Priests not wearing their collars in public

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Well, the issue seems to be whatever the Bishop permits. The canon law leaves some room for that…

Can. 284 Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Episcopal Conference and legitimate local custom.
 
I don’t begrudge priests a little incognito time out of their distinctive garb occasionally. I used to be a police officer and it gets pretty old being constantly interupted while eating for the public to ask stupid questions. It was not fun being stared at when trying to do anything. It was really not fun trying to use the restroom in public. (Sorry, but it’s true.) As the priest from Las Vegas noted, people are sometimes actively hostile and inappropriate with clergy (and other authority figures) nowdays. Times have really changed.

I know that priests have a higher calling to serve than a cop, but they may still need a bit of time to be just people and get that doctor’s visit or whatever done without the added intrusion or proclaiming their vocation to the world. Personally, I would have found it bizarre and kind of awful to see any of our priests over the years exercising by jogging or playing volleyball with the teens, etc while sweating out his priestly garb. I find the exercise garb they wore far more appropriate in those circumstances.
 
Our new parish priest told a funny about when he first came to our parish. Our parish offices are about 3 miles away from the main church in our town, father had just been ordained two weeks previous, and had just finished with moving his personal things into the rectory that is at the main church. He had always thought when he was a young seminarian, that priests had been treated so differently than “normal” people in the parish. He had always treated them with the utmost respect. On the day he moved in it was a very warm day, so of course he was in shorts and a t-shirt and sandals. He thought he should take a ride over to the parish offices and introduce himself to everyone. When he arrived one of the men who works at the offices came out of his office as father was entering the building. This man non chalantly said hello to this young priest and then went on about his daily duties. The next day when father walked into the offices and this man realized that he had “ignored"the new priest in town all he could say was” I am so very sorry father, I thought you were the new guy, here to mow the lawn" One more for example, the sister of a priest friend told me that father and a few of his priest friends used to travel in “plain clothes” when they would go on vacation, Apparently one of them used to get “hit” on by young women as he was an attractive man. They never went anywhere in public without their clerics on after that!! Also I am not offended in the least when this priest friend comes for dinner in secular clothing.
 
maryj said:
Also I am not offended in the least when this priest friend comes for dinner in secular clothing.
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The monk-priest who celebrated my sister’s and her husband’s wedding came to the rehearsal dinner in shorts and a blue shirt.
 
A priest friend of mine had just been ordained and sent to his new assignment. It was a town that had many anti-Catholics, and after a couple of drivers yelled obscenities as he walked down the street, this once-liberal seminarian decided that he would always keep his collar on in public as a witness to Christ. Another priest friend was out walking in another town. A woman and her young daughter were approaching, and when he passed the couple, the woman pulled the girl away as if the priest were going to harm her. As a seminarian, who is wearing a collar as I type this, I plan to keep it on, even in the grocery store.

I also once entered a church to see what it looked like inside. It was a typical 1970’s theatre with no redeeming architecture. Nobody was around except for the sacristan. I noticed a drawing of a proposed new church with traditional designs, and I remarked to him that in the new building, I would hope that the tabernacle would get a more central location, as it was behind everyone’s backs in the current church. After a lengthy discourse in which he basically said that Christ is present in His people, not in the bread, and that it didn’t matter where the tabernacle was so long as it could be seen, I mentioned, less than charitably, that if he couldn’t accept that Christ was present in the Eucharist, he wasn’t Catholic. He then told me that he was the pastor. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt.
 
If/when I hopefully get accepted into the Seminary, and after the first year, i plan to be wearing the Cassock and Roman Collar full time (i think its a requirement in the FSSP Seminary, rightly so!). I really like wearing a Cassock, have no problem with it whatsoever.
 
CatholicNick said:
If/when I hopefully get accepted into the Seminary, and after the first year, i plan to be wearing the Cassock and Roman Collar full time (i think its a requirement in the FSSP Seminary, rightly so!). I really like wearing a Cassock, have no problem with it whatsoever.
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great, come to las vegas next summer in the 130 degree heat and lets hang out in collar and cassock and zuchetto.
 
FrCorey said:
great, come to las vegas next summer in the 130 degree heat and lets hang out in collar and cassock and zuchetto.
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I hope you were joking there Fr. 🙂

However, regardless of the heat, i would still wear the Cassock. I have worn it serving in quite high tempreatures before (of course not as high as 130 as you say, which is 54C), its sweaty… but makes for good penance.
 
Fr. Berg, FSSP
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We just had our annual family picnic yesterday. It was very nice because our school celebrated its’ 50th anniversary. We had our bishop come and celebrate mass and then we had a time capsule that was opened after 50 years.

