Note: Just a general opinion statement. Please don't take offense. And I can think of cases where it might be a good idea not to go along with these ideas.
I think clergy and religious should be more obvious when going about in public. What does this mean? Well, clerical dress at all times for one.
Going about in a cassock (we shall not speak of the suit; I know it's technically uniform for us but if I could change our particular law that'd be one of the first things to go) or habit kinda says "Hey everyone! Check it out! Priest/monk/nun! Right here, live and in person!" I remember reading a Star Wars book (I think it was a Jedi Quest?) where the padawans were told to keep their lightsabers out to alert the people to Jedi presence. I think this might have been to help maintain order, or perhaps reassure the people, or maybe something else. That's one of the things going about in the cassock does. It reminds people of the presence of priests/religious, and ought to remind them of the presence of God.
Think about it: given the choice of three priests, one in ordinary attire, one in a suit, or one in a cassock, whom are you going to go to for priest stuff? My first choice would be the one in the cassock. Okay, so I might be a bit biased, given that all three pastors I've had growing up and most of my friends seem more or less partial to the cassock. But still. And it seems that Bishop John wears one more often than not.
Or think about it again: given the choice of a nun in traditional monastic habit (think Christ the Bridegroom or the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George (FSGM)), or a nun in a pantsuit or ordinary clothes (I think you can name some), which one are you more likely to go to if you want to speak to a nun?
And I'm also going to say that the cool people and the young people seem to tend to go for the cassock or habit.
And then there's the Facebook thing. Come on, if you've been ordained or tonsured, put it in your name! Don't be John Doe. If you're a priest, put your name as Fr. John Doe. I've heard it might be difficult to do that, but obviously there's a way (Bishop John and others have their Facebook names right).
Just saying.
I think clergy and religious should be more obvious when going about in public. What does this mean? Well, clerical dress at all times for one.
Going about in a cassock (we shall not speak of the suit; I know it's technically uniform for us but if I could change our particular law that'd be one of the first things to go) or habit kinda says "Hey everyone! Check it out! Priest/monk/nun! Right here, live and in person!" I remember reading a Star Wars book (I think it was a Jedi Quest?) where the padawans were told to keep their lightsabers out to alert the people to Jedi presence. I think this might have been to help maintain order, or perhaps reassure the people, or maybe something else. That's one of the things going about in the cassock does. It reminds people of the presence of priests/religious, and ought to remind them of the presence of God.
Think about it: given the choice of three priests, one in ordinary attire, one in a suit, or one in a cassock, whom are you going to go to for priest stuff? My first choice would be the one in the cassock. Okay, so I might be a bit biased, given that all three pastors I've had growing up and most of my friends seem more or less partial to the cassock. But still. And it seems that Bishop John wears one more often than not.
Or think about it again: given the choice of a nun in traditional monastic habit (think Christ the Bridegroom or the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George (FSGM)), or a nun in a pantsuit or ordinary clothes (I think you can name some), which one are you more likely to go to if you want to speak to a nun?
And I'm also going to say that the cool people and the young people seem to tend to go for the cassock or habit.
And then there's the Facebook thing. Come on, if you've been ordained or tonsured, put it in your name! Don't be John Doe. If you're a priest, put your name as Fr. John Doe. I've heard it might be difficult to do that, but obviously there's a way (Bishop John and others have their Facebook names right).
Just saying.
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
ReplyDeleteI seriously agree with this so hard.
I would love to see our deacons out there representing as well.
ReplyDeletePray for us religious to have th ecourage to remain steadfast in this. It can be difficult when going to the mall or out to eat...getting laughed at and stared at. I understand that it is part of the package...but we still need prayers for perseverance. Thank you for your input...in means a lot coming from someone who isn't a religious. Slava Isus Christu
ReplyDeleteJust read your "longer liturgies" post and now I'm doing the same thing as with that one... Nodding and smiling as I agree completely. I'm a teenager, and the best thing for a priest to do would be, a little more cassock and a little less "relevant" :-)
ReplyDelete