Saviour John Galea, Rabat
The priest, the cassock and the collar
I was shocked to hear a member of the clergy say on a television show that the young priests are wearing their cassock and their collars in the hope of getting promotions within the Church hierarchy.
Would anyone from the leaders of the Church tell us, poor faithful, if this is true?
I have always considered the cassock and the collar worn by priests as their holy uniform. Has the cassock and the collar been rendered to such earthly ambitions? Such a uniform called for as much respect as the uniform of a policeman or a soldier.
Is it true that many priests and religious persons do not wear their uniform out of humility, as we were led to believe by the speaker in this programme? What kind of humility is this? Is it learnt from the Bible? Or is it perhaps that many priests and religious persons prefer not to be identified as such, to be free to do whatever they like, without being noted by the man in the street?
Can anyone in the Church explain to us without too much beating around the bush whom should we respect?
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Joe Xuereb
Sep 5th 2010, 18:49
@Ms.Pace. You're studying philosophy/psychology? You could have fooled me! Except you didn't. I 'humbled' myself to your level because you yourself implored Mr. Cassock: '.......might have about the Church..in VERY SIMPLIFIED MANNER which is UNDERSTANDABLE TO US. Further down you say, quote: Teresa Pace(10 hours, 56 minutes ago) 'From when does a person consider - DAN minn meta persuna tikkonsidra...... This is Malglish pure and simple Terez - what a priest say as law? - dak li jghid il-patri, ligi. Malglish again. A priest is a person and is entiltled to his opinion thus what this priest said on tv(???????). But then when a priest comes to talk about Christ and what He teaches, ah then that is a different story......the priest and the Church is manipulating our thoughts and is not leaving us free!!! Again, this longish sentence is pure Malglish. Giving attention to details and not getting the deep ends (what!what!????). Such a complicated world.....this world's indeed complicated Terezin!(LOL). Now I've nothing against people studying both Ps. I'd get a Primer and somewhere there, you should find a chapter that goes into WHY people need relgion. Could be quite an eye- opener. Faith could transmute>commonsense. There's a difference.
j grech
Sep 5th 2010, 00:11
i am sorry to say i dont like or respect the clergy BUT i will say in their defence why cant they wear civilian clothes when they are not on duty a nurse,doctor,police officer change out of uniform when they are off shift, an office worker changes into something comfortable once he / she leaves the office, so whats the difference its only a uniform ?
Dunstan Camilleri
Sep 4th 2010, 20:41
Can any one explain to me what diffrence does it make too you with or with, without cassock and collar ? Becuase for me it doesn't make any difference some times I feal much more at ease when I talk to my spirtiual minister and he's wearing civilian clothes, God is every were fealt in presence and seen,in my humble opion same should wear his unifrom whilst performing mass or other religous functions we need more priest's in our comunite like Dun Marc Andre Camilleri.God bless you Fr.
c. camilleri
Sep 4th 2010, 16:59
Saviour you hit the nail on the head. Yes many of our priests prefer to wear lay man's attire so that they would not be easily identified when they frequent certain places and associates with certain individuals.
Franco Farrugia
Sep 4th 2010, 19:08
I am sorry but I have no words to show my disgust at this apparent judging of good priest who, however, respect the signs of the times and do not feel the need to wear their garb. What's so wrong about that? What proof do you bring to strengthen your assertion? And what about this 'association with certain individuals'? What 'individuals' are you talking about? After all, Christ himself associated himself with sinners and pagans! It's all over the New Testament.
M Attard
Sep 4th 2010, 15:54
If it takes a cassock to make a priest ,then it doesn't say very much ,does it. Come to think of it.why a priest at all?.If you want to be a force for good in this World you don't need to join anything. Just do .Just be. It's not the uniform that impresses but what you are as a human being.
Dun Marc Andre` Camilleri
Sep 4th 2010, 16:37
I agree fully with you a cassock does not necessarily make one a good priest. I don't on the other hand think that using a cassock and being a good priest are mutually exclusive either.
M attard
Sep 4th 2010, 17:10
As an individual and as a member of an organisation,you are of course welcome to wear and do whatever you want.provided it's not against the law. Personally,I am not impressed by uniforms and if the Vatican thinks that people still are,then it is mistaken,at least in as far as thinking folk are concerned. Sadly I know that there are many simple folk who just follow, for no other reason that their betters(for want of a better word) haven't seen fit to enlighten their mind and prefer them to remain in a semi degative state,but then thinkers have always been dangerous in the eyes of a few..
Joe Xuereb
Sep 4th 2010, 15:23
@Teresa Pace (via Gino Cefai (2hrs.2mins.ago). Quote: 'One can even understand this, as there is persecution for the truth'. Ms. Pace, has it ever occurred to you that the persecutors of truth could be more true than what currently is passing for the truth. Which could well be the fake truth that is being persecuted for claiming to be the true 'truth'.
