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A Catholic bishop today called on all clergy to observe the Church’s dress code, especially when they appear in public “as an integral part of priestly decorum.” [Do I hear an "Amen"?]
Bishop Leonardo Medroso of Tagbilaran, a canon lawyer, said ecclesiastical garb is not the external sign of the priesthood but an indicator of the “spiritual and priestly life” of the person concerned. [It is a mark of who the person is, much like how a school or company uniform is.]
Some “shrink” from wearing the proper attire, he noted, preferring to go around in public in ordinary clothes.
This does not mean they are necessarily ashamed of their identity as priests or that they have a weak sense of their clerical identity, he said. [Uhm...My personal experience with those priests and religious who do so actually have this reason.]
“Rather, they do not like to get attention from people, who because of the attire, afford them privileged treatment, or to be looked down on or given suspicious glances,” Bishop Medroso said. [or they just don't want to be acknowledged as priests in public.]
“They prefer to be left alone, free and unperturbed,” he added. [Uhm.....]
The real purpose of priestly attire, according to the bishop, is to serve as public testimony that the one wearing ecclesiastical dress is an ordained minister. [And bingo was his name-o!]
That is why, Bishop Medroso says, “the Church is insistent that her ordained ministers wear the ecclesiastical garb.”
“His [priestly] life, his behavior, his prayer life, his decorum, his language … all of them has to communicate and articulate the reality of the priesthood,” Bishop Medroso said. [and most of those who do not wear them actually don't act the way they are supposed to? just asking.]
Clerical attire approved by the Philippine Catholic hierarchy is cassock or religious habit; clergyman’s suit; trousers of dark one-tone color, with the clerical collar. [See examples below.]
The shirt, meanwhile, may also be either a polo or a formal embroidered Philippine shirt, with the distinctive cross. [Uhm...]
“It is the official garb that is to be used by the clergy in their social life, the ecclesiastical uniform is supposed to be worn by them during public appearances,” the prelate said.
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Are these perfect examples?
Fr. Paul Van Parijs, cicm
Fr. Anscar Chupungco, osb
Fr. Eugene Flameygh, cicm
By the way, these priests are some of the Founders of our favorite theology school, Maryhill School of Theology.
Or this one?
The so-called "peace advocate" Fr. Eliseo Mercado, Jr., OMI. Peace advocate my @$$! All this guy did is to name drop famous people he calls his "friends". Ask him about Nur Misuari and the Ampatuans!
Or this other one?
Fr. Robert Reyes
He is in public right?
Or these ones?
Some of the Kape't Pandasal priests
Fr. Jboy Gonzales, sj
Our "fave" bishop, Bishop Chito Tagle, admirer of Martin Luther
In the office or even at school, the person who does not want to wear the uniform is someone who does not want to be associated with what the uniform or garb they are wearing signifies.
To fans of these men, don't give me that "what's important is what is in the inside." crap
If that be the case, ask some of these men to stop insisting on their degrees and awards, because I know most of these do insist on it.
If that be case, isn't a a bad case of "holier than thou" because you are supposing that those who wear the clerical garbs are Pharisaical in their practice? How sure are you that they are indeed "crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside" ?
So does that mean that these people are not holy?
Just asking.
Why just not wear it?
Afraid to be recognized I guess.
They would use the lines "Jesus and apostles,never wore special garments even at the Last Supper".
ReplyDeleteI Want Them(The Priests)to Wear their Cassocks/Habits so That Whenever Something Happen to ME in a public place,I can call one to give me the Last Rites!
The Filipino Anglican priests I know are always in clerical dress. Why can't our Catholic priests be too?
ReplyDeleteNow how about those nuns who don't dress like nuns?
Every profession has their own unique uniforms. If we see a man in white or a woman in white uniform with a white cap we can recognize them as nurses or in medical field. A camouflage uniform for military and even those employees in public and private offices. Uniform is our identity on who we are.
ReplyDeleteIf you are working in an office and you didnt wear your uniform then you might get a memo for not wearing one right?
But in a religious or in clerical people the garb and habit is much more than uniform. For franciscans the habit is their way of life that is why they call it as habit. The color is either gray or brown because it is a symbol of humility, the color of the earth (soil).
The black cassock represents death. That when they were ordained they also died on their secular life and they will die for Christ as priests.
Black cassocks don't really represent death,
ReplyDeleteIt is the symbol of poverty, and leaving everything to for the Lord. For the priest it is a symbol of presiding authority like a judge wears a black robe to preside the trial.
And it is a norm while white cassocks is an exception, even altar servers, Lay or Seminarians would wear black cassocks during the Mass.
It is sad that many, especially diocesan clergy, do not wear at least a clerical shirt after Mass. I see many wear polo and pants, or worse, a shirt with no collar and jeans. You just don't know if they're clergy or one of the laity. At first I was also a bit uncomfortable wearing the clerical shirt, but now I am used to it (I have to still get used to wearing the cassock outside though). And no, I am not Catholic, but Orthodox clergy.
ReplyDelete