Priestly Attire

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Crusader:
It makes zero sense for a priest to go through the trouble of wearing a tie and NOT to wear the Roman collar instead.

That IS their tie. I can see how a priest need not wear the Roman collar in some situations, but anytime a secular male would wear a tie is the exact time a priest should wear a roman collar – for vestments for the Mass.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen a priest in a shirt and tie. When that attire would be appropriate, I would think that his Roman collar would take the place of a tie.

I think priests should usually wear their priestly garb; however, they do need time to kick back and wear comfortable clothes. As my mother always says, “there is a time and place for everything.”

I think children and teenagers can relate better when priests are dressed in mufti - and that is important to retain their interest and involvement in the Church.
 
Priests should wear clerical garb when they are about their priestly functions in public. They are a sign of the presence of God in the community represented by Catholic priests, and are Alter Christi during Mass.

We have hosted a few priests on outings and yes, in some cases it would not be appropriate or comfortable for them to wear their clerics for example sailing, swimming or hiking etc. But for administering the Sacraments, visiting the homebound, attending functions in which the Catholic Church is to be represented, even going to the store or having dinner with brother priests at a restaurant, yes, definitely yes they should be in clerics.

One way our family has tried to encourage our priests to wear clerics is by giving them clerical shirts and roman collars as gifts instead of civilian attire, especially when we notice that the clerics they have been wearing are frayed and chalky looking.

I know there are some priests who would not appreciate this but so far the ones we’ve given to have been grateful and use them.

Let’s pray for our Pope, Bishops and Priests. They need it as much as we do.
 
Some years back I was riding my bicycle on a river trail. I met an Eastern priest in full dress, including headdress, taking his morning walk.

We were 3 or 4 miles from the nearest Eastern Church, and I never met him again. I assume he must have been visiting someone in the area.

I thought it impressive that, out for a morning walk and apparently on vacation, he regarded himself as a priest, and on duty in a sense, at all times.
 
The hat with the long tail means you met a monk not just a normal secular priest.I forget what the proper Greek name is.Can anyone fill me in?
 
I heard a story from someone who was scandalized by meeting a foreign-born priest who was staying at the local rectory and sometimes concelebrated Mass, but never helped with confessions. He was older and walked with two canes. He always wore loose white trousers and open white sports shirt and sandals, even under the vestments. He also wore small gold cross earrings through pierced ears. She complained to the pastor and was told this priest had been imprisoned in Cambodia and tortured for several months, where witnesses say he cared for other prisoners in heroic fashion. When he was rescued wires that had been used to restrain him during torture were embedded in his neck, wrists and ankles and had to be cut away surgically. His hands and feet had been broken and healed without being set, so he was very clumsy, and could only concelebrate. He could not bear the irritation of having a collar around his neck, long sleeves, or socks on, and could not find shoes to fit over his distorted feet. Unable to hear confessions because of brain damage from beatings, he had developed his own ministry of presence on the streets of the ghetto, and was a well known and beloved presence to the homeless, cops, everybody knew him. The earrings were a present from prostitutes who knew he would always help save a runaway kid from being caught up in the street life. She (and I) are careful now not to criticize what we do not understand. This was an inner city parish in an eastern seaboard town.
 
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http://forums.catholic-questions.org/images/icons/icon1.gif Re: Priestly Attire
A priest should wear his cassock at all times. It is a form of evanglism. Of course if he is exercising, a cassock is not required at that time.

I’ve got to agree with this point. Also it shows the love and respect for the vows they have taken. Would you take off your wedding ring to go places? It is a sign of my vocation. Also Teddy I hope you are coming to the Archdiocese of Detroit…
 
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kmktexas:
Not too long ago the US bishops said that priests here should were clerical garb whenever they were in public and that the cassock was preferred. My current bishop was the signor of that letter. The priests here in the diocese ignore it.

I don’t expect clericals at the gym or beach. I am sad though when Father comes into church in street clothes for Mass, adoration or confession - he vests over his street clothes, except for Confession where no one can see him. I was in a group that went to see the Vatican art that was touring museums and our leader was a priest in street clothes. I was jealous of another group led by a priest in a cassock and a sister in full habit.

I also think it would be a good thing for vocations for priests to do “regular” things like go to dinner, the movies, shopping, traveling and be proudly identifiable as priests.
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Gee… Father IS dressed appropriately when he’s vested over street clothes. It’s the VESTMENTS that have the meaning, here.

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This page has a table that lists the vestment, the historical origin of the vestment, and symbolic references of that vestment. If there’s a prayer that the priest says when he puts it on, this page gives the words to that prayer.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Altar, Sacred Vessels, and Vestments
from “Mass and the Sacraments”
by Fr. John Laux, M.A.
Benziger Brothers 1934

Nihil Obstat J.M. Lelen, Censor Librorum
Imprimatur + Francis W. Howard, Bishop of Covington, KY, USA, March 25, 1932

truecatholic.org/massitems.htm#vestments

_____________________________________________

If you want the deep and super-linked page on Vestments, go to New Advent (the Catholic encyclopedia).

newadvent.org/cathen/15388a.htm

In Confession (even if it’s not a face-to-face Confessional), he has to wear a stole because THAT is the mark of his being a priest – no white collar is necessary!

Identifiable, fine. But “proudly?!?” Humility is what Jesus is asking for us all – including priests and religious – to be/do.
Code: 
Do be do be do.
~~ Frank Sinatra
 
On my opinion a priest should dress as he likes when he is not exercising his priestly duties. I don’t see nothing wrong with a priest going to a gym or a swimming pool in order to stay fit. It wouldn’t be practical if he had to wear priestly attire and he might not be allowed to by the management (safety rules etc.).

