Where can I purchase a Roman-style alb (with a square neck and box pleated)

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stjohnofthecros

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Hello everyone,

I’ve been looking around online for a place to purchase a Roman-style alb and haven’t had much luck. Please see the picture for an example of the style.

luzarvestments.co.uk/litwearnew_files/A010.jpg

I would prefer to purchase from some religious sisters or from a smaller vestment maker in the US (so the currency exchange doesn’t kill me). I don’t necessarily have anything against the Almy’s of the world, but I would like to help out the small guy.

I like that particular style of alb because it is a sharp contrast to the ugly bathrobe-style my parish currently uses. I don’t want something so nice that it will tick off my pastor, but I feel the Roman alb looks a little more refined with the square neck and close shoulders without making it look like I am making a statement. I am a seminarian and just want to do my small part to add some reverence to the Holy Mass without making my current pastor uncomfortable.

Does anyone have any suggestions or links?

Thanks and God bless.
 
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I’ve been looking around online for a place to purchase a Roman-style alb and haven’t had much luck. Please see the picture for an example of the style.

luzarvestments.co.uk/litw…files/A010.jpg**

This appears to be not an alb but a surplice, as can be told especially from the neck. An alb does NOT have the square neeck opening as this does, but goes all the way up to the neck.
 
I have never seen an alb that looks like the one in this photo. It looks like a large surplice with the neck of a neck-string alb attached. I use the standard neck-string or wrap-around alb with the lace inserts, which don’t have built-in collars so I can use an amice.

By the way, do you know of a supplier of black clergy shirts that has the all-around Roman collar built into the shirt, but is not a tab shirt, a neckband shirt, or a shirtfront? All I have found so far is Slabbinck, which is expensive and may have to ship from Belgium, and an English supplier that doesn’t go above size 18 necks. Barbiconi shirts, sought after by many seminarians, are designed for those with the physique of a jockey. I need something with a more generous circumference.
 
I, too, would have said that that picture looked more like a really long surplice, but i checked the site and it does have that product under the alb section. But it was the ONLY type of alb with anech line and cut like that. But I trust Luzar, and i dont see why it should work as an alk anyways.

ANYWAYS, i did a real cursory search and couldnt find what you wanted, but i have an idea for you. I know for a fact that there are websites run by either one woman or small groups of women that custom-sow vestments for priests in their dioceses and such. I know I have seen sites liek that, out there somewhere. Any of those small shops which cutom-make vestments would probably be willing to custom-make an alb like that to your exact measurements. I dont know if a small shop would charge as much as the big suppliers, but it may be your best bet to find what you want.

Also, if I were you, i would consider an appareled alb. I think it adds dignity and reverence to the service, and is a more traditional decorative feature. I dont think your pastor could get too upset about appareled albs. The ones on the site you already provided are nice:

(these are even second-hand, so are cheaper. they are in england, though…)
luzarvestments.co.uk/oldlitwear.htm
 
stjohnofthecros said:
Hello everyone,

I’ve been looking around online for a place to purchase a Roman-style alb and haven’t had much luck. Please see the picture for an example of the style.

luzarvestments.co.uk/litwearnew_files/A010.jpg

I would prefer to purchase from some religious sisters or from a smaller vestment maker in the US (so the currency exchange doesn’t kill me). I don’t necessarily have anything against the Almy’s of the world, but I would like to help out the small guy.

I like that particular style of alb because it is a sharp contrast to the ugly bathrobe-style my parish currently uses. I don’t want something so nice that it will tick off my pastor, but I feel the Roman alb looks a little more refined with the square neck and close shoulders without making it look like I am making a statement. I am a seminarian and just want to do my small part to add some reverence to the Holy Mass without making my current pastor uncomfortable.

Does anyone have any suggestions or links?

Thanks and God bless.
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Characterizing certain styles of albs as “bathrobe-style” reflects negatively on any seminarian.

Albs with a square neck and box pleats are no means “traditional” – in fact they seem to be an oddity unlike their cotta and surplice cousins. To wear such an alb correctly would you need to also wear an amice to cover your collar area. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be wearing an alb correctly and it would appear like you were wearing a very mis-sized surplice. In the end such an alb with an amice would not look nearly as clean as an alb designed to be worn by itself…
 
You do intend to wear an amice with this particular type of alb…right?😉

As I remind all my clients (yes, I am a Ecclesiastical Designer/Vestment Maker) I understand your desire for something different but an alb must cover all street clothes at the neck (per the GIRM 298).

It is a lovely design though!
 
The amice should alway be worn with every alb anyways…
 
belgianwaffles9 said:
The amice should alway be worn with every alb anyways…
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The GIRM is quite clear. I did, however quote the wrong #. It is #336 (my sincerest apologies for the mistake). I include the following for your perusal.
  1. The sacred garment common to ordained and instituted ministers of any rank is the alb, to be tied at the waist with a cincture unless it is made so as to fit even without such. Before the alb is put on, should this not completely cover the ordinary clothing at the neck, an amice should be put on. The alb may not be replaced by a surplice, not even over a cassock, on occasions when a chasuble or dalmatic is to be worn or when, according to the norms, only a stole is worn without a chasuble or dalmatic.
 
