Rev. and dear Fathers:
First and foremost you wear it for yourself. Only after this do you wear it for others or even for God. You wear it even when you don't feel like it or even when you don't want to be noticed. And you wear it even when you're with other clergy. You wear it in the sweat. You inspire vocations. You are in a position of trust and a beacon of leadership. You put yourself on the cross. You do not cover your collar with a scarf. Enjoy and be inspired. We layfolk support you.
6 comments:
A perfect statement as to why a priest should wear his cassock. A priest is a soldier, a fighter and a leader. He's a man in uniform. In the past ten years I have known five priests who have given up their vocation and their vows. Not one was a priest who wore a cassock. Most shunned their collar, or kept it loose with the silly big white plastic tongue depressor in their breast pocket. Their priests I know who wear cassocks are still out there fighting the good fight, and winning the race.
I've noticed (and friends who have been to Rome have told me), that it's the young religious (less than 45), who love the soutane, cassock, habit and wear it everywhere.
Meanwhile, the older "Vatican II crowd", of religious 50+ all the way up into the age of the 80's bum around in sloppy clerical shirts and pants, or layclothes.
I always surf the Internet, looking at international sites of religious Orders.
Sad to say, nearly 100% of the major Orders of nuns sites show habitless liberal sisters.
THose of priests (Picpus Fathers, Assumptionists, White Fathers, Jesuits, and even the Augustinians and Discalced Carmelites) all show mostly late middle aged to elderly religious 55-75+ in layclothes.
Very sad. Tragic. In a crowd of maybe 40 religious in some pix on their sites, theres's 1-2 younger religious....the rest all pushing 60 or over.
With the nuns, it's a whole lot more of a disaster. Some Order's websites of major Orders (all habitless nuns), don't show any sisters younger than 65-70!!
The Vatican II "reforms", and those who embraced them and warped them even more have nearly destroyed religious life. Most of the Orders will be gone in 10 years...it a simple matter of geriatrics!
But the young religious in new traditionalist Orders, or the few religious Orders which have remained orthodox and faithful all thru the disaster of Vatican II....they are the hope of the Church.
The "old guard" Vatican II crew are disappearing fast.
Great post!
Is it just me, or is that priest massively tall?
I think a priest should wear his cassock just as a policeman his uniform.
beautiful photo (i´m the person in orange ;-) ).
Sarah:
Yes, your favorite color is orange! Allora, you looked beautiful in the Musei Vaticani in your dress and so may God bless you always!
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