SWWBO is Catholic. A good buddy of mine is Catholic. Me, well, I was raised "Generic Protestant" in terms of the military chaplaincy, with the family being split between Methodists and Episcopalians.
I'm not actually confirmed in any church, though I've sat on a board of a regional catholic charity. I was the token non-Catholic. Oh, that's not really fair. I was the most available guy from the area served by one of their outlying service centers, where I do volunteer work.
I like churches though. Especially gothic cathedrals. But I digress.
Catholics have kewl clothes for priests. Oh, heck, they're uniforms. And having spent a good chunk of my adult life in uniforms... In fact, my buddy Jim, who sent me this, aspires to join one of the few remaining militant orders of the Catholic Church. Mostly because he's a pretty conservative Catholic who thinks the Church needs some defending, and, well, because they have cool uniforms, too. He also spent a good chunk of his adult life not having to make many sartorial decisions.
He sent me this. It frankly reminded me of most of the Catholic chaplains I ever served with.
Click here for the blog itself - Standing On My Head. And because I know many of you will be wondering "What the heck is a cassock?" Here you go. Now you're slapping your forehead going, "Oh, those! So that's what they're called."
I'm not actually confirmed in any church, though I've sat on a board of a regional catholic charity. I was the token non-Catholic. Oh, that's not really fair. I was the most available guy from the area served by one of their outlying service centers, where I do volunteer work.
I like churches though. Especially gothic cathedrals. But I digress.
Catholics have kewl clothes for priests. Oh, heck, they're uniforms. And having spent a good chunk of my adult life in uniforms... In fact, my buddy Jim, who sent me this, aspires to join one of the few remaining militant orders of the Catholic Church. Mostly because he's a pretty conservative Catholic who thinks the Church needs some defending, and, well, because they have cool uniforms, too. He also spent a good chunk of his adult life not having to make many sartorial decisions.
He sent me this. It frankly reminded me of most of the Catholic chaplains I ever served with.
Click here for the blog itself - Standing On My Head. And because I know many of you will be wondering "What the heck is a cassock?" Here you go. Now you're slapping your forehead going, "Oh, those! So that's what they're called."
After four months of wearing my cassock and Benedictine scapular everyday as my work clothes, certain advantages and disadvantages have become apparent:
Pros
It looks smart
It really is more comfortable than a jacket
If your ermm, body shape fluctuates you have more expansion room
the pockets are capacious
It's cool when you want it cool--you can wear shorts and T-shirt underneath
It's warm when you want it warm--just wear warmer gear underneath
the high school kids generally think it cooler than a tab shirt etc.
it looks great with the big black cape I still have from my English days
the scapular makes a handy hotpad for getting things out of the oven
people in airports take notice
it is a sign of contradiction
a guy at the cash register at Office Depot asked about RCIA
The scapular makes you look thinner
it says 'Catholic and proud of it' in the Bible Belt
You are not mistaken for an Episcopalian
You can hide a sawn off shotgun underneath the robes
You can't misbehave when wearing the uniform
Cons
They're more likely to frisk you at the airport security... You might have a sawn off shotgun hidden up there
The scapular gets stuck in the car door
Personal errm...hygiene matters become more complicated
It can be tricky going up stairs
Like the Scotsman's kilt--people wonder what you wear underneath
The cat thinks the scapular is a plaything
The children think the scapular is a plaything (it is treated as a train or blindfold)
You're mistaken for a monk.
You're not mistaken for a monk.
The scapular gets caught in the spokes of the motorcycle wheel--definitely not good--especially at high speeds
All those buttons....but I'm not cheating with one of those zip up jobs
People at airports take notice
You can't misbehave when wearing the uniform
I have to stop hanging with you. Endangering my mortal soul you are!
So what "militant" orders still exist?
used in the context of "the Church Militant", it refers to the laity. so, a "militant order" would be an order that includes laity, not just clergy.
LOL! Guess it's your frame of reference. In my head it was my father's "off-the-boat-from-the-auld-sod" mother........not Yoda
Is he going KoC? I always wondered how one got into that.
1. you're Catholic and
2. you know somebody who's already a member so you can *ask* him what the requirements are...
Well? Are you telling me or ain't you?