photosynthesis Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 what's the deal with priests who don't wear their clerics, and nuns without habits? Is it a sin not to wear clerics/habits all the time? Does the Magesterium approve of this, or merely tolerate it, hoping that they come to their senses? It certainly doesn't put me at ease. It's not the clothes that matter, so much as what the clothes symbolize. Wearing clerics + habits symbolizes that the religious or priest is 100% devoted to serving the Church. Whenever I see someone without clerics or a habit, I sometimes wonder about how dedicated they are to their service, or how faithful they are to the Magesterium. I've been going to this young adult center in New Jersey... there is a priest, and he gives solid homilies, he doesn't do anything weird during the liturgy, and he was leading a theology discussion tonight and I didn't find anything erroneous in what he said. However the fact that he was wearing a Mets T-shirt makes me wonder. Am I crazy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 when i met with my priest, he was wearing a blue button down shirt. it made me wonder if he was a liberal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='photosynthesis' date='Jan 13 2006, 12:31 AM']I've been going to this young adult center in New Jersey... there is a priest, and he gives solid homilies, he doesn't do anything weird during the liturgy, and he was leading a theology discussion tonight and I didn't find anything erroneous in what he said. However the fact that he was wearing a Mets T-shirt makes me wonder. Am I crazy? [right][snapback]854780[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I don't know official guidelines. Maybe he was trying to be more casual/less intimidating? It wouldn't bother me, personally, unless he was trying to make a statement. Nuns, however, should always be habited in public IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catholicinsd Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='philothea' date='Jan 13 2006, 09:44 AM'] Nuns, however, should always be habited in public IMO. [right][snapback]854937[/snapback][/right] [/quote] If that's a set rule, Benedictines break all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy777 Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='philothea' date='Jan 13 2006, 04:44 PM']I don't know official guidelines. Maybe he was trying to be more casual/less intimidating? It wouldn't bother me, personally, unless he was trying to make a statement. Nuns, however, should always be habited in public IMO. [right][snapback]854937[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I agree. I think that a priest should always wear his habit when on official celebrations or engagements but I think it would be fine if he sometimes wears casual clothes too especially while working amongst youths. I think it makes them relate more to the priest as a human down-to-earth being yet always in contact with God. However, I think they should still wear some symbol, like a small cross or anything, to show that they are priests after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 from new advent: (1) They must wear a costume suited to their state. While the common canon law does not determine in every detail what the dress of clerics should be, yet many and various prescriptions on the subject are found in the canons, the pontifical constitutions, and the decrees of councils. These ordain that the clerics are not to wear the dress of laymen. They must abstain from gaudy colours, unbecoming their state. The wearing of the soutane or cassock on all occasions, even in public, is prescribed for clerics living in Rome, and bishops may command the same in their dioceses. In non-Catholic countries, synods generally prescribe that for public use the dress of clerics should be such as to distinguish them from laymen; that is of black or of a sober colour, and that the so-called Roman collar be worn. In private, clergymen are commonly required to wear the soutane. found here: [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04049b.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04049b.htm[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 A Mets jersey with a collar sticking out of the top would be good. I wouldn't expect the religious to wear their collars/habits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but I really think that they should be wearing them any time they are at a church function or representing the church in any capacity. I mean, they should have a right to be casual and relax once in awhile, like at home or at a friend/families house, but I really feel it should be at times when they are not in public, ie- being a visible representative of the church. As a lay person, when I see a priest or nun without their collar/habit, I think to myself, "Gee whiz, are they not proud to be what they are?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 Another reason nuns should wear habits is so that The Fonz doesn't kiss them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 btw - my old priest, and probably one of my favorites, used to run in the schools fun run every year. he was an excellent runner and we all loved that he did that with us. however he of course did not wear his "costume", as it is so eloquently called ( ) by new advent, but rather wore running shorts and tees. i did not find that these clothes made him any less dedicated to his job. now i do admit that i did not often see him without his "costume" but when i did i thought no less of him, or lost any respect i had for him and his dedication to the magisterium. edit: if this really bothers you as much as you claim you should probably take this matter up with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandy777 Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='dUSt' date='Jan 13 2006, 05:07 PM']Another reason nuns should wear habits is so that The Fonz doesn't kiss them. [right][snapback]854959[/snapback][/right] [/quote] who is the Fonz!?!?! sounds funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='hugheyforlife' date='Jan 13 2006, 09:08 AM']now i do admit that i did not often see him without his "costume" but when i did i thought no less of him, or lost any respect i had for him and his dedication to the magisterium. [right][snapback]854960[/snapback][/right] [/quote] But would a person who never met your priest before have the same respect for him without his collar on, assuming they didn't know he was a priest? If I see a guy in a grocery store, he's just some guy in a grocery store. If I see a guy wearing his clerics in a grocery store, I see a guy who I admire and respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dUSt Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='dandy777' date='Jan 13 2006, 09:10 AM']who is the Fonz!?!?! [right][snapback]854961[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='dUSt' date='Jan 13 2006, 10:11 AM']But would a person who never met your priest before have the same respect for him without his collar on, assuming they didn't know he was a priest? If I see a guy in a grocery store, he's just some guy in a grocery store. If I see a guy wearing his clerics in a grocery store, I see a guy who I admire and respect. [right][snapback]854963[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I agree with you but let me clarify that when I did see him out of his clerics it was not when he was off of church grounds, nor was it at any time that one would expect to be noticed. Sometimes I had meetings in the rectory with people later in the evening and he would come down to see what was going on and to say hello. Fr. B. was always very good about wearing his clerics. Fr. John, the priest at our church now, wears black all the time. He does not however wear his collar all the time and I don't always know what to make of that. Does this relate at all to deacons as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luthien Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 [quote name='dUSt' date='Jan 13 2006, 09:12 AM'] [right][snapback]854964[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Dandy is from Malta, Im not sure if they have Happy Days over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morostheos Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 I think especially for things like running or sports, priests are fine not wearing clerics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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