In Order Not to Lose a Priest in Winter (of the Church) We Recommend the Soutane!

While Rome does not take any concrete measures after the Anti-Abuse Summit, the Society of Saint Peter gives a simple and concrete recommendation.

(Freiburg im Üchtland) The Church goes through a winter in Western Europe. So is the priesthood. A simple and concrete answer comes from the Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), packed in a sympathetic message.

The two phenomena, the crisis of the clergy and the Church, are closely related. The winter is expressed in the decline of priestly vocations, the consequent shortage of priests and currently with great publicity in the sexual abuse scandal by clerics.

Against this background, the Priestly Society (FSSP) has launched an original initiative. It gives an answer with image and text, dressed in a sympathetic message with a double meaning.

You can take the picture and the accompanying text literally and take it as a sympathetic greeting. But it can also be read in response to the crisis, the winter that the priesthood is currently living through.

The picture shows in winter landscape four priests of the brotherhood in Soutanes, in addition the message:

"In order not to lose a priest in the snow in winter, we recommend the cassock."

It is a concise, catchy answer that appeals to reason, emphasizes the special status of the priesthood, and addresses in a friendly invitation both the Church hierarchy and each individual priest.

See also on the subject of priestly clothing:

My priestly dress protected me

The cowl does not make a monk yet. No cowl even less ...

"VIVA la Sotana!" - a homage to the priest's clothing

Communist daily demands return to priestly clothing - "Civil clothes in the nettles"

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Picture: MiL

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMD

A True Priest Doesn't Hide Himself

The Soutane which is required as clerical attire in the Church law books, shows itself to be ever a career killer.

(kreuz.net)"I have decided for several years now to almost exclusively wear the Soutane."

Father Hendrick Jolie said this for the most recent interview of the Catholic monthly magazine 'Kirchliche Umschau'.

The Soutane is is in the eyes of the clergyman an acceptable and practical possibility, it makes the clergyman stand out in public:


"The Priest is not >>better<<. but most probably he's, >>other<<'  -- he explains.

The robe offers its wearer in the experience of Father Jole "A Certain protection -- in public as also in private areas."

The priest experiences from that point in the concreteness of his body the blessing of his spiritual attire:

"The Soutane reminds its wearer then, that he is consecrrated i a certain way by God and that this consecrated soul and body embrace."

Father Jolie eplains that there are certain clear requirements, that prescribe clerical clothing:

"The priest must be recognizeable, just like, if in the Soutane or with a collar."

Young Clerics Like to Wear the Soutane

Then the question arises:  "What is it then, when-- irrespective of this prescription -- in a German Diocese the secretary of the Office of Priests is in civilian clothing --- in this case with a poorly tailored suit and mismatched tie  -- comes to the podium next to where his bishop sits and he doesn't distort his image?"

In this case the observer will consider that the entrance of the civil priest is also as a legislator -- and follows his example -- it is:

"The Soutane is  on the other hand  -- bound in any case according to the ecclesiastical law book  as clerical attire -- shown itself in reality to always be a >>career killer<<."

In this consideration Father Jolie sees a familiar and bizarre phenomenon:  "Whoever tries to be obedient, must be prepared to be apologetic and sternly pressured to change."

Read the article in German, kreuz.net...

The Soutane is A Sign of the Avant-garde of the New Clergy

Editor: The Soutane is a prayer.

An outer sign of the inner decay of the Presbyterium

Father Hendrick Jole in Interview: The Soutane is the sure sign of the avant-garde of the new clergy.

[kreuz.net] "I decided some years ago to wear the soutane," says the Mainz Priest, Father Hendrick Jolie, on Monday in an interview with Linz website, 'kath.net'.

Father Jolie sees the priestly robe in connection with Benedict XVI's approach to the "hermeneutic of continuity":

"The Pope maintains with this formula that there are not "two Churches" -- one before and one after the Council, rather one Roman Catholic Church."

That is also the reason, according to Father Jolie, why Benedict XVI. has rehabilitated the Old Mass and has explained the Council in the light of Tradition.

He quotes the Pope: "What was holy to previous generations, remains for Holy and great for us as well."

Father Jolie forsees the conclusion in that: "In the sense of the Hermeneutic of the continuity the Soutane is neither pre- or post-Conciliar."


One must take insults in stride

The Soutane is much more suitable -- "and it is shown itself to be very practical" -- to afford the opportunity, to make the spiritual stand out visibly in public.

It makes the man also more concerned, that the Priest is "other":

"That is often lumped together as being "reactionary" or "conservative", and I take that in stride."

Actually: "Priests, who observe with Pope Benedict the hermeneutic of continuity are neither conservative nor progressive."

Father Jolie sees in them the avant-garde of the new clergy.

A sad sign of disobedience

The Clergyman points out that the law of the Church requires that a priest is obligated (duty bound) to wear priestly clothing:

"For that reason there is a sad sign of disobedience and the disunity of the clergy, if the priest ignores this duty."

That is for Father Jolie an outer sign of the decay of the presbyterium.

For: "Wherever priests are not in unity with each other, they fail also to be united with their flocks.

Original, krez.net...here


© Photo: Nick in exsilio, CC