Many priests have hobbies or interests where a priestly attire would be impractical or hinder their activities. Like fishing, camping or other outdoor activites.

Now a days many priests become burnt out because of the demand they daily have to cope with. It’s a shortage of priests and those who are left have to spread themselves thin. A hobby or “extracurricular” activity can help a priest charge his batteries and avoid being burnt out.

A priest fishing, exercising, collecting stamps or enjoying the great outdoors wearing clothes befitting his activities is not a lesser priest than a priest who never is seen without his clerical garb.

We should also have in mind that the different countries (the Congregation of Bishops in those countries) may have different rules about this.
 
Hey everyone,
Code: 
 Just to let you know on this situation. Yeah, some priests should wear their attire but, to me. If you see a priest wearing a t-shirt, pants and whatever that's appropriate, he's still a priest. My point is that, it depends on himself. If he feels comfortable wearing at least a t-shirt, and whatnot, he's still a priest. That's all I got to say.
                                                 You Are Loved,
                                                         Anthony
                                             Archdiocese of Portland, OR.
 
They are supposed to wear the clothes God gave them! I really don’t understand why some priests run around in plain clothes. It makes me wonder if their hearts are in it. It sets a bad example for other priests and it actually hurts the faithfuls confidence in them.

Peace and all good,

Thomas2
 
Dressing in “normal guy” clothes??? I find that very insulting almost saying that anything that is not regular street garb for the lay person (and God only knows what that is these days anyway) is not normal??? Priestly dress not “normal guy” clothes?? Oh Boy :confused:

Anyway, heres what Canon Law says on the matter:

Can. 284 Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Episcopal Conference and legitimate local custom.

Can. 669 §1 As a sign of their consecration and as a witness to poverty, religious are to wear the habit of their institute, determined in accordance with the institute’s own law.

§2 Religious of a clerical institute who do not have a special habit are to wear clerical dress, in accordance with can. 284.

I suppose it could be backed up also with the following Canon:

Can. 285 §1 Clerics are to shun completely everything that is unbecoming to their state, in accordance with the provisions of particular law.

§2 Clerics are to avoid whatever is foreign to their state, even when it is not unseemly.

Clerics who shun the collar and shun clerical dress usually do so as a statement of disobedience and nothing more. It is simply one step away from what they have promised. When too many of these kind of steps are taken the full fruit is revealed and the priesthood is shunned. The Priest leaves.
To those people who “don’t care” what the priest wears, as long as he is nice, you are not helping the situation at all. In fact I would say you are adding to the disobedience by confirming the Priest in his error.
Of course when the Priest is ‘on holidays’ and away from Pastoral duty and not just taking part in a pastime that is a different matter. Although I know a Priest who plays golf in his cassock!!!

God Bless,
Fergal
Naas
Ireland
 
a well-known priest in a nearby town is in the habit of jogging around the grounds of the place he lives early every morning, he wears gym shorts and tank top (this is Texas, temp can be in the 80s even before sunup). a reporter got a picture of him entering his residence dressed this way and the rumor went around that he runs around outside in his underwear. The point being, if people want to make scandal where non exists, they will do it. If the priest appears in public in clothing suitable to his activity as long as he is on his free time (yes, they need recreation time like everybody else), what is the problem? He shouldn’t be playing golf or tennis in black clericals.
 
I met a familiar face at a shopping mall.

While chatting with him, I was trying hard to remember where I had seen him before and recall his name.

When parting I asked “How are the wife and kids?” to which he gave me a quizzical look.

It was after I got home that I realised that he was our ex-parish priest who was posted to another parish some years before…

If only he had dressed like a priest, the embarrassment would have been avoided!

Mea culpa!
 
Back in the “good old days” a group of priests in South Africa went to a cricket match and sweltered under the blazing sun for six hours because the bishop insisted on full clerical attire at all times. on the way out, an inebreiated spectator stumbled into them. Stepping back, he peered at them and exclaimed " Even the ******* undertakers are coming to the cricket now!"
 
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maklavan:
Back in the “good old days” a group of priests in South Africa went to a cricket match and sweltered under the blazing sun for six hours because the bishop insisted on full clerical attire at all times. on the way out, an inebreiated spectator stumbled into them. Stepping back, he peered at them and exclaimed " Even the ******* undertakers are coming to the cricket now!"
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I thought an undertaker normally wears a TALL HAT in the movies! 😃

True story or joke? Whatever, it is, I will definitely share this around… 😃
 
How nice.

YOu know what? I prefer a mother who is dressed like a proper French Maid at all times. Yes, that means when she has her kids at the pool, when she wakes up in the morning, when she is on her own time, when she is nursing, when she is at Mass, when she is shopping, etc etc. Why are you not vacuuming in pearls? Why are you not all always perfectly smiling, polite and respectful? Isn’t that how a WOMAN is supposed to be? Perhaps barefoot and pregnant, too?

Think about it.

And the next time you walk into a church, veil your head in humility, or be cast out onto the street as a whore. Scripture demands it and Vatican II never repealed it (because it couldn’t).

Scripture never demanded that a priest be dressed in the fashion of the French military, which some seem to prefer and, in the hsiostory of some fo the world, including my corner of the woods, was the very attire FORBIDDEN by Rome to be worn in public because it was the very attire that distinguished us from the Anglicans and brought about the priests’ slow, horrific and torturous deaths by tarring and feathering.

– Fr. L.
 
priests and religious in Mexico were forbidden to wear clerical garb or habits in public for most of the last century, and also gave the Church many martyrs. I hope the priests and nuns in this country recognize and exercise their right to publicly identify their vocation.
 
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