Priests not wearing their collars in public

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Buffphotoguy:
I must confess, I did not read the entire thread, so I may repeat someone. In any case…I just don’t remember Pope John Paul II, when “Off Duty” skiing, wearing anything BUT Clerical garb. Also, I guess no one ever told Mother Theresa she had the “day off”, because I don’t recall her not in her clerical garb.

And I guess going a step further, if we as what ever calling we say we have, need time to get “away” from the calling, then I guess it might not be called that, it would be called a “job”.

Just an observation.
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Excellent observances. Here’s another model, Fr. Amaury Montjean, a French priest of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, properly attired in his cassock:

icrsp.com/Evenements-2006/Ski-2006/Ski-2006.htm
 
I like that priests don’t always wear collars. It makes them more human…more approachable. 🙂
 
I personally feel that secular priest receive a “day off” and should go without wearing their clerics. A family member of mine became close friends with a priest. He went swimming with us and spent time with us. I never saw him in his clerics unless he was “on duty”. On the other hand, nuns who don’t wear their habits are hard to distinguish. I find it impossible to recognize say Sisters of Charity order. This order was allowed to be independent and not wear their habits. If I passed a nun on the street who was not dressed in their habit I would walk right pass her without proper recognition.
 
I like that priests don’t always wear collars. It makes them more human…more approachable.
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How does the collar make a priest any less human? However, they are a human male with a special office and thus you approach a priest as a priest, they are not just “one of the guys”.
 
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FrCorey:
I’m on Benedict’s World.
we do and say what we are told.
or our next job is as a friar, a french friar…
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I loved this comeback. I just had to tell you. :rotfl:
 
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ComradeAndrei:
How does the collar make a priest any less human? However, they are a human male with a special office and thus you approach a priest as a priest, they are not just “one of the guys”.
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Priests are human and many of them do not want to be put ‘up there on a pedastall’. And just for the record, they are just one of us! That does not mean that we shouldn’t show respect. On the contrary, we should show them respect - we should show everyone respect!
 
There is this priest who has some function at my school, but the funny thing is that I went there for a full 3 years before I realized he was a priest. I always just thought he was a regular guy until a ceremony at the end of last year I saw him with his collar on. I would have preferred to have seen him with it on at the very least occasionally on campus.
 
Priests are human and many of them do not want to be put ‘up there on a pedastall’.
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Granted, a priest shouldn’t want to be “put on a pedestal” out of selfishness or pride, but he does have a special office to perform and thus should stand out from the crowd in some degree-a collar isn’t that much to ask.
And just for the record, they are just one of us! That does not mean that we shouldn’t show respect. On the contrary, we should show them respect - we should show everyone respect!
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Except…their special office…which means they aren’t “just one of us”. Yes, we should show everyone respect but especially to our clergy, not merely respect for the man alone on his merits but his divine office. A priest-good, bad, or lukewarm-deserves special respect for that reason alone.
 
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Goldy:
Has anyone else noticed more of this? I’ve seen two different priests at local parishes who don’t where their collar in public. They’re just out in ordinary outfits. So basically you would never know they were priests unless you asked them. Am I being too picky/judgmental about this issue? Is there a rule about priests being required to wear their collar outside of Church?
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My Pastor always has his Collar on, however some of the assistants will wear shorts/T’s ect when off duty.
 
ComradeAndrei…
The Dashiki is a colorful men’s garment worn in West Africa. It can be used as formal or informal attire.
Dashiki pic
 
The fact that a priest or bishop wants to take some time off, relax, and not wear his clericals does not mean he has forgotten or forsaken his calling. He is a priest or bishop 24/7. The clothes do not make him what he is. Granted, there is a certain amount of recognition that goes with the collar and in many situations it does help to be in clericals outside the Church. I always wear clericals when flying for example. I have been asked many times for a blessing in airports and even on planes people have asked me to pray for them. But if I would like to run down to Starbucks for a cup of coffee, I don’t think the Lord minds one bit If I do it in a polo shirt. I am still a bishop. And if I see a need I will meet it.

