Priests just blending in

[Liberalsaved]

Do you wear job clothing when you aren’t at work? Yes, priests are a little different, but the fact remains they don’t want to dress in that stuff all the time, go to the movies in it, see ball games in it.

 

[mrs_abbott]

Just seeing a man in clerics does not mean that he is a priest. He could be a deacon, he could be a seminarian or he could be an Episcopal priest or a Lutheran minister. I have even heard that some Methodist ministers wear clerics.

This is why many seminarians and religious do not wear them or their habits (especially when the habit is a cassock) as they are approached as priests and then the laity get upset with them when they explain that they are not a priest and the lay person then lectures them as to why they shouldn’t dress that way when they are not a priest which, of course, that person is very wrong on.

For those truly dedicated to following the path of Christ and representing Him on earth by administering the sacraments of the Church to the congregation, I would think wearing the cassock and/or black pants/shirts with the Roman collar would be an awesome way to show how much Christ means to them. Obviously when they’re on vacation it’s not necessary because no one dresses for work while on vacation. When they are just in town and mingling with the public outside of the Church, they could be a living example of Christ by proudly wearing the cassock or black pants/shirt with the Roman collar.
Just my :twocents:

 

[corvidae]

I remember a story of St. Francis and one of his brothers going out to preach the gospel, St. Francis walked through the entire town helping people, but never saying a word.

When they returned the brother asked, “were we not going to speak the gospel” Francis replied, Speak the Gospel at all times, and if neccessary use words"

Sometimes clothing is preaching the gospel.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

For those truly dedicated to following the path of Christ and representing Him on earth by administering the sacraments of the Church to the congregation, I would think wearing the cassock and/or black pants/shirts with the Roman collar would be an awesome way to show how much Christ means to them. Obviously when they’re on vacation it’s not necessary because no one dresses for work while on vacation. When they are just in town and mingling with the public outside of the Church, they could be a living example of Christ by proudly wearing the cassock or black pants/shirt with the Roman collar.
Just my :twocents:

This I can agree with.

I think a problem comes up when we start to demand that they wear them all the time. It is, and it should be, their personal choice unless the bishop (or religious order) mandates something more.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

I think BLB_Oregon has it right. Their is this concept of “flying under the radar” attitude. A priest should not fear being different from others. How terrible that a Priest should hide his identity, by wearing “regular” or “street” clothes, EMBRACE YOUR CROSS!!! Inspire others by your example and maybe…just maybe others will start following.

I don’t think I expressed myself very well. I did not mean to imply that priests in secular dress are flying below radar. I meant to say something closer to the opposite.

I think it is great if Catholics, lay or clergy, dress in a way that identifies them, particularly if they use that to remind themselves to act to match the part. That doesn’t mean that not being readily identifiable is a sin or a fault, not in any sense.

Besides, a priest learns an awful lot about what life in the laity is like by being out in the world* incognito*. They can expect totally different treatment, for good and ill, if they wear clerical garb.

Again, I think the question needs to be aimed primarily at ourselves. I would say, though, that if the conduct of someone else is something you find inspiring, you ought to say so. None of us are mind readers, and we all need encouragement…especially our pastors. That is, after all, one of the things they gave up when they accepted celibacy.

 

[Sean.McKenzie]

I hear this alot. Who are you to tell me what my cross is to bear?

Who are we to call someone to a certain cross?

That is not ours to do.

Focus on your own cross, leave others to theirs.

Matthew 7
1 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

I find it quite interesting, when topics like this come up, those who point out the fact that a person should dress approprietly, her come the “judgemental police”.

First of all I am not passing judgment on anyone, when people falsley accuse others of such thing say these they come accross as arrogant.

As to the comment on embracing ones cross. I did not say anything that was objectionable or even intended cast some kind of “judgement” on anyone. I was speaking to the fact that these poor Priests are being spat upon because they wear their clerics
in airports and pretty much everywhere. I was saying that Priests like this should embrace this cross that they are continually being placed in front of. This is in no way contradictory to Gospel truth. It is no different than when people tell their friends or preach about, how people should take their cross up and follow Christ. Are these people bigots out to judge people? Certainly not. I think before you start labeling person as “judging” individual, you really need to understand the post.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I find it quite interesting, when topics like this come up, those who point out the fact that a person should dress approprietly, her come the “judgemental police”.

