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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Religious Habits	John	Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Question: What are the minimum requirements of a nun's (or religious sister's) habit? Likewise, what are the minimum requirements of a monk's (or religious brother's) habit? I ask this because I'm deeply saddened by the increasing abandonment of religious habits amongst religious (as well as clerical attire of priests). For example, is it appropriate for a nun (or religious sister) to wear a simple habit consisting of a skirt and clearly visible cross - but no veil? Likewise, is it appropriate for a priest, religious brother (or monk) to wear an ordinary shirt and trousers and a cross on the collar or lapel - but no clerical collar, cassock, or habit. Here in Australia, there is an every-increasing trend particularly in our diocese for priests and religious to disregard traditional religious habits and other clerical attire. Yesterday, I was logged in to an e-conference and one of the presenters was a Josephite nun (rsj). I felt scandalised and deeply offended to see this woman (who claimed to be a Josephite sister) dressed up to the nines - wearing earings, rings, bracelets, necklace and makeup - and a tiny cross that you could hardly see on her lapel. Is it correct for our bishops to permit priests and religious to abandon religious attire in this way? I look forward to your response.
Question Answered by Dear John: Sorry for the long delay in answering. We have been offline while we install our website onto a new server. Concerning Priests: Priest are required by canon law to wear their clerical collar. Canon 284 states: Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Bishops' Conference and legitimate local custom. Requirements may vary from country to country and the requirement can be suspended or dispensed. The commentary from the University of Navarre states: The value of this distinctive sign [clerical garb] is not only its contribution to the decorum of the priest both in his outward behaviour and in the exercise of his ministry, but, above all, its manifestation within the ecclesiastical community of the public testimony that each priest is called to give of his own identity and the fact that he belongs especially to God. It is a message expressed by the priest both in words and in external signs. Ecclesiastical dress, therefore, is a sign which makes it easier for others to approach the ministry that the priests represent. In the society of today, where the sense of the sacred is so reduced, people have even more need of these calls to God, which cannot be disregarded without impoverishing the priestly service. Concerning Religious:What is said above can be applied to religious as well -- just replace the word "priest" with "Religious", "ecclesiastical community" with "community", and "Ecclesiastical dress" with "habit". Pope John Paul II, of happy memory, reminded the world's religious that they are to wear their habits. The nature and specifics of the habit among Religious is determined by the Order to which they belong. The primary problem is with women Religious to whom the devil has infected them with feminism. Many women religious have accepted the demonic lie that the will be "closer to the people" if they do not wear distinctive habits. This is hogwash. As Pope John Paul II said once (as best as I can remember the quote) shaking his finger at a group sisters when he was in Mexico, "You sisters need to remember you are brides of Christ, not social workers." Most people want to see sisters in habit and not some thinly disguised secular clothing. I know a couple of sisters who wear the full "penguin" habit. They are the only one in the diocese to do so. The other women religious have attacked them and, frankly act jealous of them, because they get a lot of attention and respect from parishioners. They can hardly visit a parish without being surrounded by dozens of people. That is how much the Faithful are thirsty to have sisters in habit. This alleged sister dress to the hilt with jewelry and such is not only violating the decorum and sacredness of the habit, but also her vow of poverty. She should be chastised and sent to monastery for re-education and reflection upon her vocation. The discipline for religious is with their religious superiors. The discipline with secular priests is with their bishop. Canon Law gives us the right to express our concerns about issues in the Church. I would advise you write a letter to your bishop about this, and a letter to the Religious Order about the sister with all the jewelry. In your letter, be business-like, and polite. Do not be emotional, but simply express your concerns for this trend among religious (or Priests) and why. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Religious Habits

John

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Question:

What are the minimum requirements of a nun's (or religious sister's) habit? Likewise, what are the minimum requirements of a monk's (or religious brother's) habit? I ask this because I'm deeply saddened by the increasing abandonment of religious habits amongst religious (as well as clerical attire of priests).

For example, is it appropriate for a nun (or religious sister) to wear a simple habit consisting of a skirt and clearly visible cross - but no veil? Likewise, is it appropriate for a priest, religious brother (or monk) to wear an ordinary shirt and trousers and a cross on the collar or lapel - but no clerical collar, cassock, or habit.

Here in Australia, there is an every-increasing trend particularly in our diocese for priests and religious to disregard traditional religious habits and other clerical attire.

Yesterday, I was logged in to an e-conference and one of the presenters was a Josephite nun (rsj). I felt scandalised and deeply offended to see this woman (who claimed to be a Josephite sister) dressed up to the nines - wearing earings, rings, bracelets, necklace and makeup - and a tiny cross that you could hardly see on her lapel.

Is it correct for our bishops to permit priests and religious to abandon religious attire in this way? I look forward to your response.

Question Answered by

Dear John:

Sorry for the long delay in answering. We have been offline while we install our website onto a new server.

Concerning Priests: Priest are required by canon law to wear their clerical collar. Canon 284 states:

Clerics are to wear suitable ecclesiastical dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Bishops' Conference and legitimate local custom.

Requirements may vary from country to country and the requirement can be suspended or dispensed.

The commentary from the University of Navarre states:

The value of this distinctive sign [clerical garb] is not only its contribution to the decorum of the priest both in his outward behaviour and in the exercise of his ministry, but, above all, its manifestation within the ecclesiastical community of the public testimony that each priest is called to give of his own identity and the fact that he belongs especially to God. It is a message expressed by the priest both in words and in external signs. Ecclesiastical dress, therefore, is a sign which makes it easier for others to approach the ministry that the priests represent. In the society of today, where the sense of the sacred is so reduced, people have even more need of these calls to God, which cannot be disregarded without impoverishing the priestly service.

Concerning Religious:What is said above can be applied to religious as well -- just replace the word "priest" with "Religious", "ecclesiastical community" with "community", and "Ecclesiastical dress" with "habit".

Pope John Paul II, of happy memory, reminded the world's religious that they are to wear their habits.

The nature and specifics of the habit among Religious is determined by the Order to which they belong. The primary problem is with women Religious to whom the devil has infected them with feminism. Many women religious have accepted the demonic lie that the will be "closer to the people" if they do not wear distinctive habits. This is hogwash. As Pope John Paul II said once (as best as I can remember the quote) shaking his finger at a group sisters when he was in Mexico, "You sisters need to remember you are brides of Christ, not social workers."

Most people want to see sisters in habit and not some thinly disguised secular clothing. I know a couple of sisters who wear the full "penguin" habit. They are the only one in the diocese to do so. The other women religious have attacked them and, frankly act jealous of them, because they get a lot of attention and respect from parishioners. They can hardly visit a parish without being surrounded by dozens of people. That is how much the Faithful are thirsty to have sisters in habit.

This alleged sister dress to the hilt with jewelry and such is not only violating the decorum and sacredness of the habit, but also her vow of poverty. She should be chastised and sent to monastery for re-education and reflection upon her vocation.

The discipline for religious is with their religious superiors. The discipline with secular priests is with their bishop.

Canon Law gives us the right to express our concerns about issues in the Church. I would advise you write a letter to your bishop about this, and a letter to the Religious Order about the sister with all the jewelry.

In your letter, be business-like, and polite. Do not be emotional, but simply express your concerns for this trend among religious (or Priests) and why.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum