Priests out of uniform

[chaunceygardner]

I recall many decades ago as a teenager walking into the local bowling alley and seeing the Associate Pastor of our neighborhood church on the alleys, in a sport shirt, looking like one of the other guys on his bowling team. I was so used to seeing him in his clerical garb that I stopped short and just stared. Then I thought, “cool”, and I was glad he could have some “down time” with the guys. Not too long after that, an Associate at another area parish joined some of us for a social evening, again casually dressed as a young man would have been at that time. I thought that was great and a huge change from the seemingly distant and unapproachable priests of my childhood.

Over the years I have seen priests in other social situations and at restaurants, sometimes wearing their clerical attire and other times dressed as a “civilian” would be. I think it depended on the individual and the circumstances. When they went somewhere as a priest, they dressed as such; when they were using “free time” they dressed accordingly.

And I loved the story that HAnne told. I have seen priests in jeans and casual wear but don’t recall any wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt.

 

[JHow]

Apropos of clergy in “civvies”, I always liked this photo of John Paul II (a.k.a. the “Daredevil of the Tatras”) on the ski slopes…

skiinghistory.org/johnpaul.html

 

[Matthew_Holford]

Well, its hard to play tennis or golf in clerical attire …

I can well understand the difficulties of playing tennis in clericals but I cannot see how they would look out of place or any more ridiculous than other dress seen on the golf course

 

[HAnne]

That’s a beautiful tribute to a good priest. Thank you for sharing that, HAnne.

You are very welcome. He’s an amazing man.

And I loved the story that HAnne told. I have seen priests in jeans and casual wear but don’t recall any wearing a tie-dyed t-shirt.

Thank you very much. Yes - it’s stuck out in my mind all of these years as well. When I first began my journey in the Catholic Church a scant few weeks ago I pushed out all the memories of another parish my grandmother attended and focused on my great memories of Father Brian. Were it not for his influence, I would likely have never made it past the first phone call!!!

 

[zab]

I can well understand the difficulties of playing tennis in clericals but I cannot see how they would look out of place or any more ridiculous than other dress seen on the golf course

There are some funny looking golfing clothes but I think it is more likely that they are concerned with ruining their clericals than looking bad.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

There are some funny looking golfing clothes but I think it is more likely that they are concerned with ruining their clericals than looking bad.

I know, sorry just couldn’t help myself

 

[jeanannemarie]

warning! Personal opinions below!!!

when a priest receives his ordination he is saying that he is giving his life, his entire life, to god for god’s use. I think that priests should look more to someone like st. Vianney and less to protestant preachers for “personal time” allowances.

Again, personal opinion only and thus, weightless statements, but they are mine and i like them :d

…and i like your opinions, too.

 

[Lepanto]

WHY A PRIEST SHOULD WEAR HIS ROMAN COLLAR

ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/RMCOLLAR.TXT

 

[fkb]

Thank you for that excellent resource Lepanto. It is encouraging to know that some in the clergy share my views on this, although the paper builds a much stronger case and is very lucid in its arguments. Aloha.

FKB

 

[Aramis]

Just to point out, the “roman collar” isn’t in fact the universal wear of a priest.

His Holiness, Benedict XVI, in his days as Bishop Ratziner, and his 2006 visit to his family, wore what he has usually worn when not in cassock, rochetta, nor vestments…

traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A168rcRatz-Suit.htm

Yes, the link leads to photos of him in a suit and tie.

Oh, and prior to his papacy, Pope John Paul II was noted for cassock as his daily wear.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

Thank you for that excellent resource Lepanto. It is encouraging to know that some in the clergy share my views on this, although the paper builds a much stronger case and is very lucid in its arguments. Aloha.

FKB

Hmmm…but wasn’t it Pope Benedict who recently (at the end of the year of the priest) told priest or encouraged them that they need to take a day off every week? Likely to help avoid priest burn out.

I think it’s easy for us to say that they need to be 24/7…365 days a year…we don’t have to do it! I know our priest answers his emails on his day off…but it’s not something I would expect.

As for the wedding ring anology…I don’t wear my wedding ring 24/7…does that make me a bad person? It certainly doesn’t make me any less married!

This is two of the clergys opinion…not Church law. Now I’m not talking about wearing the collar while they are working…or most of the time. But there has to be some reasonableness there…and it feels like there are people who think that they “own” the priest.

