Priest in light blue shirt?

[Eliza10]

Do any priests wear light blue shirts with the usual white priestly tab at the color? A friend has asked me this. She is Protestant. Her Dad is not Catholic (not sure if he ever was). I cannot explain this long story, but she asked me this because there seems to be a lot of shenanigans with the new wife and her family, and the following story came about. A person who she knows to do dishonest things brought a priest in who was identified as a bishop. Wearing said shirt. He gave last rites to her father. My friend was touched, as she has respect for Catholicsim. But it was all in Spanish which she does not know, so she can’t tell me what he said. It has been nagging her since though because she wondered if it was another dishonest thing. I wonder too, as this was one of her stepmother’s friends, and the stepmother was Wiccan for awhile.

Can anyione shed any light on this mystery?

This spanish ""Bishop"was in Houston but was not on the Diocesan roll anywhere when my friend researched.

 

[Pat_Payne]

It seems to be more common outside the US – I’ve seen priests from India and Africa who sometimes wear grey or light blue clericals. It may have something to do with either coming from a hot and humid climate (where you would have to either be nuts or have taken on a super-duper penance to wear black – though there was also a priest from Ireland – go figure ) or perhaps a cultural quirk (where black may have a negative connotation that they want to avoid).

 

[DavidFilmer]

It is not much of a mystery. Most priests (in the United States, anyway) wear black clerical shirts. Gray is not uncommon. On Catholic Supply’s website, clerical shirts are offered from six manufacturers, and all but one (Hanyes & Finch) offer clerical shirts in black, gray, white, and light blue (Hanyes & Finch offers only black and gray).

There is no rule in Canon Law about what color a priest must wear (Religious Orders are free to set their own rules). In warmer climates, Bishops often permit their priests to wear lighter colors during warmer months (I am told that, in northern Africa, most priests wear white shirts with white collars, so it is not so obvious the man is a priest unless you see him up-close).

However, it has become increasingly popular for various protestant ministers (who would rarely identify themselves as “priests” but might call themselves “bishops”) to wear Catholic-style clothing.

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston currently has one Archbishop and two associate Bishops. It should not be difficult to determine if a person is one of those three Bishops. Of course, a Bishop could visit from another Diocese. But, the fact that this guy didn’t come up pretty quickly in even a cursory search would indicate that he was likely not a valid Catholic Bishop.

But I think the worst-case is that he was a protestant “bishop.” I doubt many Wiccans are walking around in Catholic-style clothing of any color (and wouldn’t they prefer black anyway?)

 

[UpUpAndAway]

To my knowledge, there is nothing that would prohibit it. As David illustrated, clerical shirts can be purchased in that color from several manufacturers of such articles through Catholic supply operations. If it were not allowed, that wouldn’t be possible.

My pastor has shirts in light blue and several shades of gray, including one that is almost white and another that is charcoal in tint. I have, however, never seen him in a black clerical shirt. He also has a collarless white shirt with French cuffs that he wears with a dark gray rabat (clerical waistcoat) when he wants to be all gussied up, but that’s something else entirely.

I am in France.

 

[brycehecht]

When my priests was getting an advanced degree in Biblical Theology in Rome, he wore blue clerical shirts I know.

 

[Andres88]

In the Dominican Republic, because of the temperatures, priests tend to wear an either light blue, gray or white clergyman. There are some who do not wear the clergyman or the cassocks, unfortunately.

 

[L_Marshall]

The color of a clerical shirt is determined by the local bishop’s conference.

In the United States, priests should only wear black clerical shirts, but some ignore this rule. It is common to see priests of Hispanic extraction wear a blue clerical shirt because this is allowed in their native land.

In Rome, priests are allowed to wear black, grey, and blue clerical shirts.

Inside the Vatican, it is preferred that priests wear the cassock.

 

[otjm]

To my knowledge, there is nothing that would prohibit it. As David illustrated, clerical shirts can be purchased in that color from several manufacturers of such articles through Catholic supply operations. If it were not allowed, that wouldn’t be possible.

My pastor has shirts in light blue and several shades of gray, including one that is almost white and another that is charcoal in tint. I have, however, never seen him in a black clerical shirt. He also has a collarless white shirt with French cuffs that he wears with a dark gray rabat (clerical waistcoat) when he wants to be all gussied up, but that’s something else entirely.

I am in France.

I didn’t think anyone even knew the word “gussied” anymore, but you certainly used it correctly!

And are not the French somewhat known, in general, for their sartorial expertise?

Or is that the Italians…?