Mother?

[Southern Breeze]

I went to visit a friend in the hospital early this morning. On the way home I stopped at Wal-mart. Before I go farther this is what I was wearing: kilt- Sw Blackwatch, hose,flashes and a blue clergy shirt. While I was in line at the checkout, a older women asked me "Father,are you not worried that someone will mistake your kilt for a skirt and call you Mother?" She was smiling when she said this.After we stopped laughing I explained that I wasn't Catholic and that priests only wore black shirts. We ended up having a good laugh and a pleasant conversation while waiting.

[macwilkin]

I went to visit a friend in the hospital early this morning. On the way home I stopped at Wal-mart. Before I go farther this is what I was wearing: kilt- Sw Blackwatch, hose,flashes and a blue clergy shirt. While I was in line at the checkout, a older women asked me "Father,are you not worried that someone will mistake your kilt for a skirt and call you Mother?" She was smiling when she said this.After we stopped laughing I explained that I wasn't Catholic and that priests only wore black shirts. We ended up having a good laugh and a pleasant conversation while waiting.

I know quite a few Episcopal priests who wear clergy shirts in other colours besides black, and quite a few Anglican, Orthodox and Lutheran clergy who wear black shirts.

Cheers,

Todd

[Shay]

"Father,are you not worried that someone will mistake your kilt for a skirt and call you Mother?".

Heehee- This is why I'll never make a good pastor*, I immediately thought of the witticism, "I've been called a 'mother' before, but not usually in a religious sense, if ya catch my drift. Have a great day!"


(*Well, and most Friends here don't use 'em anyway)

[GlassMan]

Not all priests wear just black shirts. When I was at Yale I was friends with Bishop Rosazza and he sometimes wore other colors. But then, he was Bishop so I guess he could do as he pleased.

I also have a friend who is a protestant minister and he has clerical shirts in almost all the colors of the rainbow including one that is bright pink!

[macwilkin]

Not all priests wear just black shirts. When I was at Yale I was friends with Bishop Rosazza and he sometimes wore other colors. But then, he was Bishop so I guess he could do as he pleased.

In the Anglican tradition, Bishops wear a purple shirt and purple vestements to signify their office.

Cheers,

Todd

[Shay]

Pardon my ignorance but would there be 'Mothers' in other religious traditions as well?

I thought that was strictly a Catholic term for a nun, as women cannot be Catholic priests. Which would mean SB was right in saying he was not a Catholic and discussing their vestments as a seperate tradition. (Though I think there are 'Mothers' who serve in other congregations, I tend to think of it as a honorary title, like my grandpop being called 'Mayor' of the old neighborhood, or my husband's coworkers calling him 'El Jefe' even though he's not the actual bos.)

As far as I can remember, the reason priests are called "Father" was because the priests supposedly represent/stand in for God the Father in that religion, and lots of Christians I know would feel a little weirded out referring to a priest as Mother since the biblical God is depicted as male. (I guess the same would go for Orthodox rabbis, too.)

I'm just curious if what I was taught as a child (By my Catholic grandma, natch) is actually true!

[bubba]

Nuns are generally called Sister with the exception of the head Nun in an order who is called Mother Superior. That's all I know about it.

[Southern Breeze]

The looks you get while kilted are nothing compared to the one you get while kilted wearing a clergy shirt! :-D