You should expect this as dressing appropriately is very subjective especially when you are speaking of priests out side of ministry.

This is so because you must judge someone on their outward appearance without knowing any of the particulars of why they are dressed in such a manner.

This is why I do not enter discussions from this mindset of what “appropriate” dress is, I enter such discussions from the mindset of modest dress.

First of all I am not passing judgment on anyone, when people falsley accuse others of such thing say these they come accross as arrogant.

Again, in this topic one has to pass judgment to say that a priest is not dressing correctly when he choses not to wear clerics when out side of his ministry.

As to the comment on embracing ones cross. I did not say anything that was objectionable or even intended cast some kind of “judgement” on anyone. I was speaking to the fact that these poor Priests are being spat upon because they wear their clerics in airports and pretty much everywhere. I was saying that Priests like this should embrace this cross that they are continually being placed in front of. This is in no way contradictory to Gospel truth. It is no different than when people tell their friends or preach about, how people should take their cross up and follow Christ. Are these people bigots out to judge people? Certainly not. I think before you start labeling person as “judging” individual, you really need to understand the post.

You are correct, but when you tell others to embrace their cross you are makeing a judgment on them as to what their particular cross is and that they are not living it.

I did understand your post and here again, are you being judgmental?

Maybe you should understand my post and also acknowledge the Gospel truth that I have expressed.

 

[Sean.McKenzie]

Again, in this topic one has to pass judgment to say that a priest is not dressing correctly when he choses not to wear clerics when out side of his ministry.

No, this is incorrect, for the simple reason that we are not passing judgement on anyone we are NOT saying that some individual Priest is incorrect, we are saying that Priests should STOP trying to blend in, they should understand they are set aside.

Again, in this topic one has to pass judgment to say that a priest is not dressing correctly when he choses not to wear clerics when out side of his ministry.

Interesting, I didn’t think a Priest could leave his ministry, and then enter it again. A priest is never “outside” his ministry, that is a proposterous statement, unless a Priest has been stripped of his faculties then he could not really excercise his ministry in it’s complete entirety, he doesn’t stop his ministerial duties just for the convienience of vacations.

You are correct, but when you tell others to embrace their cross you are makeing a judgment on them as to what their particular cross is and that they are not living it.

Again, I have not misspoken or have cast some judgement on anyone. You misunderstand me once again. My point is, look, i don’t care who you are a Priest or not, whatever hardships you go through, Christ asks you to carry your cross or that particular cross. I am not making myself somehow on an equal plane with Christ by making this statement…additionaly, it is similar to when a person is speaking about SSA and makes the statement, “These poor individuals have a tuff cross to bear or to carry” were they incorrect, were they judgemental?..no, they merely made distinction or a discernment. Don’t confuse terms, i would hate it if this discussion turned into just a thread the defining of terms. That would be a waste of time.

I did understand your post and here again, are you being judgmental?

No, you misrepresented my post, it is something I have observed. One can safely make a judgement on something or even someone without it being illicit or demeaning. You can judge between if a certain object is one color or another color.

 

[Magicsilence]

Personally speaking.

If I was a priest, then I would never wear “secular” clothes, except in times of emergency, perhaps around the house during summertime.

Having said that.

Until I have undertaken 7 years of study and committment, I believe I am unfit to make comment on whether or not a priest should be perpetually clothed in their garments.

Peace and God Bless.

 

[LeahInancsi]

My 60 year old pastor mentioned that he chooses not to wear his collar at various times because he is often approached for inappropriate reasons. The example he gave was when traveling, he is often stopped in airports by non-Catholics wishing the confess, etc. He’s not trying to hide from his vocation. Sometimes it’s ackward to deal with non-Catholics is certain situations. When he’s out and about in town, his parishoners have no trouble recognizing him. I would like to see him wear his Franciscan habit more often.

 

[child_of_God85]

The only time the Priests at my church wear regular clothes is on their day off. Also they drive nice cars, but not luxery cars.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

My 60 year old pastor mentioned that he chooses not to wear his collar at various times because he is often approached for inappropriate reasons. The example he gave was when traveling, he is often stopped in airports by non-Catholics wishing the confess, etc. He’s not trying to hide from his vocation. Sometimes it’s ackward to deal with non-Catholics is certain situations. When he’s out and about in town, his parishoners have no trouble recognizing him. I would like to see him wear his Franciscan habit more often.

