Uniform Acolytes?

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Silverburg

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I am responsible for training acolytes at my parish. They wear sticharions which allow their different colored shirt collars and ties (on some) to show through. It looks tacky. Rather than mandate they wear a certain color shirt (likely white) and uniform simple ties (probably black) or no ties at all can I simply buy them simple amices to wear without cries of “Latinization!”?

This would be truly a functional/utilitarian move to get them to look uniform and understated. I can’t think of an easier way to get them to look uniform and it would be easy on those families on a budget. Thanks.
 
  1. they are not acolytes, unless the bishop’s ordained them. They are altar servers.
  2. the amice IS a latinization.
  3. No one really pays attention to the collars unless there is some OCD involved.
  4. standardization in vesting is a latinization. Dark day or light day?
  5. worn in the proper roman manner, they form a hood. Which would be far more obvious than their collars, which, most of the time, are hidden by hair, at least at my home parish.
  6. you’d make more impact on visible standardization by mandating shoes.
 
Aramis said:
  1. the amice IS a latinization.
  2. No one really pays attention to the collars unless there is some OCD involved.
  3. worn in the proper roman manner, they form a hood. Which would be far more obvious than their collars, which, most of the time, are hidden by hair, at least at my home parish.
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2.) I’m still not sure that it is. I’m just looking for a foolproof/simple/cheap way to hide differing street-clothes.

3.) They most certainly do. I hear comments about them not matching. Comments that some and not others wear ties (it seems it’s just a difficult to get some to take off their ties and it is for others to wear ties.) Comments that such-and-such had a nice tie or that his shirt did not match the sticharion, etc.

5.) “Proper?” UNTRUE. There is more than one “PROPER” way to wear an amice.
 
Silverburg said:
2.) I’m still not sure that it is. I’m just looking for a foolproof/simple/cheap way to hide differing street-clothes.

3.) They most certainly do. I hear comments about them not matching. Comments that some and not others wear ties (it seems it’s just a difficult to get some to take off their ties and it is for others to wear ties.) Comments that such-and-such had a nice tie or that his shirt did not match the sticharion, etc.

5.) “Proper?” UNTRUE. There is more than one “PROPER” way to wear an amice.
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Not according to the rubrics. Like all liturgical vestments, there is a correct way to wear it; anything else is improvisation.

And, historically, the amice IS a hood. just one that was separate from the garment it was worn with.
 
Aramis said:
Not according to the rubrics. Like all liturgical vestments, there is a correct way to wear it; anything else is improvisation.

And, historically, the amice IS a hood. just one that was separate from the garment it was worn with.
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You’re simply wrong about this matter. The amice is PROPERLY worn around the neck to hide non-liturgical clothing. That’s simply a fact. There is no “improvisation.” To suggest otherwise is simply foolish. 🤷
 
Silverburg said:
You’re simply wrong about this matter. The amice is PROPERLY worn around the neck to hide non-liturgical clothing. That’s simply a fact. There is no “improvisation.” To suggest otherwise is simply foolish. 🤷
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I strongly suggest you go look at a pre-vatican II sacramentary (specifically the GIRM), or even the early editions of the post V II GIRM.

Also, the similar vestment in the Syrian rites is a priestly vestment.

The Dominicans had to wear it OVER their monastic hoods, and lowered them both after donning the dalmatic or chasuble. The 1978 rubrics relaxed the requirement for an amice.
 
Aramis said:
I strongly suggest you go look at a pre-vatican II sacramentary (specifically the GIRM), or even the early editions of the post V II GIRM.
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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/An_amice_exp.jpg
Wearing an amice in this manner has been allowed for ages in the Latin Rite. Suggesting otherwise is just silly.

Back to my question.

I don’t believe there is anything wrong with requiring servers to have uniform/nondescript neck under-coverings, be it in the Latin Rite or any of the Eastern churches. I think servers could be asked to wear matching shirts (and in some cases ties) or dickies over their existing shirts and in no way would that be a problem. I was just curious if it would be possible for one to achieve the same goal of uniform/nondescript neck under-coverings using amices (cheap, easy to launder, etc.) without the proverbial “Latinization” alarm going off?

If the intent was to look more “Latin” (not that amices look Latin) I could see that being a problem. If the intent was to have have uniform/nondescript neck under-coverings then I’m not so sure. I guess I’ll have to ask the Bishop.
 
Silverburg said:
This would be truly a functional/utilitarian move to get them to look uniform and understated. I can’t think of an easier way to get them to look uniform and it would be easy on those families on a budget. Thanks.
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Just tell them to buy black shirts, or perhaps white shirts (I would go with black 😉 ). Either way cannot be much of a strain on the families involved. Usually one can be found in young men’s sizes for less than the average EC family should be giving into the collection basket for one week, and many families will already have one in the closet.

Forget about the amice.
 
Silverbug,

I see your banned but if you are still reading…It is a Latinization, one that has been expressly forbidden. Bishop Daniel Ivancho specifically requested use of the amice when the Ruthenian Liturgicon and Ordo Celebrationis were issued and Rome specifically excluded it. Are you the guy that made a stink about wanting to ring bells under a new name? I would aslo add as a layman you have no business mandating the altar servers do anything, let alone wear a Latin vestment that has already been forbidden. Visit some Eastern Catholic and Orthodox parishes/websites and you’ll see lots of servers with various colored collars showing, it isn’t a big deal and those who think it is should get over it.

Fr. Deacon Lance
 
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