Sunday, July 20, 2008

Clergy: wear your clerical garb e basta!

Chapter VI
A Penalty Is Decreed Against Clerics Who, Constituted In Sacred Orders Or Holding Benefices, Do Not Wear Clothes Conforming To Their Order

"And since, though the habit does not make the monk, it is necessary nevertheless that clerics always wear a dress conformable to their order, that by the propriety of their outward apparel they may show forth the inward uprightness of their morals, yet to such a degree have the contempt of religion and the boldness of some grown in these days, that esteeming but little their own dignigy and the clerical honor, they even wear in public the dress of laymen, setting their feet in different paths, one of things divine, the other of the flesh. Wherefore, all ecclesiastical persons, howsoever exempt, who are either in sacred orders or in possession of dignities with or without jurisdiction, offices or whatsoever ecclesiastical benefices, if, after having been admonished by their bishops, even by a public edict, they do not wear a becoming clerical dress conformable to their order and dignity and in conformity with the ordinance and mandate of their bishop, may and ought to be compelled thereto by suspension from their orders, office, benefice and from the fruits, revenues and proceeds of those benefices; and also, if, after having been once rebuked, they offend again in the matter, even by deprivation of those offices and benefices; the constitution of Clement V published in the Council of Vienne, beginning "Quoniam," being hereby renewed and amplified."

-Council of Trent, 14th session, Decree Concerning Reform, November of 1551.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please, can you post the decree by where this was superseded.

John Paul Sonnen said...

Trent was a holy, ecumenical and general council. This document was never superseded by another decree.