Priests and cassocks

Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Adamek

New member
The other day I was driving into the parking lot, and I saw a priest. I could tell because he was wearing a cassock. This is the first time ever to see a priest in a cassock outside of church. I was thrilled. I wanted to run up to him and thank him and shake his hand, but he got into the car and drove off. I think this is a great way to evangelize. Be a witness to Christ. Anyone else have a cassock story to tell?
 
Last edited:
I have known several priests who wear the cassock publicly. It’s a powerful witness and tells the whole world, without ambiguity, that he is a Catholic priest (or possibly Orthodox). I would prefer they wear them, than not wear them. If I were a priest, I would wear the cassock under most circumstances.
 
“It’s a powerful witness and tells the whole world, without ambiguity, that he is a Catholic priest (or possibly Orthodox). I would prefer they wear them, than not wear them. If I were a priest, I would wear the cassock under most circumstances.”

I know, It is so obvious, but they just won’t do it. I used to see one of the local priests working out in the gym. I see another one in the grocery store from time to time. But, you couldn’t tell they were priests unless you knew them.
 
Adamek said:
“It’s a powerful witness and tells the whole world, without ambiguity, that he is a Catholic priest (or possibly Orthodox). I would prefer they wear them, than not wear them. If I were a priest, I would wear the cassock under most circumstances.”

I know, It is so obvious, but they just won’t do it. I used to see one of the local priests working out in the gym. I see another one in the grocery store from time to time. But, you couldn’t tell they were priests unless you knew them.
Click to expand...
I said “most circumstances”. I do not think a priest needs to wear the cassock while working out at the gym — that might not even be allowed by the gym’s rules. Wearing it to the grocery store would be a great idea. I see people all the time at the grocery store, Walmart, and so on, wearing the hijab, niqab, yarmulke, tzitzit, Hasidic men’s dress, Mennonite prayer bonnets, what have you. A cassock or a nun’s traditional habit is no more unusual than that.
 
Last edited:
I have a slightly different cassock story to tell. I was walking past a church and a young priest in a cassock was entering the church. I honestly dont think I’ve ever felt such instant attraction to a man - he was handsome and completely confident. Probably not the intended purpose of a cassock, but I really think it enhanced his attractiveness rather than the opposite 😂😂😂
 
As long as they aren’t Dominicans in habit… we have a town in the diocese where the Dominicans do go out and about in habit, and every few years someone reports a KKK sighting. It made the news once 🤣
 
One has to wonder how they would react to Holy Week processions in Spain.
 
HomeschoolDad said:
Wearing it to the grocery store would be a great idea. I see people all the time at the grocery store, Walmart, and so on, wearing the hijab, niqab, yarmulke, tzitzit, Hasidic men’s dress, Mennonite prayer bonnets, what have you. A cassock or a nun’s traditional habit is no more unusual than that.
Click to expand...
I saw a religious sister once wearing her habit in the grocery store… I walked up to her than thanked her for her vocation and her witness.
 
Most of the priests I know wear their clericals everywhere, though not a cassock per se. I think it is a great witness.

I think the only time I have seen a priest in a cassock outside of Mass was in the Denver airport once. He looked very young, so I suppose he could have also been a seminarian.
 
Last edited:
Cor_ad_Cor said:
As long as they aren’t Dominicans in habit… we have a town in the diocese where the Dominicans do go out and about in habit, and every few years someone reports a KKK sighting. It made the news once
Click to expand...
I once visited a traditional Benedictine monastery in the South, and the priest processed out of the sacristy for Mass wearing a white pointed hood. I groaned inwardly to myself “oh, ****…”, until I realized that this was his religious habit. No eye holes.

He took the hood off his head once Mass began.
 
Last edited:
Cor_ad_Cor said:
As long as they aren’t Dominicans in habit… we have a town in the diocese where the Dominicans do go out and about in habit, and every few years someone reports a KKK sighting. It made the news once 🤣
Click to expand...
The Dominicans in Center City, Philadelphia walk around in their habits. I love it. When cold, they even put on black coats on and still look Dominican 🙂

I was with one of them in a coffee shop once. They made a wrong drink for someone and were about to throw it out. Father asked them if he could have it for free and they gave it to him. Something tells me they would have said “no” if he wasn’t wearing his habit. 🙂
 
Last edited:
That’s nice!

Around here, it seem like the only priests who wear cassocks are the ones who like the Latin Mass. 😦
 
A few years back, we had a Franciscan priest assigned to our parish. He wore the full habit all the time. Once when he was in the grocery store, he overheard the checker talking to the bagger at the next line…they thought he was Muslim.
 
He thought it was pretty funny, actually. We haven’t had many Franciscans in our city (I can only think of a couple over the past 30+ years) so people aren’t used to seeing them.
 
Back then, I most likely was not 😦

And to be honest, I typically a Miraculous Medal only (but back then, I wouldn’t have been wearing it either). I wear it with it’s Cross against my chest.
 
Our pastor sometimes wears a cassock, but not always. When I sometimes go for counseling with him, he’s in street clothes and that’s fine with me. He travels between parishes and has a lot of responsibility within the archeparchy, so if it’s easier/more comfortable for him I have no problem with it. He spends a lot of time in the car.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top