Priests outside of Mass: cassocks, black pants/clerical shirts, or "civilian" clothes?

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Priests outside of Mass: cassock, black pants/clerical shirt, or “civilian” clothes?

What should a priest wear when not saying Mass for his everyday normal routine? (I’m not counting when he’s doing manual labor, participating in sports, etc.)

Please state why you prefer one over the other.

Also, if you are from a “liberal” parish/diocese, would it shock you to see a priest in a cassock? Would you view or treat him differently?

If you are from a “traditional” parish/diocese, would it shock you to see a priest in a civilian clothes? Would you view or treat him differently?
 
It depends - I voted cassock because I think this is what priests should wear when they’re “on duty” - confessions, office hours, etc., but if they’re going grocery shopping or something, then I’d say black pants and a clerical shirt. I think whenever priests are going about any official Church business, they should have a cassock on. 🙂
 
lepanto said:
Priests outside of Mass: cassock, black pants/clerical shirt, or “civilian” clothes?
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I did not vote.

What about habit? I do not think a religious priest should wear a cassock or clerics unless those are the habit from their rule/constitutions.

With the priestly shortage more and more parishes are going to have religious priests either running them or filling in at them.
 
I have only seen our priests in a cassock or black pants and clerical collar. But at the mass I attend during the work week I see the priest wearing khaki’s and a print shirt outside church and then puts on the piece of cloth the goes around his neck and hangs down the front while hearing confession. Then puts on his vestments for mass and you can see the khaki’s. I never thought it was right.
 
I think this poll is mainly aimed at diocesan priests. If I’m ordained, I’ll probably wear the cassock on Sundays or perhaps in the office, but regular clerics to the store. This is mainly for practicality – cassocks cost more than clerical shirts and black slacks. Going out in civvies is not an option in my diocese, nor would I want to, unless I were working under my car or exercising.
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
I think this poll is mainly aimed at diocesan priests. If I’m ordained, I’ll probably wear the cassock on Sundays or perhaps in the office, but regular clerics to the store. This is mainly for practicality – cassocks cost more than clerical shirts and black slacks. Going out in civvies is not an option in my diocese, nor would I want to, unless I were working under my car or exercising.
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Which is why I stated in my post that with the shortage of priests that more and more religious priests will be in parishes.

I think a better poll would have just said clerical clothing/habit.

As clerics are just a good as cassocks and can be viewed as more practical in some cases by priests. I see nothing wrong with either clerics, cassocks, or habits.
 
I like cassocks and know several priests who wear them, however with summer coming up around here, I think clericals are fine. Don’t want anyone passing out from wearing a black shirt and pants plus a black cassock in the heat around here!

That said, I also know several priests who where “civies” when not saying mass or at their parish/assignment. I treat them with respect and would gladly receive the sacrements from them also.
 
Sr_Sally said:
I like cassocks and know several priests who wear them, however with summer coming up around here, I think clericals are fine. Don’t want anyone passing out from wearing a black shirt and pants plus a black cassock in the heat around here!

That said, I also know several priests who where “civies” when not saying mass or at their parish/assignment. I treat them with respect and would gladly receive the sacrements from them also.
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In hot places, I believe priests have the option of wearing a beige cassock instead of a black one. I heard from an Oblate priest who was on mission in Madagascar that in places like that he (who is required to wear a cassock) is actually forbidden from wearing his black one, and wears a beige one instead. I’ve seen one of these Oblate missionaries in his black cassock and it looks pretty good. 🙂
 
Clerical pants and shirt. Father has to move quickly from the parish to the police chaplaincy to the hospital to the etc., etc. he needs 21st century clothes to do 21st century work.
 
A priest is required to wear clerical dress. A regulation that has never been changed requires in the United States that the color be black. When American priests showed up in Europe immediately after World War II, many European Catholics mistook them for Protestant ministers because the wearing of a suit and clerical collar rather than a cassock.
 
Priests should definitely wear their black pants and collar to alert others who might mistake them for single men. Of course, if they’re playing basketball or something, they should wear gym clothes. When I see priests in blue jeans and tshirts it really ticks me off.
 
