Priests Lost Among The Secular World

[babochka]

babochka:

Ok. It sounded as if you had some specific knowledge of an actual decision made by the USCCB regarding this matter.

I do know that the USCCB gave Bishops and Archbishops the ability to allow priests to choose whether or not to wear their collar at their discression. It occurred sometime in the early 2000’s.

What I do not know is the rules before it got to this point.

I guess I’m just wondering why the USCCB would be involved at all. It seems like it would be a very local decision, well within the authority of the local bishop.

I’ve always known at least an occasional priest who could be found without clerics in certain circumstances.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

I guess I’m just wondering why the USCCB would be involved at all. It seems like it would be a very local decision, with no need for approval beyond the diocesan bishop.

I’ve always known at least an occasional priest who could be found without clerics in certain circumstances.

A universal stamp of approval? A way to escape any liability if a priest was injured? A way to ensure that the bishop knew that he should be permitting it?

I don’t know.

At the height of the scandals many things “went down” and I think there were also many dioceses that were left in questionable positions as bishops were implicated in cover-ups.

I’m not going to sit here and pretend I know why it happened. I don’t. I just know that at the US level it was made clear that it was allowed.

 

[babochka]

I found this:

Complementary Norm: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accord with the prescriptions of canon 284, hereby decrees that without prejudice to the provisions of canon 288, clerics are to dress in conformity with their sacred calling.

In liturgical rites, clerics shall wear the vesture prescribed in the proper liturgical books. Outside liturgical functions, a black suit and Roman collar are the usual attire for priests. The use of the cassock is at the discretion of the cleric.

This doesn’t say the black suit and collar are required, just that it is the usual attire. Perhaps it was clarified that something other than the usual attire was acceptable.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

I found this:

Complementary Norm: The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, in accord with the prescriptions of canon 284, hereby decrees that without prejudice to the provisions of canon 288, clerics are to dress in conformity with their sacred calling.

In liturgical rites, clerics shall wear the vesture prescribed in the proper liturgical books. Outside liturgical functions, a black suit and Roman collar are the usual attire for priests. The use of the cassock is at the discretion of the cleric.

That sounds really logical and makes sense. Again, I don’t know the history, only that it was clarified for Priest’s safety.

 

[Rosebud77]

Thanks, Yes here in Ireland eggs get thrown and worse if they wear the collar in eg Dublin. And we have yet more scandals breaking now.

 

[pnewton]

Also I note that it says “outside liturgical functions.” Most of a priest’s work life occur outside liturgical function. Our priest seldom is out of his clerical shirt and collar when in the office, making pastoral visits and doing general “priest” stuff. I have seen him in civvies jogging and running errands. I get the idea that he wears usually whatever he is in when he does things. If he stops by the store on a day off when he is doing nothing particular but running errands, he is not in black. If he does while in route to something as a priest, he is.

 

[Verdanty]

Entirely down to the Bishops.

I’ve lived in dioceses where the collar was mandatory at all times, and others where the Bishop encouraged clergy not to wear it in public.

The latter one was of the stance that this would facilitate “surprise” evangelism, that people would begin a conversation with a man in the collar straight away negatively, but if they wern’t aware of what he was when the discussion started they might be more open to a reasoned discussion.

No idea how that worked in practice or how often clergy in public randomly strike up conversations about God with strangers, I personally suspect it didn’t work but it probably did prevent more than a few incidences of scandal.

 

[babochka]

Also I note that it says “outside liturgical functions.” Most of a priest’s work life occur outside liturgical function. Our priest seldom is out of his clerical shirt and collar when in the office, making pastoral visits and doing general “priest” stuff. I have seen him in civvies jogging and running errands. I get the idea that he wears usually whatever he is in when he does things. If he stops by the store on a day off when he is doing nothing particular but running errands, he is not in black. If he does while in route to something as a priest, he is.

I read this to say that during liturgical functions, a priest should be wearing what is prescribed for the liturgy, but outside of these liturgical functions, the norm is that he would be in a black suit and collar. I assume that means while on-duty (acknowledging that, in some ways, a priest is always on-duty). But during his day off and in the evenings, while on vacation, etc. I would imagine it would be up to the priest.

It doesn’t bother me at all if a priest wears shorts and a t-shirt on his off time. I don’t think that they are any less dedicated to their vocation than those who wear black at all times, but I do appreciate the beautiful and visible witness of those who choose to do so.

Several years ago, I was 9 1/2 months pregnant on a 108-degree day, walking out of the hardware store, whining to myself about the heat. As I walked to the car, I happened to see the priest from a local parish making his way through the parking lot. He was an elderly, frail Jesuit who stood out on that hot day in his long black pants, long-sleeved black shirt and Roman collar. He looked every inch a priest and I appreciated his visible dedication and witness. For just a moment, I stopped whining to myself.

 

[JulianN]

Oh, for heaven’s sake. This is ridiculous. I’m out.