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QUAERITUR: What to wear when serving Mass
I received a question via e-mail:
Father,
Recently we have been trying to introduce the Tridentine Mass to my parish, and fortunately we now have a new priest who is open to tradition. We have yet to overcome several obstacles, including sending our priest to be properly trained, but I am confident our efforts will be realized. I have offered to serve Mass in the Tridentine form and I have ordered the necessary literature and training information. My problem is I have looked online and have had no success in finding instructions on what garb I am to wear. I assume a cassock and surplice, but I was wondering if you could inform me of any rules regarding dress and also a quality site to order from online. These questions may seem very obvious, but my parish is currently very uninformed about most aspects pertaining to the Tridentine form. On a separate note: I am an avid reader of your blog and I truly enjoy your posts.
Thank you for your time.
In a pinch, anything decent would serve, so to speak. If necessity strikes, wear your "Sunday Best".
However, the traditional garb would be, as you surmise, cassock of some color, black might be best depending on what the priest wants for his servers, and white unadorned surplice of some style.
At the Latin Mass Magazine Conference in Monterey in February of the present year,
Comment by Un Mexicano Tradicional — 28 August 2008 @ 2:36 pmthe priest had a server who was dressed in Sunday clothes. it did not seem like anybody
minded, and the Server, who was from Los Angeles was reverent, and fulfilled the role of
server very well.
We all serve in Cassock and Surplice. No rabat.
If it’s an important feast, or you’re Thurible, then you get some lace. Otherwise, plain.
Comment by Mark M — 28 August 2008 @ 2:37 pmWhat I have always found odd, is that in almost every TLM peformed in a parish church, at the moment when communion is distributed, there are 1 or 2 (depending on the size of the crowd) priests who come out to help…ALWAYS dressed in the post Vatican II style vestments. It’s almost as if they are doing it begrudgingly.
Comment by Deusdonat — 28 August 2008 @ 2:43 pmYou can try gaspardinc.com They have cassocks and surplices that you can order online. I assume you are living in the U.S. and if you live near Wisconsin, you can go to their store, which is just outside Milwaukee, and try on some for yourself. They are also reasonably priced, with surplices going for 30 bucks or something like that. Also, wear black pants with black shoes so that it conforms with the cassock. Hope this helps!
Comment by Cory — 28 August 2008 @ 2:44 pmAt my parish, the usual garb is a black cassock (with snap fasteners) and a white, plain surplice with square yoke. The surplice is not knee-long, but the shorter type. IMHO it is desirable for servers to wear matching color shoes and trousers.
Comment by Derik Castillo — 28 August 2008 @ 2:45 pmWe started out trying most of the U.S. suppliers ordinarily mentioned, but now order all our servers’ cassocks and surplices from Philadelphia-based
St. Jude Religious Stores
Comment by Henry Edwards — 28 August 2008 @ 2:52 pmhttp://www.st-jude.com
888-662-2356 (toll free)
In Dublin we just have cassock and surplice, but I found that the cassock is armless (only covers shoulders if even) so I would recommend maybe wearing a black shirt aswell. And also I thought that all priests not celebrating mass but “in coro” were supposed to wear cassock and surplice aswell but if they were giving out communion they were supposed to have a stole of the colour of the vestments. Am I right in saying this is stated in the rubrics/liturgical manuals?
Comment by Chris Murphy — 28 August 2008 @ 2:57 pmIn Nomine Christi
I concelebrated the first Mass of the friar with whom I was ordained.
All four of his altar servers were girls.
All four wore pink flip flops.
Fr. Philip, OP
P.S. He did not pick these young women to serve. They were the servers assigned for that morning Mass.
Comment by PNP, OP — 28 August 2008 @ 2:58 pmFr. Phillip,
There seems to be, unfortunately, a key piece of information missing from your post. Did the flip flops have buckles?
In Christ,
Comment by Nathan — 28 August 2008 @ 3:07 pmNathan,
That’s the funniest thing I’ve read all week.
Comment by Richard — 28 August 2008 @ 3:11 pmLo these many years ago—thirty to thirty-five or so—there were Butterick or Simplicity patterns for boys’ (as opposed to men’s, of course) cassocks and cottas (which we called surplices or really “surpluses”). My mom made a few. If there is any interest, I just might be able to scare the patterns up if they are not already somewhere somehow on the Internet.
I cannot recall the brand that the store-bought were—any Catholic goods store would be able to help—but I do remember that they were quite economical.
Comment by Daniel Muller — 28 August 2008 @ 3:15 pmAt my parish, we use black cassock ans white surplice—the adults have nicer stuff than the kids, for now.
The rule to wear stuff under the cassock: black pants, black socks, black shoes. It just looks a lot nicer, and makes us look more uniform. The pants and socks aren’t as important for the adults—our cassocks are tailored to fit. The kids grow out of cassocks quickly, however, and we don’t have a full range of all the sizes in stock, so usually there’s up to 3 inches of their pants showing.
As for shirts… I usually wear a synthetic wicking-fabric t-shirt under my cassock, because in our parish it’s 10 degrees hotter in the sanctuary than in the nave.
Comment by Aaron Traas — 28 August 2008 @ 3:19 pmAlso, the tradition is usually square neck surplice for servers with the men and/or boys in the schola wearing round neck cuts.
Comment by Ken — 28 August 2008 @ 3:31 pmPresuming cassock and surplice are available, the thing that is most likely to ruin the whole effect is inappropriate footwear. Shoes should be black and not runners/trainers. Most servers I know wear black dress shoes or brogues, usually smartly polished.
When we chant vespers in choir—i.e. liturgical choir in the Sanctuary—we are similarly attired. I have a friend who wears black Chinese slippers, which are actually quite nice because he moves around silently as cantor. I, it should be admitted, have been known to wear sandals in summer, which some people would probably frown on. I wouldn’t if serving, but in choir it seems innocent and vaguely monastic.
Oh, and if your trousers are not black, it is better to roll them up so that they do not show below the cassock, since that is distracting.
Comment by John Hudson — 28 August 2008 @ 4:07 pmI’ve seen ‘Sunday best’ at the London Oratory (at an EF Low Mass years ago – I don’t know what they do there these days).
Black cassock and square-necked surplice is surely the classic serving vesture. I may be flamed down for saying this, but I think a nice, traditional appareled alb can be beautiful too.
Comment by Al — 28 August 2008 @ 4:09 pmWhen you purchase cassocks be certain NOT to purchase the polyester….it may not wrinkle, but it is VERY warm
I believe the last we purchased were from AUTOM….We also require our servers to wear black trousers underneath, black shoes and socks…then if they grow out of the cassock faster than we can replace it, it still looks dignified. I have been looking for old patterns for surplices….if you can find them I would love to have them. We are looking to sew some to economize.
Comment by momoften — 28 August 2008 @ 5:29 pmFr. PNP felt obliged to obey, but needs to have a talk with his Bishop. Pink flip-flops? How offensive to one’s sensibilities
Comment by David Vand