Yes Deacon Greg Kandra protestants prancing around in clerics is a scandal

edited: it was not nice to call patheos types goombas... not nice, should have defined it first... im sorry

BTW, the only thing good I will say about this picture and the others on Patheos is that at least they are not afraid to be seen wearing their 'clerics' in the public

Patheos 

So my facebook feed had this on it tonight with yes that headline.  Now before you call me a hypocryt dont blame me I dont follow Patheos goomba patrols, blame Matthew Olson for commenting on it and therefore it being on my feed.

Where to begin?

I gather the source of scandal is the notion of a woman wearing a clerical collar (rather than the  concept of her wearing a tasteful black dress to go with it.)
Well, this isn’t really anything new. A lot of Protestant ministers, some of them women, wear the classic “tab” collar. They’ve been doing it for years.

Just your average Joe Deacon

Ok so to begin with there is obvious scandal in that there are many groups apart from the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church (extra ecclesiam nulla salus) that like to call themselves Christian parading about in what seems to be clerical garb which has the distinction of holding some authority.  One cannot consciously say there is no scandal.  Are you blind?  Do you only see clerical garb as clothing.... oh wait we are talking about Deacon Average Joe, I'm just like you.  For crying out loud, you Deacon Kandra have been given orders by an apostle of the Church to represent the Church, to stand out in the world not just in how you act but how you look.  We are not gnostics that merely see ourselves spiritually but materially as well and the way you dress speaks to the person or the office you hold.  If Barry comes out of the White House one day sporting a "wife beater" and sweat pants he does a disservice to the office because he is not above the office that he holds.  This is true for all people, especially those consecrated or ordained, they are to live in the world (some) but not be of it.  And giving a witness with the way you dress shows people the seriousness you take in filling that office within Holy Mother Church.  That protestants are mimicking Catholics in what they wear is a scandal in that it puts confusion in the hearts of the already non-formed faithful that are already prone to indifferentism.  This minimalist attitude of 'I dont wear my clerics because it doesnt matter, plus those who focus on such are clericalists' has got to be one of the most blind personal decisions to take hold since the council (well maybe the continuance of versus populum mass and other things are just as bad or worse, but hey the minimalists dont care in the Church of Nice).  That we pretend its ok for these laymen to dress like they hold a real office is a sham, they are laymen clinging to error and for some reason we are content to see to it that nothing is said about them mimicking and or mocking Catholics by using clerical garb to their ultimately evil ends because they are content to keep peace with material heretics by not offending their sensibilities

It’s becoming so common, in fact, that most suppliers of clergy apparel now cater to both men and women.
This led me on a fascinating Google search I never thought I’d undertake: “Clergy shirts for women.”

Yet another aspect of the scandal is that the faithful, who again are not taught the faith of Our Fathers to any meaningful extent now see women prancing about in clerics fostering more indifferntism.  Yes women wearing clerical garb is a scandal because it is not proper to them be they lay or "ordained" by heretics who have no authority themselves(which they are because calling them ministers is only a feel good, non confrontational way of perpetuating insanity).  Just because it is the thing for Protestants to do now in ordaining women doesn't mean we are silent on the issue.  JPII, when the episcopalians "ordained" the active same sex attracted guy cut off all talks with the Anglicans (one of the few things I applaud him for btw).  But to some there would be no scandal there because, hey, their protestants thats what they do, so lets let bi-gones be bi-gones.  Cowards, they mock Christ and call themselves Christians, and you are content giving them that title.  And another thing why is a deacon of the Church wasting his time searchig for such things.... what about the so called new evangelization?

People who are upset about that image at the top of this post are falling prey to a manufactured outrage that isn’t really all that outrageous—and the issue is older than some realize. The simple fact is: it’s not uncommon for non-Catholic ministers to dress like Catholic clergy. It’s just that now, a growing number of those ministers are women.
Lest we forget: nearly 70 years ago, David Niven was depicted as an Episcopal bishop with both the tab collar and—spoiler alert— a wife.

