Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

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Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

Essentially, should priests wear their clerics when away from the parish going about their lives when not directly engaged in ministry?

Why or why not?
 
Not for a haircut. Their hair would get in the collar. Walking the dog? I don’t know, maybe not. What if a dog fight ruined them? On vacation it would depend on where they went and what they did. Movie? Sure. Shopping? Why not? At a restaurant? I think that would be a good idea. Then people would be aware they were there. Maybe that would be good for the culture of the restaurant.🤷
 
Lepanto said:
Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

Essentially, should priests wear their clerics when away from the parish going about their lives when not directly engaged in ministry?

Why or why not?
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I believe that Priests should wear their collars. I would refer the OP to the following article as to why:

WHY A PRIEST SHOULD WEAR HIS ROMAN COLLAR

God bless.
 
I spoke with my pastor about this a while back during the height of the sexual abuse scandal settlements in our diocese. He told me that he and many of his brother priests are hesitant to wear their collars out in public because of the potential harassment they would face.

He spoke about it with much sadness. 😦
 
I say yes except if they are swimming, playing tennis, skiing, etc. But if possible they should do so. Because they are priests. It’s not just a job. I’m a Catholic. I wear a miraculous medal all the time. If someone asks me about it, I can witness to them. If a priest can be identified, he can be approached by those who might not go to church but who need God.
 
Though wearing a roman collar can be a strong witness to his vocation as a servant of God, it is not necessary for a priest to wear it at all times when in public, especially when walking the dog, taking out the garbage, or shopping for underwear. I wouldn’t make a fast and hard rule saying that priests must wear their collars, after all they are adults and can decide when best to wear it when not engaged in ministry.
 
I feel that, when in public, and not engaged in civil work nor physical toil, it’s appropriate for them to dress in clerical garb. Either clerical collar shirt, or cassock.

When holding a civil job, no. Some other form of christian witness is, however appropriate.

When performing physical toil: no. whether that be mucking stalls, raking the rectory lawn, or hammering away, that’s better served by more suitable garments.

When engaged in sport: proper attire, but specifying Rev. Fr. ___ in the name area…

When around the rectory for normal daily life, not by need. But they should have a cassock ready to go, just in case!
 
What should priests be wearing, and when and where?

Questions like this make Catholics sound like naive and immature children. I have read so many of these childish inquiries on Catholic Answers from non-thinking “sheep”.

For heaven’s sake, God gave us all a brain (some bigger than others, for sure), and I believe he expects us to use that brain to decide what is right or wrong: what makes good sense or does not.
 
A priest in his collar or a nun in her habbit are like walking billboards saying ‘I beleive in Christ and the Church he founded’.

So IMO, they should be worn as often as possible.

The two exceptions: if they are engaged in activities which would dishonor their commitments; or activities that are morally acceptivle but would be severly restricted [scuba diving. say] by such clothing.

A priest who goes about his day to day life in his ‘civvies’ is missing a marvelous opportunity to preach without useing words.
 
As a probable future priest, I intend to wear a cassock all the time (I know I’ll be in great pain in the summer), except doing sports.
 
I really think they should wear them more than they do now. It has gotten to the point around here that they ONLY wear them when they are on the altar. A couple of years ago, I ran into one of our auxiliary Bishops on the street. He was in his shorts and golf shirt, and cap. No one would have known he was a Bishop unless they personally knew him like I did. Now to be fair, possibly he was coming off the golf course but? I feel the same way about nuns, but that is for another thread, I would imagine. Just one more thing, as far as I am concerned that screams of secularism.
 
Yes, please.

This July, I was on a plane and met a priest going to Disneyland with his small nieces and nephews.
He wears his Roman collar and a large crucifix.

It is so comforting. 😃

Tak
 
Along these lines, I had a weird experience the other day with my son at the hospital - here in the Bible Belt. We were in an elevator and two women walk in. One is in “clerics” with a black skirt. My son looked at her with a questioning gaze - he is 7. I am so glad he did not say anything. It can be confusing here with a a number of “preachers” wearing clerics.
 
Lepanto said:
Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

Essentially, should priests wear their clerics when away from the parish going about their lives when not directly engaged in ministry?

Why or why not?
Click to expand...
YES!!! Unless they are playing sports carrying out hard labor or swimming. They are a priest and therefore should dress like a priest!
 
I don’t see anything in the Bible to suggest that they should be required to wear a collar at all, so I’d have to say if they want to wear a collar, then they should wear a collar. If they don’t, then they shouldn’t.

As a non-Catholic, seeing somebody in or out of a collar really doesn’t mean anything to me. Jesus said that people will know who belongs to Him by the fruit they produce, not by the clothes they wear.
 
Lepanto said:
Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

Essentially, should priests wear their clerics when away from the parish going about their lives when not directly engaged in ministry?

Why or why not?
Click to expand...
I want to say ‘no’, to be reasonable, but in my heart, I wish they would, just to display the glory of Catholicism all the time. As a retired Army guy, however, I can’t support any policy that would obligate them to do so. They’re human, too, and need time to ‘stand down’.
 
Lepanto said:
Should priests wear their clerics when out grocery shopping? Getting a haircut? Seeing a movie? Walking the dog? Away on vacation?

Essentially, should priests wear their clerics when away from the parish going about their lives when not directly engaged in ministry?

Why or why not?
Click to expand...
I mean no disrespect, but wouldn’t that be up to the priest? Why would a layperson who doesn’t make anywhere near the sacrifice that a priest makes in life feel that his/her opinion matters? I can’t get my brain around that.
 
Yes - It is an important sign in our world. It is comforting to people when they see the clergy in public.

Another way to put it - what are they afraid of?
 
It should be up to the priest. They sacrifice enough in life. They’ve earned the right to decide.
 
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