Ah, yes, I have heard this before but even if he is approached by catholics in a airport he can not hear their confessions without faculties from the local ordinary unless the person is in danger of death.

 

[Unfinished]

Ah, yes, I have heard this before but even if he is approached by catholics in a airport he can not hear their confessions without faculties from the local ordinary unless the person is in danger of death.

Even if they are Catholic? I have never heard that before. I don’t doubt you Byz, but I am curious if you have a reference, just so I can see it for myself.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

Ah, yes, I have heard this before but even if he is approached by catholics in a airport he can not hear their confessions without faculties from the local ordinary unless the person is in danger of death.

Yes. There was a priest visiting us from another state, and he would have had to go through a criminal background check by the chancery office before he could get permission to say Mass in our diocese. This is not to say that all priests get this permission, but they are supposed to.

Except in extremity, no one may represent themselves as a minister of the Church in any capacity without the permission of the bishop in that diocese. The recent abuse scandals give just one example of why that is.

 

[jmcrae]

FSSP parish? Is this one of the schismatic groups or one sanctioned by the church? Excuse my lack of knowledge.

North

FSSP are the “good guys.” By the way, (totally off topic) their Christmas cards are totally awesome - buy some today!!

You can probably order them off their web site - I just got my sample pack yesterday.

(I love the FSSP!!)

 

[SeekerJen]

I’ve seen our pastor out jogging in track pants and a sweatshirt, and our retired former pastor (who lives at the rectory and helps out with Masses and parish stuff) wears normal clothes to casual parties at parishoners’ homes- all in attendance already know he’s a priest. But most of the other times, I’ve seen them in Roman collar. Our pastor is more likely to wear the full black suit, the semi-retired priest a shirt with Roman collar and trousers. The priests at my Jesuit university were always easily identifiable, full black suits and black shirts upon which the white Roman collars really stood out. If the crucifixes in buildings and many classrooms, campus chapel, Marian chapel in the middle of campus, and references to St. Ignatius everywhere weren’t enough to tip us off that it was a Catholic school, the priests certainly did the trick.

 

[jmcrae]

A question sort of connected to blending in…

What would you feel about a priest who wore the shirt and collar, but wore shorts instead of pants?

I’ve always thought if I was going to be a priest that that would be more my style.

Grown men should never wear shorts.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Even if they are Catholic? I have never heard that before. I don’t doubt you Byz, but I am curious if you have a reference, just so I can see it for myself.

No problem. Here is what Canon Law says;

Can. 966 §1 For the valid absolution of sins, it is required that, in addition to the power of order, the minister has the faculty to exercise that power in respect of the faithful to whom he gives absolution.

§2 A priest can be given this faculty either by the law itself, or by a concession issued by the competent authority in accordance with can. 969.

Can. 969 §1 Only the local Ordinary is competent to give to any priests whomsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of any whomsoever of the faithful. Priests who are members of religious institutes may not, however, use this faculty without the permission, at least presumed, of their Superior.

§2 The Superior of a religious institute or of a society of apostolic life, mentioned in can. 968 §2, is competent to give to any priests whomsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of his own subjects and of those others who live day and night in the house.

Canon 968 §2 just says that the religious superiors can hear confessions of the members of their order and all who live “day and night” in the orders religious houses.

So if a priest is in an airport that is not part of a diocese where he has faculties he can not validly absolve someone.

Now when a priest is acting as a chaplain to a group on a trip he can hear their confessions and validly absolve becuase that comes from his bishop as those people on the trip are of the same diocese but he can not validly absolve anyone not of that group without faculties from the local ordinary.

 

[Anima_Christi]

Ah, yes, I have heard this before but even if he is approached by catholics in a airport he can not hear their confessions without faculties from the local ordinary unless the person is in danger of death.

Are you sure about this? I know this was the case pre-Vatican II, but I was told it has been changed (perhaps with the 1983 Code of Canon Law?) and now a priest can hear confessions in whatever diocese he is in. But I could be wrong.

 

[domineutvideam]

I’ve noticed the opposit. It’s particularly the younger priests who are wearing the roman collar and even a cassock. Generally speaking, this isn’t a huge problem in the area I live in, but typically when I’ve seen priests not wearing clericals it has been the older priests.