1. Elderly priest with sign of aging (stooped over, a walker, a cane, a respirator.....)
2. Priest in/out of clerical garb doing something fun or funny (golfing, dancing a jig, bowling, playing some character at Vacation Bible School, etc.)
3. Priest in non-liturgically correct vestments and/or "presiding" at a liturgically, canonically inappropriate or awkward function or event (outdoor Mass, passing out children's bulletins, wearing a stole with children of the world on it, etc.)
4. Involved in SOCIAL JUSTICE (usually carrying a sign of some sort or standing on the Capitol steps)
and finally....
5. Priest in funny hat (beret, sombrero, Seuss hat, Burger King crown, novelty hat that says, "RETIRED", etc.)
So, when I got this picture from the recent Abbey Youth Fest, I wondered if this were sent to the paper if it would get printed. I decided that, no...the priests are too young and fit, they aren't golfing, they are too correct in their dress and they aren't standing in front of an Army base with a sign "NO PEACE, NO JUSTICE! KNOW PEACE, KNOW JUSTICE!". So no. And the hat? Totally not as funny as the Irish tam on the priest in the iron lung doing a jig in front of the Capitol while blessing Occupiers.
As a service then to you, it sees the light of day here on SFC. You're welcome.
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| Fr. Scott, Fr. Matthew approach a quarantined clerically dressed guy with a pancho. |
6 comments:
I wish more priests would wear their cassocks. They look good. See Fr. Rudy Garcia vocations director for the diocese of Dallas and the vocation poster they have of two priests in cassocks with the wording Good Guys Wear Black.
They are the new generation - the springtime has begun! BTW, they didn't even attend and take pics when Bishop Latino spoke at religious rally last Friday. I suppose they were off. I thought about sending in pics but then it occurred, wouldn't it be odd that me, laity, reporting on something that the...newspaper should have covered?
Very cool! Is that really Fr. Matt in the biretta?
Pretty much depends if they are diocesian priest or if they belong to an order, wether or not they have cassocks. Not all priests belong to an order.
Anonymous -- I know of no distinction between diocesan clerics and religious clerics when it comes to the appropriateness of wearing a cassock. per se. Sometimes religious priests have other garments, but any priest may (and should) wear a cassock, as far as I know.
The cassock is always appropriate for any diocesan priest. The common practice for priests in the US was (and should be again, dare I suggest?) that priest wore the cassock when on church grounds and when doing "priest things" like going to anoint the sick in the hospital.
Any other time, like when not on the church grounds or on the way to perform a sacramental duty, it was normal to wear the Roman collar w/black shirt, black pants (maybe a black jacket - weather permitting).
Sorry Father Joe (and any other priests reading this), but wearing a polo or a golf shirt as your regular "priestly" garb looks sad, ridiculous and like you hate your job. It's simple to someone my age: doctors wear scrubs, police officers wear police uniforms, priests wear the collar. To do anything else looks like you're trying to weasel away from your priestly identity when you're "off the clock."
It looks like the cassock is making a (rightful) comeback in many dioceses. And where it is, you'll usually find something else, too: increased vocations to the priesthood.
Strange coincidence? I think not! Look, I'm a normal, not particular-religious but loyal 20-something-year-old guy. The advice I'd give to priests? Look like a priest! It's not rocket science - it's an important witness that my generation NEEDS.
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