Seminarian Attire

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Relyas

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Dear Catholic Answers Forum,

I may soon be entering the seminary, and I was wondering what my fellow forum…ites… consider proper attire for a seminarian?

Of course, being an orthodox Catholic (which clearly means 100% Authentic) I would be willing to wear a cassock, but I’m afraid that’s not allowed for anyone below the deaconate.

The seminary that I would attend is not the most authentic in the country, and I’m not sure what they would think about such attire.

And, of course, the question follows that if I *do *wear a cassock, and my superiors tell me not to, should I be obedient and comply?
 
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Relyas:
Dear Catholic Answers Forum,

I may soon be entering the seminary, and I was wondering what my fellow forum…ites… consider proper attire for a seminarian?

Of course, being an orthodox Catholic (which clearly means 100% Authentic) I would be willing to wear a cassock, but I’m afraid that’s not allowed for anyone below the deaconate.

The seminary that I would attend is not the most authentic in the country, and I’m not sure what they would think about such attire.

And, of course, the question follows that if I *do *wear a cassock, and my superiors tell me not to, should I be obedient and comply?
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You’ll be told what to wear as a seminarian.

It would be sad if you actually entered a seminary where you felt the need to defy the orders of your superiors reagarding your garb.

Better find a seminary that “suits” you (no pun.)

BTW, your comments that I high-lighted above are quite suspect…
 
Some seminaries still have their seminarians wear cassocks, or in a religious order, a habit.

I think all the Indult orders and Priestly Society of Saint John Vianney seminarians wear cassocks.
 
If you’re attending a seminary where you are one of a small minority of orthodox candidates for the priesthood, you need to keep a low profile and obey your superiors. You need to obey your superiors anyway, of course. But calling attention to yourself in your dress or other outward ways could bring negative evaluations and possibly get you invited to leave the seminary. Have you read the book Goodbye Good Men, by Michael Rose? The orthodox seminarians who made it to ordination had to keep fairly quiet about their orthodoxy in order to stay in formation. It’s the sacrifice they made to be able to do God’s work after ordination. It’s very sad to have to say things like this.

Betsy
 
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baltobetsy:
If you’re attending a seminary where you are one of a small minority of orthodox candidates for the priesthood, you need to keep a low profile and obey your superiors. You need to obey your superiors anyway, of course. But calling attention to yourself in your dress or other outward ways could bring negative evaluations and possibly get you invited to leave the seminary. Have you read the book Goodbye Good Men, by Michael Rose? The orthodox seminarians who made it to ordination had to keep fairly quiet about their orthodoxy in order to stay in formation. It’s the sacrifice they made to be able to do God’s work after ordination. It’s very sad to have to say things like this.

Betsy
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While entertaining and well worth $4.99 as a remainder book, I wouldn’t take anything Mike Rose wrote too seriously.

People basing their opinion of seminary life on that one book need to gather more information.
 
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Relyas:
Dear Catholic Answers Forum,

And, of course, the question follows that if I *do *wear a cassock, and my superiors tell me not to, should I be obedient and comply?
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Absolutely comply. Stay below the radar and get ordained. Once you are ordained, find your voice. If you are expelled from one seminary, no other will be beating down your door to admit you.
 
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Crusader:
While entertaining and well worth $4.99 as a remainder book, I wouldn’t take anything Mike Rose wrote too seriously.

People basing their opinion of seminary life on that one book need to gather more information.
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Goodbye, Good Men is very accurate. Michael S. Rose did his homework very carefully. Why do you think seminarians are not weighing in on this thread?
 
My cousin was recently in a not-very conservative seminary. He reported that there were a couple of strange guys but overwhelmingly the seminarians were normal, orthodox Catholics. Another very close friend of mine is one year from ordination and he claims his seminary is the same - filled with enthusiastic faithful young men. Both of them have said that they did not feel inclined to stay “under the radar” in any way.

From what I have heard from them and others the seminaries have changed greatly over the past 5-10 years. Many of them have been overhauled by strong new Bishop’s. The good news is there are many. many fine young priests who will be flooding the parishs over the next 10 years.

Also, many dioceses that do not have their own seminary will allow the seminarian to choose from different seminaries, so you may be able to do some research and find one that is very strong.
 
Detroit Sue:
Goodbye, Good Men is very accurate. Michael S. Rose did his homework very carefully. Why do you think seminarians are not weighing in on this thread?
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Detroit Sue,

Michael Rose’s work has been substantially questioned by some pretty reputable, orthodox, and relatively conservative publications.

Here is a link to the review from Crisis Magazine:
crisismagazine.com/september2002/feature2.htm

And Culture Wars:
culturewars.com/2002/may02_ggm.html

And National Catholic Register:
ncregister.com/Register_News/062602ros.htm

So, apparently according to some pretty trustworthy sources, Mr. Rose did not really do his homework very carefully.
 
The attire for seminarians varies by seminary. There is a seminary run by Benedictines in my home town, and they require a shirt and tie during the day, and suit and tie or clerics for Theology students at Sunday mass and solemn occasions.
Have you gotten the necessary reccomendations from a diocese or religious order to enter the seminary? Just curious, as entering the seminary is a whole lot different than going to a university.
Good luck and God bless!

Justin
 
Detroit Sue:
Goodbye, Good Men is very accurate. Michael S. Rose did his homework very carefully. Why do you think seminarians are not weighing in on this thread?
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This book was unbalanced. While it is indeed mind-candy for many, one would be foolish to base their entire opinion of US seminaries on this one sensationalistic work.

Further, his work “Ugly as Sin” clearly shows the limits of his education as a bookeeper…
 
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Crusader:
This book was unbalanced.
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I agree. And I’m sorry I even brought it up, except for the fact that the anecdotal evidence it contains points to the fact that in some cases, even now, it is necessary for orthodox seminarians to be discreet. Not every seminary has been straightened out, and the original writer indicated that the seminary he would probably attend was one of those.

