On Dressing Up (For Church)

Why do so many clerics have trouble with their confreres' preference for more rather than less in clerical attire?

Some people dress down to go to Church, some people dress in their Sunday best. Priests represent the Church, some dress down to represent her, others dress up. Take your pick! Each will be judged accordingly.

Just remember, there is no parable about a man being thrown out of the banquet for being dressed up with the wedding garment!

I know a priest who will only wear his cassock in his room! He changes to go out.  He has no problem roaming the wide world dressed as if he were a layman and yet cannot get himself to go out on the street with the cassock. Go figure!

This thought came to me after Sunday Mass at my ethnic and largely Haitian parish where the families all dress up very formally for Mass--like for no other occasion: men and women in formal dress and hats of all types and national traditions! Splendid!

How ridiculous the spectacle of the now infamous Saint Patrick's day parade where all of the men in traditional attire wear their distinctive hats and the princes of the Church go bare headed!

"But as for me and my house we will serve the Lord!" (Joshua 24:15)