Why was Fr wearing white at Mass today . . .?

I gather from one of our parishioners that her eagle-eyed young son had commented on the white vestments I was wearing at Mass on Sunday.

First of all, I'm always delighted to hear that our children are taking such an interest in what is happening at Mass and secondly, I'm also always very happy to do my best to answer any queries so do please let me know if your children have posed any similar questions during or after Mass.

So, to the answer . . .

At different times in the Church's year, the priest will wear different coloured vestments to indicate which season it is; for example for most of the year, in what we call 'Ordinary Time', the priest will wear green vestments.

It is not only the priest's vestments that will be green, the tabernacle 'veil' (cover) will also be green and if there is a Deacon present his vestments will also be green.

Here is a simple list which gives the 'liturgical colours' and when they are used:

Green: Ordinary Time

White/Gold: Feasts; Christmas, Easter, Weddings, Baptisms etc.

Red: Feasts of the Lord’s Passion, Blood and Cross; Martyrs;
Holy Spirit (Pentecost, Confirmation)

Purple: Advent, Lent, Penitence, Funerals

White with blue: Feasts of Our Lady

Rose: Gaudete Sunday (3^rd Sunday of Advent) &
Laetare Sunday (4^th Sunday of Lent)

Sunday was the Solemnity of Christ the Universal King. A 'Solemnity' is a very special feast and so white vestments are worn, or sometimes even gold.

Next Sunday is the beginning of Advent which is also the beginning of the Church's year and the colour of the vestments will change again. I hope all our young people will be watching carefully to see which colour it will be!

Liturgical colours . . .

A little while ago I posted a video from iPadre describing the vestments worn by a priest and the symbolism of each garment. Some of you may have missed this earlier video and others of you may like to refresh your memories by following the link here.

Here is another excellent video from the same source in which Fr Finelli explains why different colours are used in the Church at different times in the liturgical year.

I hope you find it helpful.

Why do you wear those funny clothes?

"Why do you wear those funny clothes?"

Yes, I was actually asked this one day. Admittedly by a very young child whose family were not church goers and this child had probably never seen a priest in clerical dress before.

Now our young altar servers are used to seeing me in 'these funny clothes' and I hope they don't think there's anything 'funny' about them at all.

Sometimes, however, when in the sacristy before or after Mass I take the opportunity to talk to the young servers about the vestments worn by the priest and what they symbolise.

Whilst looking for some good pictures of vestments on the Internet, I came across this video which I think you might find interesting. It is a little long (about 5 minutes) but worth watching as the priest explains very clearly and demonstrates how and why each item is worn, as he is vesting.

I hope you find it helpful.