When can diocesan seminarians wear their blacks and Roman collars?

[ragingbull4891]

Why are we talking about Deacons? Shouldn’t we be talking about seminarians?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Why are we talking about Deacons? Shouldn’t we be talking about seminarians?

The issue of deacons came up because of the puzzling inconsistency in the fact that laymen who happen to be seminarians are allowed to wear the collar, whereas ordained clergymen who happen to be deacons largely cannot.

 

[AndrewRaZ]

The issue of deacons came up because of the puzzling inconsistency in the fact that laymen who happen to be seminarians are allowed to wear the collar, whereas ordained clergymen who happen to be deacons largely cannot.

I’m not sure where that conclusion came from. Seminarians are not allowed to wear clerics in any situation in which ordained clergy cannot. Seminarians are more restricted than deacons are in terms of when and where they can wear clerics.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I’m not sure where that conclusion came from. Seminarians are not allowed to wear clerics in any situation in which ordained clergy cannot. Seminarians are more restricted than deacons are in terms of when and where they can wear clerics.

There are some dioceses that forbid permanent deacons from wearing clerical dress at all. I would be interested in knowing what those dioceses policies are towards their seminarians.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

I’m not sure where that conclusion came from. Seminarians are not allowed to wear clerics in any situation in which ordained clergy cannot. Seminarians are more restricted than deacons are in terms of when and where they can wear clerics.

That is simply untrue in the 4 New England dioceses I am most familiar with; in fact, seminarians are *less *restricted in terms of clerical dress than are deacons. Seminarians in their Theology years, not yet ordained as transitional deacons, routinely wear the collar when visiting their home parishes during vacations, or at parishes where they are doing Summer practicums. Deacons in those parishes are forbidden from wearing the collar even when engaged in ministerial actions such as wake services, committals, or hospital visits.

 

[ragingbull4891]

The issue of deacons came up because of the puzzling inconsistency in the fact that laymen who happen to be seminarians are allowed to wear the collar, whereas ordained clergymen who happen to be deacons largely cannot.

What are you talking about? Why the statement “Who happen to be laymen”? It sounds to me like you have a lack of respect for what the seminarians are striving to accomplish. Yes, the diaconate is the taking of holy orders, but they are in no way priests. The Seminarian is on his way to becoming a priest. I personally, (This is my opinion and not some statement that seems to be concluded already), feel that deacons should most definitely wear clerics when in ministry. I feel this because they have taken holy orders. This is my opinion though. The holy see’s might be completely different and I am in complete agreement with whatever they say about it. I just think it makes sense that those people in ministry wear the uniform of that ministry.

 

[AndrewRaZ]

Well, then perhaps instead of trying to make a specific answer to a general question, I should give a general answer.

General question: when can diocesan seminarians wear their blacks and Roman collars?

General answer: It varies.

I had no idea it varied so much. For examples of how some specific diocese may apply this rule, see some of the posts on the first page.

Sorry for trying to pigeonhole a specific answer into a general question.

Caritas

 

[ragingbull4891]

Sounds great. I am not trying to be harsh, I just think these forums get out of hand sometimes. The deacon issue relates to the seminarian issue too, but I think the bottom line is:

Most people think we don’t need to wear habits anymore.

I said “habit” the other day and a lady was like…“oh my…did he just say habits?”
I was like “Yeah I think habits are an important sign as to who we are.”

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Sounds great. I am not trying to be harsh, I just think these forums get out of hand sometimes. The deacon issue relates to the seminarian issue too, but I think the bottom line is:

Most people think we don’t need to wear habits anymore.

I said “habit” the other day and a lady was like…“oh my…did he just say habits?”
I was like “Yeah I think habits are an important sign as to who we are.”

Just as long as we realize that some religious institutes were set up by their founders with no habit, so it is not wrong for those groups to not wear a habit.

Yes those institutes may have had a habit added to them after their founding but it was never the intention of the founder for them to have one so it is right for them to drop the habit as they return to the wishes of their founders.

 

[ragingbull4891]

That’s true. Sometimes we can’t always go exactly by some set of rules too. Even though some rules were set up without a habit. I should start focusing more on what’s in the heart rather than what they are wearing.