Betsy
 
Relyas,

Judging from your age and the fact that you haven’t mentioned any major philisophical training it sounds like what you’ll be entering is a “minor” seminary or pre-Theologate. Congratulations! This decision to pursue your vocation as you and your superiors know best is a wonderful grace. They’ll tell you what to wear. Owing to your place in the process, you’ll probably be in “civies” for the next two to four years. A word though, if in fact you are in a place that has you wearing normal clothes, expecially if you are in classes with non-seminary folk, make a real effort to look nice. I don’t mean that you need to wear a coat and tie to class every day, unless of course your superiors tell you to, but when you’re going to class and formal campus activities always wear a shirt with a collar and, unless unbearably hot, some long pants. Keeping a simple but dignified mode of dress does wonders psychologically for both your academic performance and your gradual social acclamation that you’ll go through. Seek advice from your elder brothers in the seminary as well. They’ll know just how “low” you have to fly. Best of luck, and know of prayers.
 
Splendid book from a great writer. I judge him by his critics in addition to his writing. Some of the trad pubs like Catholic Family News can’t stand him and the Modernists and “neo-Catholics” write reviews of his books without reading them. At least the reviewers at CFN read his books before hurling insults. I’ve enjoyed the ongoing squabble between New Oxford Review and Crisis over Michael’s work. But I’ve decided not to renew Crisis; it’s just becoming a very predictable rag.

His website : www.cruxnews.com

Re: Seminarian Attire a lot can be said for keeping you head low. But when I saw one at mass recently in cassock and CAPE, it brought a smile. Fariolas are cool too.
 
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PASCENDI:
Splendid book from a great writer. I judge him by his critics in addition to his writing. Some of the trad pubs like Catholic Family News can’t stand him and the Modernists and “neo-Catholics” write reviews of his books without reading them. At least the reviewers at CFN read his books before hurling insults. I’ve enjoyed the ongoing squabble between New Oxford Review and Crisis over Michael’s work. But I’ve decided not to renew Crisis; it’s just becoming a very predictable rag.

His website : www.cruxnews.com

Re: Seminarian Attire a lot can be said for keeping you head low. But when I saw one at mass recently in cassock and CAPE, it brought a smile. Fariolas are cool too.
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If you consider Michael Rose to be a “great writer”, and “Goodbye Good Men” a good book, you’re in serious need of exposure to honestly excellent writing.

Rose’s mind-candy for the far-right dissenters is akin to Richard McBrien’s slop from the other direction. Both are of little or no value…
 
"Rose’s book is under fire—and from an unexpected source. As I was researching his material on Louvain, other Catholic publications began printing strong criticisms of sections in Goodbye, Good Men. In the May issue of Culture Wars, Rev. Rob Johansen took Rose to task for inaccuracies in his treatment of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. In June, the National Catholic Register printed an op-ed criticizing Rose’s treatment of the diocesan vocations recruiter for the Diocese of Providence. And in July, Our Sunday Visitor reported some of the basic problems with the book’s description of Louvain.

Surprising as it may be, the harshest criticisms of Goodbye, Good Men have come from conservative, orthodox publications. How is it that those who agree wholeheartedly with Rose’s central thesis could have such grave problems with his book?

The answer is an important one for Catholic journalists: The facts matter. While Rose’s defenders have fallen over themselves claiming that Culture Wars, National Catholic Register, and Our Sunday Visitor are denying the problem of homosexuals in the priesthood, they’ve missed the point completely. The debate here isn’t whether or not there’s a gay subculture in the priesthood—there is, and all those publications acknowledge the problem. The real issue is one of journalistic integrity. "

Deal Hudson
Crisis Magazine
 
Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut, my friends. It was very helpful.
 
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PASCENDI:
Splendid book from a great writer. I judge him by his critics in addition to his writing. Some of the trad pubs like Catholic Family News can’t stand him and the Modernists and “neo-Catholics” write reviews of his books without reading them. At least the reviewers at CFN read his books before hurling insults. I’ve enjoyed the ongoing squabble between New Oxford Review and Crisis over Michael’s work. But I’ve decided not to renew Crisis; it’s just becoming a very predictable rag.

His website : www.cruxnews.com

Re: Seminarian Attire a lot can be said for keeping you head low. But when I saw one at mass recently in cassock and CAPE, it brought a smile. Fariolas are cool too.
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I KNOW what you mean. Crisis, NCR and Culture Wars are SO liberal!
 
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Crusader:
If you consider Michael Rose to be a “great writer”, and “Goodbye Good Men” a good book, you’re in serious need of exposure to honestly excellent writing.

Rose’s mind-candy for the far-right dissenters is akin to Richard McBrien’s slop from the other direction. Both are of little or no value…
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More drivel from Deal Hudson. That magazine is no where near as good as it was when the pages weren’t so glossy.

New Oxford Review has address every attack on him from the pages of Crisis. I’ve found the experience of reading Crisis akin to sticking my hand in a jar of warm spit.

As for excellent writing, I try to restrict myself to stuff published at least 50 years ago: Chesterbelloc etc. It’s just too damn easy to get published today. And with the internet and on demand publishing, there’s no reason why you should have an unpublished thought.

After baptism, the Faith doesn’t require any more watering down like the faith peddled in the pages of Crisis.
 
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Ham1:
I KNOW what you mean. Crisis, NCR and Culture Wars are SO liberal!
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The world has moved so far to the left they are considered conservatives. Cardinal Ratizinger was considered a progessive and liberal during Vatican II and in the 60’s, today he is viewed as a staunch reactionary when he hasn’t at all changed his views.
 
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