Should my priest wear his collar during reconciliation?

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he doesn’t. he wears what appears to be a black t-shirt, with some kind of light black jacket over it, black slacks, black shoes. should he also be wearing his collar? is it required that he do so?
 
captainmike said:
he doesn’t. he wears what appears to be a black t-shirt, with some kind of light black jacket over it, black slacks, black shoes. should he also be wearing his collar? is it required that he do so?
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I know the FSSP priests at the parish I go to are in a cassock, surplice (with lace!!!), and alb (the thing that drapes over the shoulders).

He probably ought to be wearing some form of clerical garb, given Confession is a sacrament, and all. Maybe you could ask why he’s not “more dressed up”?
 
One of my most healing confessions was heard by a priest wearing a sweater and khaki pants. But I had caught him by surprise.

When I go during regularly scheduled hours, my pastor is sitting there with an alb and stole.

I think that minimully, the priest is supposed to wear a stole, but confession is still valid without it.
 
BayernAnhaenger said:
I know the FSSP priests at the parish I go to are in a cassock, surplice (with lace!!!), and alb (the thing that drapes over the shoulders).

He probably ought to be wearing some form of clerical garb, given Confession is a sacrament, and all. Maybe you could ask why he’s not “more dressed up”?
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I’m forgetful.

Where it reads “alb” it should read “stole”! 😉
 
Confession is a sacrament that is supposed to ordinarily be done in a church- the priest should be in vestments definitely.

Whether or not he is required to be is really up to the rules of his diocese or order.
 
captainmike said:
he doesn’t. he wears what appears to be a black t-shirt, with some kind of light black jacket over it, black slacks, black shoes. should he also be wearing his collar? is it required that he do so?
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He should, but what is more important is that he wear the purple stole.
 
acadian said:
One of my most healing confessions was heard by a priest wearing a sweater and khaki pants. But I had caught him by surprise.

When I go during regularly scheduled hours, my pastor is sitting there with an alb and stole.

I think that minimully, the priest is supposed to wear a stole, but confession is still valid without it.
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Last year, I dropped in at a friend of mine’s parish. He was just coming back from his day off. I asked him for confession, he grabbed his Purple Stole & threw it right over his U of M hoodie. I sat with him in his office for an hour. I was really agonizing about a situation, and I wanted my friend to be my confessor, because he knows me so well, and what was happening in my life. After a lot of Kleenex, a cleansing absolution and a beautiful penance, on my way out the door, he tossed me a cold can of Pepsi. Said I might be dehydrated. 🙂
 
PV, that is a great story. Is this not what the Gospels are all about? (Did Christ get all dressed up?) Hey, I have no problem with stoles, albs, cassocks, & collars, but I love your story.
 
The purple stole is supposed to be worn. The collar is not necessary.
 
palmas85 said:
The purple stole is supposed to be worn. The collar is not necessary.
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Neither one is necessary or required by Canon Law. Many priests take advantage of that fact to never wear a roman collar (not even celebrating Mass with the Bishop in one case), and some don’t wear their stole during confessions because “they don’t have to.”

I surprised a priest once, too. I was at an ordination about an hour or so before it was to begin and saw two priests sitting by a window talking, so I approached them and one of them must have figured it out because he walked up to me and asked what I wanted (but I think he knew). At any rate, off we went into a corner of the church and he heard my confession, without the purple stole (but he was wearing his collar).

At any rate, the priest does not have to wear a collar or stole, but if he’s in the confessional to hear confessions, there’s no reason he shouldn’t.
 
what we also have to remember is that when a priest celebrates a sacrament (such as reconciliation) - he is acting with the authority that is given to him with the Sacrament of Holy Orders. It is not the stole or collar that gives him this authority, but God through the ministry of the Church; to put such emphasis on stoles or collars and thinking they hold some sort of power or authority is superstition - they are just tradition.
 
If I go to confession to my confessor in a confessional he always wears his stole, but if I catch him at other times and he hears it is a differnt place he doesn’t wear it…probably because he doesn’t have it with him at the time. Actually I prefer not to go to confession in a confessional. I had a bad expereince with a priest once in a confessional and it makes me too edgy to go to confession in a confessional, even if it is with my regular confessor. He knows about my phobia. But I will go in a confessional if needed, I just don’t like to.
 
I always go to the confessional; so I have no idea what they are wearing. I do know that a stole is kept in each confessional for use by the priest, though. By the way, no priest is required to hear confessions face to face; but the anonymous option–must always be available.
 
BayernAnhaenger said:
I know the FSSP priests at the parish I go to are in a cassock, surplice (with lace!!!), and alb (the thing that drapes over the shoulders).

He probably ought to be wearing some form of clerical garb, given Confession is a sacrament, and all. Maybe you could ask why he’s not “more dressed up”?
Click to expand...
My parochial vicar wears his cassock, (lace) surplice and stole whenever he hears confessions. When I first met him it was within the context of Confession. I had some serious issues and, frankly, when I saw him in full regalia, it was scary. But, once I got down to business, he was, in all honesty, the most pastoral confessor I have ever had. However, because we are now friends, I no longer go to him for confession.

Most of the priests down here will vest in alb and stole so I could not tell you what they wear underneath.
 
Archus said:
what we also have to remember is that when a priest celebrates a sacrament (such as reconciliation) - he is acting with the authority that is given to him with the Sacrament of Holy Orders. It is not the stole or collar that gives him this authority, but God through the ministry of the Church; to put such emphasis on stoles or collars and thinking they hold some sort of power or authority is superstition - they are just tradition.
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It’s disrespectful to the dignity of the sacrament of which he is a minister for a priest not to be properly vested while celebrating it - and the Church has in recent centuries been very watchful for the dignity of the sacraments to be upheld. And that has included being concerned that priests should dress properly while they are administering the sacraments. It is sloppy not to be dressed properly while doing so - aren’t the sacraments important enough to be spared sloppiness ? Sloppiness is easy to get into, but very difficult to break; & it tends to spread. If the things of God are not treated with reverence - why should human things be ?​

So wearing the stole is really rather important…
 
ok, but bear in mind I said nothing about him not wearing it while performing the Sacrament, only that we can misplace the importance of Holy Orders on the vestments rather than on the person being administered the Sacrament.

It is all important
 
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