I work for the Church and I often go to lunch or drinks with a priest. Sometimes in the collar, sometimes not. When in the collar, our lunch has gotten interrupted up to 4 times…with no one needing anything sacramental, but just neutral unsolicited comments. Not even questions, but just a rude interruption.

I think the priest, on their “day off” (of work) could be allowed to wear regular clothes. I know they are always a priest, but an occasional uninterrupted meal I’m sure would be welcome.
 
I like to see priests in at least their collars most of the time, but that DOES NOT happen in my diocese. Hasn’t in a long time. They usually run around in whatever unless they’re on the altar:(
I saw our Bishop visiting the sick in his golf hat and golf pants several years back.:rolleyes: Wouldn’t have even know who he was until I took a second look, and finally recognized him.
 
ByzCath said:
I did not vote.

What about habit? I do not think a religious priest should wear a cassock or clerics unless those are the habit from their rule/constitutions.

With the priestly shortage more and more parishes are going to have religious priests either running them or filling in at them.
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Yes, I did have diocesan priests in mind when I wrote the poll because I wanted to keep it simple.

I’m not so sure about the assumption that more religious priests will be available though – according to this, the decline in numbers of religious priests has been far more precipitous than for diocesan priests:

vocation.com/content-ahrk.htm
 
Cavaille-Coll said:
I think this poll is mainly aimed at diocesan priests. If I’m ordained, I’ll probably wear the cassock on Sundays or perhaps in the office, but regular clerics to the store. This is mainly for practicality – cassocks cost more than clerical shirts and black slacks. Going out in civvies is not an option in my diocese, nor would I want to, unless I were working under my car or exercising.
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I know that a nice cassock goes for $230 and up, but low-end ones good enough for “every day” use can be bought for around $75 each and are machine washable.
 
Sr_Sally said:
I like cassocks and know several priests who wear them, however with summer coming up around here, I think clericals are fine. Don’t want anyone passing out from wearing a black shirt and pants plus a black cassock in the heat around here!
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Unless a priest is wearing a full pants and full shirt underneath the cassock for warmth as in the winter, wearing the pants and shirt presupposes that they are the normal clothes and that the cassock is merely an add-on.

However, if the cassock was seen as the “main” clothes item, a full shirt and pants would not normally be worn underneath the cassock. Why would it be?

(Unless it was windy outside of course.) 😃
 
OutinChgoburbs said:
Clerical pants and shirt. Father has to move quickly from the parish to the police chaplaincy to the hospital to the etc., etc. he needs 21st century clothes to do 21st century work.
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How would wearing a cassock prevent a priest from going quickly to the police chaplaincy, to the hospital, etc.? :confused:
 
G_S said:
A priest is required to wear clerical dress. A regulation that has never been changed requires in the United States that the color be black. When American priests showed up in Europe immediately after World War II, many European Catholics mistook them for Protestant ministers because the wearing of a suit and clerical collar rather than a cassock.
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Can you cite the source of the regulation, please?
 
To Agapewolf,

Yes, you certainly deserve a day off, free from interruption. Just be aware that some of us would prefer not to find out we’ve just been flirting with a priest, or failing to watch our language, so please introduce yourself as Father Whatsyourname, to avoid this situation. I guess this would be a happy compromise.
 
Priests and religious should be visible at all times. There is power in that visibility. The Church is to be visible. If more people could see priests and religious they may just think that there is something worthy about being one! After all how do the hollywood promoters make stars out of ordinary people? They make sure they are seen, and seen again, and again, and again! This needs to be done by priests. Get noticed again and again and again, doing good in the real world. Get seen blessing the check out person at Publix! Get seen going into peoples homes! Get seen saying grace in resteraunts! Get seen! Get seen! Get seen! The only way to get seen from a distance doing these things is to wear the Habit!

Right now, it looks as if, outside of Mass, even the clergy and half the religious are ashamed to be seen! How does that encourage vocations? Be seen, be recognized, be honored, and watch the vocations grow! 🙂

I love seeing priests out on the street and being able to see that they are priests, or religous. When I see than I go out of my way to thank them for being visible to the world and to my children.

May God grant extra special blessings upon those of his who are willing to be recognized by the whole world as being HIs!:signofcross:
 
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