Style and the Priesthood

A Canadian priest keeps warm outside.

Oh well, at least coprohagia and coprophilia were given a wide berth during this morning's homily. We must be thankful for small mercies...

“About rigidity and worldliness, it was some time ago that an elderly monsignor of the curia came to me, who works, a normal man, a good man, in love with Jesus – and he told me that he had gone to buy a couple of shirts at Euroclero [the clerical clothing store] and saw a young fellow - he thinks he had not more than 25 years, or a young priest or about to become a priest - before the mirror, with a cape, large, wide, velvet, with a silver chain. He then took the Saturno, he put it on and looked himself over. A rigid and worldly one. And that priest – he is wise, that monsignor, very wise - was able to overcome the pain, with a line of healthy humor and added: ‘And it is said that the Church does not allow women priests!’. Thus, does the work that the priest does when he becomes a functionary ends in the ridiculous, always.”~ Pope Francis, 9th December 2016

May I suggest a campaign to fit our parish priests out with a nice warm clerical coat, preferably made with a decent, warmth-enhancing material in these cold winter months and a stylish, warm saturno. It's not all about looking good. Sometimes its about keeping warm. It also goes without saying that personally, while trying on an item of clothes, which you are going to spend good money on, it is always advisable to look in a mirror, not necessarily out of vanity, but perhaps just to check whether the clothes fit you and, indeed, suit you.

However... 

'It's just a saturno. It can do you no harm.'

There is a place for style in the Catholic Church.

As a certain TV series is currently demonstrating.

Priests take certain vows to which they are bound.

No priest takes vows not to look great.

'It's not about me. It's about the liturgy.'