So in other-words the Deacon has fallen, himself, prey to complacency.  And complacency breeds contempt, especially for those that dont just take a ho-hum approach to those that have chosen to separate themselves from Christ.  That this issue is not brought up today is outrageous because their is no zeal to call out confusers of truth.  When they dress as they do they cause scandal because their is no distinction between those with true authority and those that are self-appointed buffoons of error.

It’s also worth noting that the clerical collar itself is a relatively modern invention. In fact, its roots aren’t even Catholic. Wikipedia points out:

Which makes me wonder more why Catholic clerics give their assent to such things.  The Roman Cassock is the clerical garb of the Church from time immemorial yet you will hardly ever see it worn by a cleric in the confines of the Church or in public because they worry that they will be perceived as being clerical and not friendly.  Take for instance my own archdiocese.  One priest wished to wear a cassock and was called into the Bishops office for having had the gull to do so, when the USCCB made specific allowances (theres double speak for you) so priests that chose to do so would not be persecuted as being clericalists.  When in reality most priests in this diocese will not be caught dead in public wearing their clerics and even sneer at those that do.  Give witness to the faith not just in the actions and thoughts but in the way you look because then the world will know you stick out like a sore thumb to them calling them to something greater than yourselves, the office you hold

Also, why are so many Fathers in the faith removing their Fr. status from their Facebook pages?  Is this tryng to prevent clericalism or more liberal pandering to a world devoid of fathers to begin with?

Dear Average Joe Deacon Kandra dont be complacent with this but give testimony to the true scandal that it is!!

Look at that lace! What a Clericialist!!!!

A simple response to the charge of clericalism

Is it possible that someone can go overboard and fashion themselves as important and therefore above others because they have clerical status?

source

Sure it is.  Our Lord made clear in Matthew 20: 24-28

And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. 26It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister: 27And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. 28Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.

 Now the question is why is there a perception within the flock that clericalism has recently taken over?

There seems to be this incessant need to identify anything bespeaking of traditional doctrines or practice as being clericalism.  Wearing cassocks is seen as snooty, as being elitist.  Withholding communion from public unrepentant sinners is seen as being uncharitable and judgmental.  Kissing the ring of a Bishop or even the Pope is now frowned upon as being midevel or lording their beings over the others.

Terry talked about the latter issue in two posts you can find here and here. I cannot even begin to say how it bothers me how Bishops and even the Holy Father today are unsettled by kissing their ring or feet.  People in modernity are so concerned with the perceptions of others that they forget the faith is not about them as a person but about God and that which he gives to his Church, specifically offices.  I myself would have no problem kissing the feet of the Holy Father (as long as they are somewhat clean of course :-P) but modernity cannot fathom a reason for recognizing authority.  We see authority through the eyes of the egalitarian, that no one is more important than the other, and to take advantage of such a situation is lording it over the brethren.

Either Christ established the Church or he didn't.  Either Francis is "My sweet Jesus on Earth"  or he isn't.  But if he established the church and granted to certain people within it authority then why are we so afraid to recognize this authority with mental consent and with physical acts of piety.  I love the pictures of the Pre-concilliar popes riding on the papal throne flanked by fans on either side.  Do we look at the Pope on the personal level and proclaim him important above else because of his humanity?  Of course not, its because of his office that we give doubly the honor to him which St. Paul himself calls on all Christians to give, and this can take different forms, but dont discard something because your comprehension of the action is lack-luster.

I wont take up the issue of granting public sinners communion because it has been talked about so much over the years.  Suffice it to say scandal seems to be more welcome than the charity of correction in today's church.

I was also thinking of writing something about cassocks but I came across a fantastic, let me repeat FANTASTIC sermon that just came out on the importance of religious garb to the faith.  You can find it here.

Are there clerics that think themselves important and above the rest of the fold?  Most definitely and they need to be reminded that authority is for service.  But it is also important to recognize that clericalism is not limited to those with collars to to laymen who in their ignorance or active dissent want to drive every part of the faith down to their own desires, often stripping the faith down, even past its foundations, to create a comfortable faith that doesn't offend our modern sensibilities because after all we are so enlightened unlike the knuckle draggers of years gone by.