Oh What A Century Can Do!
The Venerable Carolina Cannonball informs:
The installation of Reginald Weller as Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac, WI on November 18, 1900 caused a bit of scandal. It was labeled the ‘Fond Du Lac Circus’ because the traditionally vested episcopalian bishops looked a bit too “popish”.
As a matter of fact, “The liturgical use of the mitre was revived in the Church of England in the latter part of the 19th century, and is now fairly widespread.“
I think it has had a good run… after 100ish years, it might be time to retire that trend and move on…
David Bennett
Jennifer
asimplesinner
Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
carmelbennett
nicenehobbit
Jason S
jaybird68
papaz
March 24, 2008 at 5:03 am
Eek! What a dreadful, Technicolor dream (nightmare?) mitre!
Also, are there some Orthodox clergy in that picture above?
March 24, 2008 at 5:04 am
Never mind about my question in re: Orthodox clergy. I clicked the link in the post!
March 24, 2008 at 11:08 am
MY EYES! MY EYES! GOOD GRIEF, WHAT WRETCHEDNESS I BEHELD…
March 24, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I don’t mean this to sound uncharitable; just a reflection of my own personal experience.
I had been away from my Protestant church for quite some time, as I pondered coming back to Rome. In the course of that year of deciding, I attended daily Mass (including Masses by the Roman, Melkite, Maroite, Ukrainian and Armenian Rites as well), learning the rubrics of, and coming to terms or what REALLY is happening at the Mass, and who IS REALLY present at the Mass, I was not prepared for what this would do to me mentally for the tradition I left behind.
After I was confirmed in the Church at the Easter Vigil, I had to do the politically correct thing, and attend a Protestant (Methodist) service on Easter Sunday with my still Protestant mom and brother. As it so happened it was also a communion service (which made the contrast even more stark).
After all I had learned, seen, and experienced, I couldn’t help but look at the “service” at my former faith differently. All I could visualize, were kids playing dress up in their parents clothes, playing grown up. I had realized just how far I had come, and how I could never turn back.
Seeing Madame Bishop reminded me of that same feeling I had that day. Kids playing grownup in their parents clothes.
The irreverent rainbow miter makes it just sad.
March 24, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Wow. Color by numbers vestments.
I had a similar sad experience to PMG’s. On driving away from Easter services the radio was tuned to NPR. They basically took Easter as an opportunity to parade every “spiritual” “beauty of faith” nut they could fit in. An Episcopalian rector who used the Koran as proof texts about the sacrifice of Abraham. Another Episcopalian who had “moved beyond” the miracles of a “personal God” and found a new view of his faith while writing a book with a Jewish friend. And on and on…
March 24, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Seeing the photo of “that woman” (I will not dignify her with any title), the only thing that came to mind were those hideous “clown masses” of the late ’60s and early ’70s. It hit me that that is exactly what the Episcopal church (and many mainline Prot denoms) are - organizations that clown around with religion. But, “God is not mocked” and HE gets the last word.
March 24, 2008 at 5:53 pm
She looks like a TV test pattern
March 24, 2008 at 6:33 pm
theres a whole blog dedicated to ridiculing her attire… I’ll see if I can find it.
She even got a few votes in the Ugliest Vestment Contest last year.
March 24, 2008 at 11:37 pm
We can make fun all we want. Nevertheless, I’m sure we’ve seen the pictures of our own Catholic bishops wearing mitres just as bad.
March 24, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Just as bad sure… Heck I will concede likely worse - there are more of us and I read Catholic Church Conservation Blog - some of the Germans have worse taste than hippies on crack.
But it is worth noting, the mitre is ours and has been part of our tradition since its development. Anglicans - who in fact were NOT comprised of ANY “anglo-catholic” parties for centuries until the Oxford movement only recently added the mitre back.
It simply had not been part of their tradition.
March 25, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Kat,
You taunt us with your hollow promises of a blog dedicated to ridiculing the vestments of KJS. I lost an entire night’s sleep waiting for a link to a site dedicated to this serious matter. Torture us no more, Kat, torture us no more. ;)