I am sorry I could not put it in simpler words, and that it sounds a bit convoluted. The point is, what we presently accept as truth has never been scientifically proven. And the perceived persecutors of the present, accepted truth may themselves hold the key to what may turn out to be the ultimate 'door-opener', the true truth.
Teresa Pace
Sep 4th 2010, 16:47
Thank you for humbling yourself and expressing yourself so simply for my sake!!! For a believer there is one Truth! Others are welcome to believe whatever they want, they are free to do so, to be subjective. There are many perspective to truths, as I learnt in psychology and philosophy during the theology degree course I am currently doing, and that I respect, but when it comes to belief there is only one Truth.
Pule' Carmel
Sep 4th 2010, 14:35
Mhux il libsa u lir-rtok jaghmlek nies.
renald williams
Sep 4th 2010, 13:03
the Bible was mentioned, here is a Gospel quote... peace and health
Jesus… In His teaching He was saying: Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes. Mark 12:38, Luke 20:46.
Teresa Pace
Sep 4th 2010, 13:56
The bible also says to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing and that even the devil knoww how to quote scriptures. Blessings
GinoCefai
Sep 4th 2010, 12:53
Priest and any kind of Curia individuals,,, live them say and do what they want , then it is us that must never belived or trust them. every word they say is fake.
Teresa Pace
Sep 4th 2010, 13:10
What can I say...I do understand why you reason this way - it is an anticatholic, anti clerical world! One can even understand this, as there is persecution for the truth.
charles spiteri
Sep 4th 2010, 12:51
i was shocked, at first, to hear such comments, but rethinking, they are still humans. what shocked me even more though, was other comments he did in the same conversation. that is, regarding his whims when he was vexed due to misbehaving during an anniversary mass celebration. his remarks did not show respect, to say the least.
Dun Marc Andre` Camilleri
Sep 4th 2010, 12:45
I am one of these young priests who are using the collar and cassock on a regular basis.
This is an option which the church in Malta has offered to clergy according to the directives of the episcopal conference- the priest may either wear a cassock or a black or grey clerical suit and collar as street wear.
The use of distinctive clothing for clergy is an old tradition in the church and expected of us by the people of God. It is never a sign of authority but a symbol of service which we are there to offer at all times.
With the situation of the local church at the moment it is very unlikely that those who use the cassock will recieve any promotions. I for one have no such ambition. I cannot understand why certain priests, who contrary to the diocesan directives choose not to make use of clerical garb, seem to be so concerned with my decision.
My humble opinion is, that the main problem is lack of tolerance, once the church's directive leaves the choice up to the individual priest, his brother priests should be humble enough to respect his decision.
Teresa Pace
Sep 4th 2010, 13:13
Thank you for taking your time to explain to us lay people. It is much appreciated and there is need for others like you to intervene with us people to explain to us any questions which we might have about the Church..in very simplified manner which is understandable to us.
Franco Farrugia
Sep 4th 2010, 14:40
Father, excuse my ten pennies' worth ... just my opinion: but by 'people of God', you must surely be referring to a particular section of the 'people of God'. You are merely impressing a particular, a very particular section of them, by wearing the cassock in today's world.
Dun Marc Andre` Camilleri
Sep 4th 2010, 16:00
I am not trying to impress anyone!
Franco Farrugia
Sep 4th 2010, 11:44
Do we respect religious simply because they wear their garb?
Melissa Bagley
Sep 4th 2010, 21:42
Let's go back to basics....did Jesus or his disciples wear any distinctive clothing in their time?
Teresa Pace
Sep 4th 2010, 10:06
From when does a person consider what a priest say as law? A priest is a person and is entiltled to his opinion thus what this priest said on tv. But then when a priest comes to talk about Christ and what He teaches, ah then that is a different story......the priest and the Church is manipulating our thoughts and is not leaving us free!!! Giving attention to details and not getting the deep ends. Such a complicated world.....
a calleja
Sep 4th 2010, 09:13
you should respect everyone irrespective of nationality, race, social status and profession. get a life.
John J. Galea Axiak
Sep 4th 2010, 09:08
Cucullus non facit monacum!
J Grima
Sep 4th 2010, 15:13
I can get the drift of your latin expression because there is a similar one in English but I suggest that, for the sake of those of us who decided at an early age not to go into the priesthood and chose French over Latin when we were ten or eleven at school, you will not flaunt your dead language in our faces and contribute in a langauge that ordinary people understand.
D Vella
Sep 4th 2010, 18:26
And yet both of you failed to translate,all the better for us to understand.
"The cowl does not the monk make"