Today marked an important milestone in my twenty four years in holy orders, twenty three of them as a priest. I ordered a new cassock.
That is no interest whatsoever to most normal people, but to those whom I know in the clericus, and the priests who read these rambling columns, that may come as a bit of a surprise! Wear the same cassock for nearly a quarter of a century? Well, yes. And not only does the cassock in which I was ordained (under those awe-inspiring arches in Wells cathedral with soaring music and.... sorry.) still fit me, just, but it is also slowly deteriorating in condition and shape. It's just... well, those wax stains on both cuffs are stubborn, and the hem of the skirt is a little shabby, and the whole thing is now a little tight under the arms...
I will wear this, my old Venheems cassock tomorrow morning as I bury my old friend Stuyvesant Wainwright, but it might be its last outing. Who knows? It begs the question: How does one retire a cassock?
1 comment:
You find an Am Dram group that needs items in its costume store. I've passed on several items in that direction.
I'm still on my original cassock, and the College hood now has a few holes along its folds, but both will hopefully last for another 7 years.
(I'm on my third alb!)
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