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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Are Pinoy Catholics afraid of black?




That is the family of the late former president Corazon Aquino during a Requiem Mass at the Manila Cathedral-Basilica. Notice that they are wearing black as oppose to the growing trend of wearing white during funeral masses or masses for the dead.  That is the right thing to do because black is the color of mourning. That is the appropriate color for such an occasion.

I grew up wearing black whenever someone in the family dies. And it surprised me, as time passed by, black is not a liturgical color anymore. And it is not even being seen worn in funeral masses or Masses for the dead in the country.

So here are my questions:

1. Is black banned as a liturgical color by Vatican 2?

ANSWER: NO. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal identifies black as a liturgical color. Even the Ordo distributed in the Philippines says that black may be used for Masses of the Dead and during All Souls' Day.  But I noticed in the Ordo that the prescribed colors for All Souls Day are VIOLET AND WHITE ONLY.  What?!  No black?  Was this a misprint?  I don't think so because I looked on the past Ordos and there was not black for Nov. 2!  Was this a deliberate attempt to exclude black as a liturgical color even though it was prescribed in the Ordo itself even if black is STILL a liturgical color and that it WAS NEVER forbidden by Vatican 2?


I even went to a PDDM (Pious Daughters of the Divine Master) store in Manila to purchase a friend a black polo with clerical collar for my priest-friend.  I was able to purchase one.  But the funny thing was the sister herself who sold me the shirt said that "black is not a good color."  Huh?

True enough.  When I returned the following month to purchase another one as a gift to another priest friend, the sister said that they are not making any of those anymore.



Why are these done around the world and not in the Philippines?




EWTN, Henceville, Alabama


Rome

 
Anglicans




Hey the Anglicans are even using it!






2. If these were the case, THEN WHY ARE FILIPINO PRIESTS AND EVEN THE LAITY NOT USING BLACK FOR SUCH OCCASIONS?

1 comment:

  1. Even black cassocks they are afraid of it, hahaha they are the ones who are funny including those liturgists and priests who doesn't like it and even says, "it is only in Rome or in the US" to have excuses or worse i can hear some people who says black cassocks are only for the funeral.
    Well black is the true color that symbolizes poverty and also it symbolizes that the one who wears it must be ready give his life to Christ.

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