As far as wearing our clericals when we need to buy a car or get something for free, I have never received any gratuity when in clericals. Maybe I am an exception. But it is not just the clergy you know, Why do Catholic business people advertise in church bulletins or parish newsletters? Because they hope to gain something by their association with the Catholic Church. They hope that other Catholics will see their ad and say, “Let’s patronize that business. It’s a Catholic business.” And thus the business owner makes some money on the deal. Trust me, there was no attitude of “I’d like people in the parish to know I am a Christian and love the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart, soul, and mind. So I will run an ad for His glory in the parish newsletter.”

Clergy are entitled to free time. Everyone needs downtime to re-energize, re-focus, and get things back into perspective. And sometimes we just want to remain anonymous. I took a retreat this past weekend to a well-known monastery. I spent the weekend in “civvies”, no collar, no purple shirt, no fancy cross. Just my Bible, notebook, and prayer book. I just needed it to be the Lord and I alone.

Sometimes your priests need the same thing. Give them a break.

Archbishop +Mark
 
Hi all:

At present I don’t have much respect or trust in a priest, but I must agree with the Archbishop.
Even though they are suppose to a priest or bishop or whatever 24/7 are they needed 24/7. In most cases if the only time you would need one outside the church is if you were dying on the street and I would assume most would help regardless of what they are wearing.

I would much prefer no to know they are religious, if I want them I can find them in a church somewhere, really non of us need them on the street. Give them a break, they aren’t causing the church scandel by wearing a golf shirt and jeans.

scared
 
I would much prefer no to know they are religious, if I want them I can find them in a church somewhere, really non of us need them on the street. Give them a break, they aren’t causing the church scandel by wearing a golf shirt and jeans.
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It provides a witness in public and the Church has mandated that for the most part (insert pertinent Church rules here) the clergy are supposed to wear clerical garb in church, in and around church property and out in public.
 
We’ve had our new pastor for over a year. Have never seen him in clericals.
As for the poster commenting about México, until about 10 years ago, it was actually unlawful for a priest or nun to wear clerical garb or a habit in public. This was a carryover from anticlercalism that was rampant in the early 20th Century and a time in which many of the faithful, clerical and lay, were martyred. Priests regained the right to vote under a more enlightened political regime. México is still a poor country and many rural priests don’t have money for black suits and Roman collars; some subsist on groceries given in lieu of cash when the basket is passed. Collar or not, the priest is shown more respect by the faithful than to any other person.
 
ByzCath said:
Not so. It may be true for some small number but to make such a statement as if every priest out there will do so just to get a break on costs is disgusting and uncharitable.

It makes me sick and it is no wonder that many men avoid the calling when people out there make comments such as this.

That and those who say they are never “off the clock”.

Its a wonder that anyone answers the call today.

I believe this is a very big part of the “vocation crisis” our Church is facing today.

Many people make disparaging remarks towards the clergy and/or treat the clergy very badly. If you think that young men do not notice this you are saddly mistaken.
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If this is how you react to such mild comments, what will you do when you face real persecution?

The priesthood is not a vocation for the thin of skin. Lighten up.
 
msproule said:
That may be your opinion, but I respectfully disagree. One may still “have a life” despite remaining true to one’s vocation. To continue my last example, if I go out with my friends and my wife stays home, what message do I send if I leave my wedding ring in my pocket? I am no less married to my wife than a priest is married to the Church.

Are you serious?

It is *far *more than a job. If a seminarian sees the priesthood as nothing more than a job, then he should really “choose” another line of work. Personally, I believe vocations suffer as the result of the viewpoint that this is nothing more than a job…good quality vocations, anyhow.
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I do not know of any canonical requirement that spouses wear their ring perpetually.
The vast majority of us onlookers hardly notice them wearing rings.
 
slewi said:
They are supposed to be Jesus’s visible representative. For that reason alone they should have to wear clerics when not in church.
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Our priests don’t wear the collar when they go to the movies or to go to dinner at a friend’s house. It really depends on the circumstances.
 
Unfortunately, this is partially true in my area. If people past a priest in public who is not in clerics and does not know them how are these priest shown respect. They will be treated like any other person. If you recognize them from your parish or another surrounding parish and they are not dressed in their clerics, then yes they are given respect.
 
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