Afterwards we had our parish picnic and our pastor came dressed in black pants and blue shirt. He was not dressed in clerics. No one at the picnic commented on his dress because we all knew who he was and he was comfortable. What’s wrong with that???

The only time it becomes awkard is when priest are not dressed in clerics and no one knows who he is, therefore, no respect given. Usually, when priest, nuns are dressed in their habits,and clerics people will acknowledge them and be more respectful toward them.
 
A Bishop, i think, should especially wear his Clerical clothing (cassock/collar etc) specifically because of his authority within the Church. It is not too much to wear a Cassock/collar most/all the time, in the FSSP seminary it is a requirement, it does not ‘get in the way’. 50 Years ago, Priests wore it all the time, they had no problems.
 
CatholicNick said:
A Bishop, i think, should especially wear his Clerical clothing (cassock/collar etc) specifically because of his authority within the Church. It is not too much to wear a Cassock/collar most/all the time, in the FSSP seminary it is a requirement, it does not ‘get in the way’. 50 Years ago, Priests wore it all the time, they had no problems.
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I think you misread my post I did not say it was our Bishop that came in casual clothing, I said it was our PASTOR that came in casual clothing.
 
This thread is needed and is on topic with many conversations today. I quit reading the thread at about post #21 because bickering seemed to move keyboards.

I personally would like to see the priest and nuns wearing there religous garb 100% of the time. Maybe someone needs to sew some clerical pajamas. We are a sacramental church and an outward sign to the world is necessary.

The problem is with lay people though. Would a priest be able to go into a bar today? I think MADD and numerous busy bodies would have a cow if they saw a priest drink in public. The days of a priest holding a chili cook off and drinking a few bears are all but over. Blockbuster is out for many believe movies are all from the devil except Vegie Tales. And, errands will not be completed because we do not show restraint by not stopping the priest and shaking his hand taking up his time. Average priest knows over 1000 families in a current parish. If everyone recognized him and stopped him bills would not get paid and he would show up late for the movies.

If we change they will change. We can wear ashes on our forehead the remainder of the day at work, and we can wear a visible crucifix at work and movies. We can assist the priest in walking out in full attire in pubic.
 
ichabode said:
The problem is with lay people though. Would a priest be able to go into a bar today? I think MADD and numerous busy bodies would have a cow if they saw a priest drink in public. The days of a priest holding a chili cook off and drinking a few bears are all but over. Blockbuster is out for many believe movies are all from the devil except Vegie Tales. And, errands will not be completed because we do not show restraint by not stopping the priest and shaking his hand taking up his time. Average priest knows over 1000 families in a current parish. If everyone recognized him and stopped him bills would not get paid and he would show up late for the movies.

😃 You are too funny! You really made me laugh.

The local priest here never wears a collar. I saw it in his shirt pocket one Sunday. Another time I saw him use it as a bookmark for the Mass readings.

I do agree with you. If we change, they will change.
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I usually wear my collar. However, sometimes if it is very hot and I am on my “day off” or I am going to be out of doors or I am visiting family I do not.
 
ichabode said:
This thread is needed and is on topic with many conversations today. I quit reading the thread at about post #21 because bickering seemed to move keyboards.

I personally would like to see the priest and nuns wearing there religous garb 100% of the time. Maybe someone needs to sew some clerical pajamas. We are a sacramental church and an outward sign to the world is necessary.

The problem is with lay people though. Would a priest be able to go into a bar today? I think MADD and numerous busy bodies would have a cow if they saw a priest drink in public. The days of a priest holding a chili cook off and drinking a few bears are all but over. Blockbuster is out for many believe movies are all from the devil except Vegie Tales. And, errands will not be completed because we do not show restraint by not stopping the priest and shaking his hand taking up his time. Average priest knows over 1000 families in a current parish. If everyone recognized him and stopped him bills would not get paid and he would show up late for the movies.

If we change they will change. We can wear ashes on our forehead the remainder of the day at work, and we can wear a visible crucifix at work and movies. We can assist the priest in walking out in full attire in pubic.
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Excellent Post! And it Rings so true.
 
CatholicNick said:
If/when I hopefully get accepted into the Seminary, and after the first year, i plan to be wearing the Cassock and Roman Collar full time (i think its a requirement in the FSSP Seminary, rightly so!). I really like wearing a Cassock, have no problem with it whatsoever.
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CatholicNick said:
However, regardless of the heat, i would still wear the Cassock. I have worn it serving in quite high tempreatures before (of course not as high as 130 as you say, which is 54C), its sweaty… but makes for good penance.
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:amen: 👍

I remember reading about countless saints who wore rough garb under their cassocks, just for penance. Aren’t there still religious orders that always wear rough material?
 
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