Catholic Vestment Colors

EWTN ^ | December 26, 2003 | NYer

[NYer]

vestment colors
Question from Sean Williams on 04-24-2003:

Is it ever permitted to wear vestment colors other than those listed in the GIRM for a special occasion (e.g., blue for a Marian feast)? Also, on Holy Saturday, is it permitted to have a memorial service, as long as it does not involve exposition of the Blessed Sacrament?

Answer by Colin B. Donovan, STL on 05-01-2003:

No liturgies, whatsoever, are permitted on Holy Saturday, prior to the Vigil Mass. Nor may Communion be given, except to the dying.

Blue is not a color recognized for the United States. This would not forbid its use in decoration of a white vestment, the proper color for Our Lady's feasts.

GIRM 346. As to the color of sacred vestments, the traditional usage is to be retained: namely,

1. White is used in the Offices and Masses during the Easter and Christmas seasons; also on celebrations of the Lord other than of his Passion, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of the Holy Angels, and of Saints who were not Martyrs; on the Solemnities of All Saints (1 November) and of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (24 June); and on the Feasts of Saint John the Evangelist (27 December), of the Chair of Saint Peter (22 February), and of the Conversion of Saint Paul (25 January).

2. Red is used on Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion and on Good Friday, on Pentecost Sunday, on celebrations of the Lord's Passion, on the feasts of the Apostles and Evangelists, and on celebrations of Martyr Saints.

3. Green is used in the Offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.

4. Violet or purple is used in Advent and of Lent. It may also be worn in Offices and Masses for the Dead (cf. below).

5. Besides violet, white or black vestments may be worn at funeral services and at other Offices and Masses for the Dead in the Dioceses of the United States of America.

6. Rose may be used, where it is the practice, on Gaudete Sunday (Third Sunday of Advent) and on Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent).

7. On more solemn days, sacred vestments may be used that are festive, that is, more precious, even if not of the color of the day.

8. Gold or silver colored vestments may be worn on more solemn occasions in the dioceses of the United States of America.

[tiki]

Ditto at my parish.

[tiki]

A lot of my fellow parishioners disdain the C&E Catholics but I welcome them, hoping God will use that Mass to convict them to practice their faith once again. :-}

[Tantumergo]

MC = Master of Ceremonies

He has the responsibility of co-ordinating the altar servers, and often the role of sacristan will be incorporated with that of the MC.

[NYer]

I queried the pastoral associate (a very liberal Catholic I think) about it, she said that Blue is increasingly being used as an Advent Color. Any truth to that?

Keyword = LIBERAL! My pastor wore blue throughout Advent, hung a floor to ceiling banner in blue behind the altar - after he removed the Risen Christ statue from the wall (we're only allowed to have a crucifix during Lent). Like your parish, mine is run by liberals. When I commented about the absence of a crucifix, the pastor's response was: "Christ ONLY hung on the cross for 3 hours; He is risen forever". BTW, a canon lawyer has just confirmed my worst suspicions. The absence of a crucifix "near or on the altar" during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, renders it illicit.

Perhaps the liberal "in your face" attitude - blue during Advent, red on Christmas - is intended to be a show of defiance. That is why I posted this thread. Check the dates at the top. The question AND response are both dated this year.

[Salvation]

This year we put the following announcement in our Christmas bulletin and will repeat it at Easter time:

We sponsor a class for all returning Catholics regardless who may have left the church for any reason at all. Please call the parish office at --- --- ---- for more information about Catholics Can Come Home Again.

We'll have to see what happens. But our first duty as baptized Catholics is to always be inviting people to join us in our worship -- whether they are returning or new to the Catholic faith.

God bless!

[Salvation]

As far as I know, blue is not one of the approved colors. Perhaps some parishes are using it however.

[beelzepug]

"Survey: What color did the priest officiating at your Christmas Mass wear?"

Our priest (our Anglican parish priest is actually a retired bishop)wore a really beautiful coronation tapestry chasuble, heavy on the gold and very old, which we purchased from England. All the altar cloth - frontal, missal cover, etc.- were white with gold, and hand made by my wife who worked till the wee hours of Christmas eve day getting them finished. I'm so proud of her and the other ladies of our new congregation who have been making all altar linens by hand. We don't have a lot of money to work with and, to my mind, these are priceless.

[NYer]

I'm so proud of her and the other ladies of our new congregation who have been making all altar linens by hand. We don't have a lot of money to work with and, to my mind, these are priceless.

The selflessness of your wife and the other women (what no men? ... just kidding!) will be richly rewarded some day. Thank you for sharing that story.

You mention that this is a new congregation. Is this in any way the result of the ECUSA decision this year?

[trad_anglican]

I don't get it - why blue for the priest vestments? If it is some symbol of disobedience, then where did it come from as such a symbol to latch onto?

Blue vestments were worn during Advent in the Sarum Rite, which was the most widely used liturgy in England before the Reformation. Why modern American Catholic priests would wear blue is a mystery to me.