Thoughts on collarless Priests?

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My Spiritual direcor, a Sister, who recently passed away (God Bless her soul) didn’t wear a habit when I knew her. She wore regular clothing, but there was a time long before we’d met when she did wear a habit.
 
I just think there is an issue when most habit-less communities are dying off while the younger habit-ed communities are growing and are very vibrant in their evangelization and influence among young people.
 
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So, according to your logic, in Mexico, in the early 1900s, where a priest could be killed for wearing the collar in public, he has to, even though his death would deprive his flock of the sacraments?
 
I’ll grant you that when a priest is water skiiing and/or under clear and present danger it would be foolish to wear his collar.

Attending 99.999999999% academic conferences doesn’t fit my exception. You can have the remainder and be joyful in it.
 
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Isn’t that different though?

Also priests would DISGUISE themselves as lay people. So so different.
 
I prefer priests wear something to identify them, if not a collar, a cassock. I think you should be able to tell a priest is a priest, as that can be very helpful in an emergency.
 
Yup but I can have the audacity to share an opinion about something I don’t agree with…
 
For the life of me and, having been a Roman Catholic for 62 years, I cannot imagine ANY circumstance when an ordained priest or vowed nun should NOT be garbed in their clerical attire.
It is a passive aggressive and shockingly dismissive message to the flock they should serve. Additionally, it is a sad and pathetic posture for any in their state to assume.
We can all delude ourselves and say that V-2 has had no real impact - this is a prototypical example of why that comment is delusional. Peace out folks…
 
semper_catholicus said:
Priests should wear clerical garb in public. It’s the proper dress of the priest.
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Where does a priest’s public life end? Is the rectory public or private? What if the parish office is in the rectory? What if he is jogging or at the gym? On the golf course?

I prefer for priests to wear clerics. My current pastor does not usually and when he does, it is in a style that is more recognizable in his homeland than in America. He’s still a priest and a very good one.
 
Moose said:
For the life of me and, having been a Roman Catholic for 62 years, I cannot imagine ANY circumstance when an ordained priest or vowed nun should NOT be garbed in their clerical attire.
It is a passive aggressive and shockingly dismissive message to the flock they should serve. Additionally, it is a sad and pathetic posture for any in their state to assume.
We can all delude ourselves and say that V-2 has had no real impact - this is a prototypical example of why that comment is delusional. (name removed by moderator)eace out folks…
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Nuns are not clerics, so there’s a start for you. It would be a bit strange to see a nun in clerical attire.

I mentioned other possibilities in my previous post: going for a morning jog, going to the gym, on the golf course, on a ski slope, working as a volunteer firefighter, helping with rescue efforts in the middle of a flood…
 
babochka said:
I mentioned other possibilities in my previous post: going for a morning jog, going to the gym, on the golf course, on a ski slope, working as a volunteer firefighter, helping with rescue efforts in the middle of a flood…
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I don’t think a priest would usually wear a Roman collar in places where a layman wouldn’t wear business attire. (It is a bit tight around the neck for sports…)
 
MiserereMei25 said:
I know priests and habited nuns who have played sports.

priest ninja warrior - Google Search
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I do, too. It is always fun to watch and I greatly admire their commitment.😀

Father Marshall used to join in on whatever playground sport we had going in grade school, always wearing his black suit and collar.

I know an FSSP priest who goes for a jog in shorts and a t-shirt every morning.

Just because something is sometimes done doesn’t mean it is the best or only choice in all circumstances. Exercising or playing sports in a full habit or cassock would definitely impede performance. Some times it would even be hazardous.
 
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Certain jobs are public and visible.
I like to know who’s around me.
For a non-clerical example, I like to know who the policemen are, in case I would need assistance. The uniform is a type of non-verbal communication.
 
MiserereMei25 said:
Wait. How were Dominican habitats mean to blend in with the people? Or Callimus brothers, or passionists? Or fransicans (who are to embrace total poverty)…? Surely lay people didn’t wear long black gowns with red crosses the the Callimus?
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Actually, the Franciscan habit was meant to blend in with the poor at the time. St. Francis wore what the poor and homeless in Assisi were often found wearing. A simple brown robe. And a simple rope belt. Sandals or no footwear at all. That simple habit has obviously evolved over the past 800 years, but that was in fact it’s origin. It wasn’t to stand out, but to blend in or even be repulsive. Think of it as the equivalent of what you might see a homeless person wearing on a street corner begging for food today.
 
Here is an image of the habits worn by Sts. Francis and Clare. The peasant connections should be obvious.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
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