 

[Lepanto]

For those who like their priests to be “cool” and not to weary priestly clothing, here ya go…

thepunkpriest.com/randpics.asp

youtube.com/watch?v=eJFUywTsPVk

 

[fkb]

This idea of “owning” the priests is only true in the context of the reverence and pride we have in our clergy based on their station in the church. It is a position we respect like our own biological fathers and want to protect from any stain. No one is opposed to occasional dress-downs, which has historically been the case. Again, the issue only arises due to the perception that there is a marked decrease in the use of the uniform/collar in public – a practice that has increased to the level that members of the laity and clergy have voiced concerns.

I sincerely appreciate all the opinions posted here. The views show equal concern for both the priestly position and the welfare our cherished clergy. Relative to the subject matter, achieving a balance between the two views is the challenge.

Thanks.

FKB

 

[Aramis]

For those who like their priests to be “cool” and not to weary priestly clothing, here ya go…

thepunkpriest.com/randpics.asp

youtube.com/watch?v=eJFUywTsPVk

The random pic I got showed him in Roman Collar!

The Irony.

Seriously, tho, his written work shows a fairly orthodox priest in theological terms, who just happens to have non-mainstream tastes in music, and spend his early 20’s aimed in the wrong direction. He’s not the first priest to have had God knock him upside the head and get him to turn a 180.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

For those who like their priests to be “cool” and not to weary priestly clothing, here ya go…

thepunkpriest.com/randpics.asp

youtube.com/watch?v=eJFUywTsPVk

I, like Aramis, got a picture of him in a Roman Collar.

Who are you to judge this priest anyways?

Very distasteful, is it any wonder why some do not chose to discern a vocation when topics such as this are discussed ad nauseam?

 

[StTommyMore]

Well, its hard to play tennis or golf in clerical attire so there are some exceptions that make common sense.
The other is that while its easy to say “they gave their entire life to Christ so they must always dress in clerical attire” its also an easy way to burn out a priest. If I go out to dinner with someone and I’m wearing my collar then every table around me is listening in on my conversation. If I go to the grocery store in my collar people look in my cart to see what I’m buying. If I walk into the mall in a collar people stare and several people might engage me in crazy conversations. If I go the movies in a collar there’s always going to be someone who will decide that anything not rated PG is inappropriate for a priest.
Essentially it causes the priest to feel like he’s always “on display” and “in question” whereever he goes and whatever he does. If you think that doesn’t cause stress and frustration then you’d be wrong.
I learned fast when I was newly ordained that if I want to do anything without feeling like I was on display then I need to leave the collar at home. But I’m also always “on call” so if my cell phone rings with an emergency then I might show up at the hospital in my jeans and polo shirt to anoint someone. On the rare occasions that that’s happened none of the families have ever complained.

Priests love being priests. But every human being needs “personal space.”

:clapping:

 

[StTommyMore]

WHY A PRIEST SHOULD WEAR HIS ROMAN COLLAR

ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/RMCOLLAR.TXT

Maybe i just hae an odd sense of humor, but I found this untintnetioned pun funny:

It is incorrect to say that a priest who refuses to wear his collar
is a bad priest. We are afraid that some of our brother priests have
simply slipped into a bad habit.

 

[GwenL]

Precisely because people react to a collar is why priests should wear one in public. (Of course, when participating in sports, it might not be appropriate.) (notice that I didn’t say 24/7)

A few evenings ago, at about 7 p.m., I walked with our rector and two other laywomen from our downtown cathedral a few blocks to a brewpub for a cup of tea and dessert and chat. He was wearing his Franciscan habit, with a Rosary on his belt. We walked into a restaurant/bar full of people and everyone looked. Most smiled and nodded, some looked astonished, some had no idea what they were seeing. I heard one woman ask another, “is that a monk?” What a powerful witness to Christ in the public square! When people in public see a priest in a collar or religious in a habit, they have to react and take a stand (even if it’s in the silence of their hearts).

Yes, a priest in a collar or religious in a habit will be ridiculed, stared at, questioned, and possibly harassed. But that is no more than the Lord promised. Wearing a collar or habit in public is NOT about the person wearing it–it is about the witness provided to the world.

 

[Aramis]

Gwen, some of the most powerful witness I’ve seen was a Dominican Friar in civvies (Bluejeans and plaid work shirt) with his rosary hanging from his belt and a Dominican Cross on his collar… working with the homeless on his personal day.

 

[fkb]

I would say that the “Dominican Friar in civvies (Bluejeans and plaid work shirt) with his rosary hanging from his belt and a Dominican Cross on his collar” is in fact a type of uniform that is appropriate for the ministry. Ask the locals how one could locate a Dominican Friar and they probably wouldn’t forget to mention rosary, belt, or collar.

Thanks.

FKB