White collar

[Montie_Claunch]

What does the white collar on a priest mean (if anything)? Thanks and God bless.

Edit: Sorry about the spelling.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Montie Claunch:

What does the white collar on a preist mean (if anything)? Thanks and God bless.

Monte,

Please learn to spell “priest” (“i” before “e” except after “c”).

The white symbolizes the light of Christ come into the world.

Deacon Ed

 

[mosher]

Also on a more practical level it is to identify them as clergy - this is why a Deacon also has a right to wear the roman collar if he so chooses.

 

[LeahInancsi]

Deacon Ed:

Monte,

Please learn to spell “priest” (“i” before “e” except after “c”).

Deacon Ed

Bless you, Deacon Ed.

Spelling says soooo much about a person. Now, Monte is well on his way to the spelling bee.

 

[Erich]

“i” before “e” except after “c”

or when sounding like “a” as in “neighbor” and “weigh”…

…and “Keith” and “seize” and “caffeine” and “protein”!

While we’re at it, I guess we also need to change the spellings of words like “science”, “sufficient”, “agencies”, “financier”, etc.

 

[chnchris]

mosher:

Also on a more practical level it is to identify them as clergy - this is why a Deacon also has a right to wear the roman collar if he so chooses.

Of course, now we have Protest-ant clergy
wearing them.

 

[mosher]

chnchris:

Of course, now we have Protest-ant clergy
wearing them.

Well that is true but we to put it in perspective the current Roman collar that everyone is familiar with was devised by the Anglicans so just like pews we are using something that originated with Protestants.

 

[Lorrie]

Erich:

or when sounding like “a” as in “neighbor” and “weigh”…

…and “Keith” and “seize” and “caffeine” and “protein”!

While we’re at it, I guess we also need to change the spellings of words like “science”, “sufficient”, “agencies”, “financier”, etc.

Way to go Erich!

 

[JB]

Erich:

Deacon Ed:

Monte,

“i” before “e” except after “c”

or when sounding like “a” as in “neighbor” and “weigh”…

…and “Keith” and “seize” and “caffeine” and “protein”!

While we’re at it, I guess we also need to change the spellings of words like “science”, “sufficient”, “agencies”, “financier”, etc.

weird.

 

[Psalm45_9]

mosher:

Also on a more practical level it is to identify them as clergy - this is why a Deacon also has a right to wear the roman collar if he so chooses.

Deacons within my diocese are not allowed to wear collars, the Bishop has not approved of it. However, the deacons of the Eastern Rite churches are allowed to and do wear collars. This confused one of my friends when he went to a Byzantine Catholic Church, because he could not tell who was the priest and who was the Deacon. Also by me addressing the deacon as, “Father-Deacon” only added to the confusion.

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Psalm45:9:

Deacons within my diocese are not allowed to wear collars, the Bishop has not approved of it. However, the deacons of the Eastern Rite churches are allowed to and do wear collars. This confused one of my friends when he went to a Byzantine Catholic Church, because he could not tell who was the priest and who was the Deacon. Also by me addressing the deacon as, “Father-Deacon” only added to the confusion.

It’s more fun in my diocese for me. As a bi-ritual deacon I wear a collar when serving with the Melkites, but not when serving the Latins (our Latin Rite deacons are not permitted to wear collars at all). At the Los Angeles Religious Education Congresses a few years ago I was “doing my time” in the Eastern Catholic information booth as a Melkite deacon. At lunch time I took a friend of mine to lunch, and the chancellor of my Latin diocese, who knew me as a Latin deacon, raised a stink about my wearing a collar. Instead of asking me why I was doing so, she went to the Director of Deacons who, not knowing I was there with the Melkites, was also upset. It was eventually squared away and, in fact, the next year we held our Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association meeting at the Latin diocese headquarters and she saw me at lunch. I went up to her and explained that it was okay – I was there as a Melkite and not as a Latin deacon. She just grinned because I had been sitting with the Latin bishop!

Deacon Ed

 

[mosher]

Deacon Ed:

It’s more fun in my diocese for me. As a bi-ritual deacon I wear a collar when serving with the Melkites, but not when serving the Latins (our Latin Rite deacons are not permitted to wear collars at all). At the Los Angeles Religious Education Congresses a few years ago I was “doing my time” in the Eastern Catholic information booth as a Melkite deacon. At lunch time I took a friend of mine to lunch, and the chancellor of my Latin diocese, who knew me as a Latin deacon, raised a stink about my wearing a collar. Instead of asking me why I was doing so, she went to the Director of Deacons who, not knowing I was there with the Melkites, was also upset. It was eventually squared away and, in fact, the next year we held our Eastern Catholic Pastoral Association meeting at the Latin diocese headquarters and she saw me at lunch. I went up to her and explained that it was okay – I was there as a Melkite and not as a Latin deacon. She just grinned because I had been sitting with the Latin bishop!

Deacon Ed

I know it is not a big deal and I don’t feel that it is fight worth having but just for the sake of discussion is it not your right to wear the Roman Collar as a Latin Deacon per the provisions of the Documents both Roman and American (USCCB) and it is not reserved to the Bishop to make the decision but up to the individual cleric?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

mosher:

I know it is not a big deal and I don’t feel that it is fight worth having but just for the sake of discussion is it not your right to wear the Roman Collar as a Latin Deacon per the provisions of the Documents both Roman and American (USCCB) and it is not reserved to the Bishop to make the decision but up to the individual cleric?

Canonically we have the right. However, under obedience to the bishop we do not – for he has mandated that deacons not wear the collar. And, you’re right, it’s not a fight we can win so we simply don’t go there…

Deacon Ed

 

[mosher]

Deacon Ed:

Canonically we have the right. However, under obedience to the bishop we do not – for he has mandated that deacons not wear the collar. And, you’re right, it’s not a fight we can win so we simply don’t go there…

Deacon Ed

Thank you. I figured that was the case. I personally would like to see Deacons wearing the roman collar because Deacons such as yourself have received Holy Orders, you are clerics with all canonical rights and privileges associated with having the clerical state. Also, I think it would go for to advance in the minds of the people the true and substantial role that Deacons hold in the Church. Ahhh … If I were emperor for a day … but that is another story.

 

[Brendan]

Deacon Ed:

Canonically we have the right. However, under obedience to the bishop we do not – for he has mandated that deacons not wear the collar. And, you’re right, it’s not a fight we can win so we simply don’t go there…

Deacon Ed

Sigh,

I don’t think I would have investigated the Diaconate in a diocese like that.

 

[AJV]

Has anyone ever heard the explanation that the collar shows that the priests are slaves of God or something like that? I don’t know whether it’s true or whether the Protestant cleric I heard just made it up.

 

[mosher]

AJV:

Has anyone ever heard the explanation that the collar shows that the priests are slaves of God or something like that? I don’t know whether it’s true or whether the Protestant cleric I heard just made it up.

There are many different symbolism that have been attributed to the Roman Collar. Historically it is just a type of clothing that went out of style a long time ago and the priests retained it for some reason. I don’t mean the Tab Collar that most people see but rather the Roman Collar that is worn with a Cassock and some clerical shirts. There was even a time when it was worn out of protest of the captivity of the Roman Pontiff. I suggest the book “The Church Visible” it has all that one would ever want to know about the garb of clerics of every rank.