🤷
jmdsc said:
The GIRM is quite clear. I did, however quote the wrong #. It is #336 (my sincerest apologies for the mistake). I include the following for your perusal.
  1. The sacred garment common to ordained and instituted ministers of any rank is the alb, to be tied at the waist with a cincture unless it is made so as to fit even without such. Before the alb is put on, should this not completely cover the ordinary clothing at the neck, an amice should be put on. The alb may not be replaced by a surplice, not even over a cassock, on occasions when a chasuble or dalmatic is to be worn or when, according to the norms, only a stole is worn without a chasuble or dalmatic.
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You’re right, that is what the GIRM says.

But I was right, too: the amice should be worn with every alb, regardless; its tradition. The GIRM does not suppress its use, and tradition is law.
 
belgianwaffles9 said:
🤷

You’re right, that is what the GIRM says.

But I was right, too: the amice should be worn with every alb, regardless; its tradition. The GIRM does not suppress its use, and tradition is law.
Click to expand...
No, you have been shown to be wrong. Not only does the GIRM make the amice optional for those albs that are designed not to be worn by an alb, they couldn’t be seen nor would they perform any function if worn with such an alb.
 
Spiller said:
No, you have been shown to be wrong. Not only does the GIRM make the amice optional for those albs that are designed not to be worn by an alb, they couldn’t be seen nor would they perform any function if worn with such an alb.
Click to expand...
No,I HAVE NOT. As you just said, the amice is optional. But, it is an option which should always be taken. In your usual arrogance and vanity you overlook one thing: the amice DOES perform a function, and a most important function: it maintains tradition.Tradition is law.
 
belgianwaffles9 said:
No,I HAVE NOT. As you just said, the amice is optional. But, it is an option which should always be taken. In your usual arrogance and vanity you overlook one thing: the amice DOES perform a function, and a most important function: it maintains tradition.Tradition is law.
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Catholic priests at one time charged for absolution. This went on for a long time…making it a tradition…should we continue this abuse just because it was a tradition? Our country had slavery, a long standing tradition - should this be continued also?

Just because it was a tradition, doesn’t make it law.

Yes, the amice serves a purpose, however, the “cassock-alb” simply negates the need for the amice. The amice can be worn at any time with an alb, but does not need to be if the street clothes are covered by said alb.

I submit that ignoring the USCCB, (whom as far as I’m concerned are pretty qualified) is (as you put it) “arrogant and vain”.
 
jmdsc said:
Catholic priests at one time charged for absolution. This went on for a long time…making it a tradition…should we continue this abuse just because it was a tradition? Our country had slavery, a long standing tradition - should this be continued also?
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I’m sure you didnt mean to insinuate that wearing an amice is somehow an abuse. So your little comparison there is ludicrous and completely irrelevant. And remember, giving alms as penance is different than charging for absolution.
jmdsc said:
Yes, the amice serves a purpose, however, the “cassock-alb” simply negates the need for the amice. The amice can be worn at any time with an alb, but does not need to be if the street clothes are covered by said alb.
Click to expand...
I disagree; the amice had, and continues to have for those well-minded enough to continue using it, a symbolic meaning completely different from that of the alb. All priests should continue to wear it, whether it is optional or not, because of its symbolic and traditional meaning, which should never be lost.
jmdsc said:
I submit that ignoring the USCCB, (whom as far as I’m concerned are pretty qualified) is (as you put it) “arrogant and vain”.
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The highest source of authority in the Catholic Church is our traditions. No one, not the Pope, nor the Magisterium, nor some near-useless council of national bishops has the authority to subtract anything from that. I, in turn, submit that whenever the USCCB chooses to ignore tradition, not only are THEY being vain and arrogant, but they are overstepping any legitimate authority they may have had.
 
belgianwaffles9 said:
I disagree; the amice had, and continues to have for those well-minded enough to continue using it, a symbolic meaning completely different from that of the alb. All priests should continue to wear it, whether it is optional or not, because of its symbolic and traditional meaning, which should never be lost.
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You’re wrong. The Church has clearly said it was optional for those albs not requiring an amice. Your personal opinion does not trump the Church’s official direction. The source has been given and pride is not allowing you to accept it.
belgianwaffles9 said:
The highest source of authority in the Catholic Church is our traditions. No one, not the Pope, nor the Magisterium, nor some near-useless council of national bishops has the authority to subtract anything from that. I, in turn, submit that whenever the USCCB chooses to ignore tradition, not only are THEY being vain and arrogant, but they are overstepping any legitimate authority they may have had.
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No! That is untrue.

The ultimate authority is God through His Church by way of Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition (NOT the mere customs or disciplines of man) and the Teaching Magisterium of His Catholic Church.

Wearing an amice would fall into a custom or discipline of man.
 
jmdsc said:
Catholic priests at one time charged for absolution. This went on for a long time…making it a tradition…should we continue this abuse just because it was a tradition? Our country had slavery, a long standing tradition - should this be continued also?

Just because it was a tradition, doesn’t make it law.

Yes, the amice serves a purpose, however, the “cassock-alb” simply negates the need for the amice. The amice can be worn at any time with an alb, but does not need to be if the street clothes are covered by said alb.

I submit that ignoring the USCCB, (whom as far as I’m concerned are pretty qualified) is (as you put it) “arrogant and vain”.
Click to expand...
“absolution” is a part of the sacrament of penance – FAR more than a mere “tradition.” Do you happen to have a credible source that notes the charging for absolution? You seem to be wrong here.
 
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