Monday, January 22, 2007

Canons: the splendor of the local church...


I took this photo in Lourdes of two canons (I liked the rochet!). Stateside many don't even know what a canon is, but I've seen many, many of them in Europe in cathedrals/collegiate churches in Rome, Pisa, Florence, Naples, Paris, London, Cracow, etc.

It sure would be nice to have more such canons back home. See this great website for an American canon: http://pintabona.info/ .

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice to see some priests wearing the rochet with right to do so (in contrast to many in the SSPX & FSSP).

Anonymous said...

I heard a rumor that some sees in the US have attempted to establish canons but that permission was denied by the Vatican...strange, I think.

Anonymous said...

In the 50s, some regulation came out which no longer required Cathedral Chapters for new dioceses.

Dear Florestan: As to SSPX & FSSP rochets, where have you seen them? Maybe they are just lacey cottas.

Anonymous said...

Oh no, in the Pius-Petrus world priests use the rochet at every other occasion, especially if they feel like "dressing up".
Not surprisingly - in the Petrus-Pius world not many of the faithful know that the use of rochet is forbidden for all lower clergy (apart from selected prelates and canons), since it's a liturgical gown pertaining to the Bishop.
And, as usual, Petrus-Pius show little respect to Canon Law (of 1917) FORBIDDING use of simple cotton in (e.g.) cottas.
Und so weiter...
It should say something about their view on the liturgy.

Anonymous said...

huh? Forbidding cotton? So what material are they supposed to use, silk? A polyester blend? The cotta is worn by all the lower clergy, priests, servers etc., regardless of what material it is actually made of. To be frank, I have never seen one wearing a rochet and am convinced that you are confusing a lacey cotta (surplice) with a rochet, whose difference lies not in the lace but in the sleeves. Some rochets have no lace at all, as the ones worn that used to be worn by cardinals in luto.

BTW, the Code of 1917 is no longer in force. Law is law and either it is in force or it is not.

My German is virtually non-existant so I will reply with the most appropriate translation of "et cum spiritu tuo" for this occasion: "Mork calling Orson... come in Orson"

Anonymous said...

I do know the difference between cottas and rochets lies in the sleeves. You can see it for yourself, the internet is littered with PetrusPius disciples wearing rochets. If it's not the celebrant, it may be the priests closeby.
And no, Castor, the solution to the equation 'cotton or polyester blend' isn't banlon (as seen sometimes in the mentioned priestly societies) but linen.
Cotton is for your underwear, linen is for liturgy, for God.

The codification of Canon Law made in 1917 was something already in place, things you can deduct from practice, tradition and common sense. The legalistic approach is typical for many PiusPetrusians although Tradition hardly was created (NB!) in 1962, nor was it invented in Ecône in 1974.
It was processes in action long before the Council which brought us the current situation, and the 50's (in spirit very much alive in FSSP and the SSPX) is surely much to blame.
Finally, I don't think the Petrus mission in Urbe is that representative of the state of things in the Priesterbruderschaft.

FYI: I didn't get your Orson / Mork remark.

Anonymous said...

Florestan,

I understand the point(s) you are trying to make but do not agree entirely. You make some valid points, of course. However, as much as I love linen, to argue that it should be used because the CIC (1917) says so completely contradicts the argument you have made about not beingf legalistic. There may be an argument why cotton is appropriate for underwear whereas linen is made for God, but it does not come from an code of law no longer in vigor.

As to the rochets, I take your word for it. There is, however, nothing like seeing something in person, as opposed to interpreting a photo on the net. How about you produce some. I know many SSPX and FFSP priests PERSONALLY and have never seen a single one wearing a rochet. Also, was it not a non-legislated custom (your argument) that parish priests in france wore rochets, just as, in Rome, they wore rochets under their cotttas?

I hope tradition was not invented in 1974, 1962 or even in 1955 with the new Holy Week.

You are right and wrong about FSSP in Rome. I think this mission is now charachteristic of where they are going and where the sympathies of many young fssp clergy lay.

Re Mork, are You German? If You are not, You must be too young to undertsand where Mork was coming from.