stole only. I am 100% certain that the archbishop would not be OK with this. This is a diocese where priests at his own cathedral often wear traditional style fiddleback vestments. My question is simple… should I contact someone? I hate the “email the bishop immediately!” response I see on some threads. What would people suggest? Just leave it be?

In charity and fairness, speak with the priest first. He might have some reason other than temperature that prevents him from wearing one. I can’t imagine what such a thing might be, but that doesn’t make it impossible.

A bishop can (at least I think he can) dispense a priest from wearing a chasuble; but here, apart from unusual circumstances, like a high security prison, I can’t see any reason why one would do that.

If the priest does not have a legitimate reason, such as if he says “I don’t like chasubles” or “the chasuble is optional” (I hear that one a lot from the few priests who don’t wear them) or “Vatican II says we don’t wear chasubles anymore” then you have the option available to you to make a complaint to the bishop. The people of God DO have a right to the licit celebration of the Mass.