this is a little cheeky

[trooper]

SO, My son is an acolyte now, and to vest he wears a cassock and a cotta. Now that's it's summer, he has had a real problem with getting over-heated during the two services he serves. He tells me that he's afraid that he might pass out.

Anyway, not that it would be ok to strip down to boxers for the service, but could he wear shorts, a t-shirt, and black socks and still be "kosher" or does that violate some sort of dignified in service sort of policy. I wouldn't expect my priest to do this, but he's pretty young and easily affected by the heat.

Thoughts?

[Papist]

I have this problem too -- although it's the depths of winter right now, in our subtropical summer, our plastic albs are horrible. (Well nylon, but that's plastic in my book.) I would love to be able to afford to donate some cotton albs!

I don't think it would matter what he wears underneath -- the vestments cover you from high neck to foot.

[Fish and Bread]

I'm not sure what you're asking about -- what he actually wears period or what he wears underneath his robes. If you're speaking of what he wears underneath, check with the priest involved. A t-shirt and shorts should be fine, since they're not visible anyhow, though it is important to make sure your priest agrees just in case you have one of the rare priests who would object.

If you asking if he can go without robes completely, this is something that will vary from parish to parish. A t-shirt and shorts are, at least in my view, never acceptable attire on an altar, but some parishes may consider a short sleeve polo shirt with a collar and nice light breathable dress pants acceptable for an altar server on a really hot day, while others will insist on the traditional vestments. It'll likely depend in part on the level of formaility your parish normally observes and how the the priests involved feel about such issues. I definitely wouldn't ask the priest about the t-shirt, though, if you're intending it in place of robes -- that'll get shot down immediately. Instead, ask about a collared polo shirt, there's a chance he might go for that one. :)

John

[AveMaria]

I've been told that in the summer some of our acolytes wear t-shirts and boxer shorts underneath, but I've no idea if it's something they all do, or if it's just a rumor.

[Father Rick]

Personally, I wouldn't have a problem with it...

Have you talked to your priest about it?

[ContraMundum]

They do it all over the world. Seen it.

[pmcleanj]

A cassock is clothes. Stylized and traditional, but still, just clothes: not outer-wear, not an over-garment. The cotta is the over-garment.

One does not normally wear a full set of clothes under a full set of clothes. One normally wears undergarments, which is what your son is proposing and which is perfectly appropriate.

The question though, is what changing facilities are available. If he were in minor orders in the middle ages -- the motif that wearing cassock attempts to replicate -- he'd simply dress in his cassock when he got up in the morning and walk to church already clothed, and that wouldn't be a problem. But if he's going to change once he gets to church, and there's nowhere but the broom closet where some poor altar-guild lady may walk in on him, he might want to choose his under-cassock-wear accordingly.

[Zacharias]

he'd simply dress in his cassock when he got up in the morning and walk to church already clothed, and that wouldn't be a problem.
When/If I become a deacon or priest that's what I plan to do (everyday). :)

[Mysterium_Fidei]

There are three acolytes at my church, myself included. Two of us are raving traditionalists, myself included. We prefer the cassocks with cotta, however out of respect to the lady acolyte who gets terribly over heated we wear albs in the summer. No cooler, really.

We generally wear a short sleeve white shirt (polo or oxford) with proper church pants, black socks, and dress shoes. We don't typically wear a tee-shirt underneath our shirts for heating reasons. Last sunday we were in cassocks and the church's air conditioner broke before service.

I have no problem with 'undergarments' under the proper cassock, as pmclean said it is a set of clothes. (Of course, I'm generally the first one to get dressed and the last one to get undressed at church. I would wear it everywhere if I could get away with it. ;) )

[pmcleanj]

...we wear albs in the summer. No cooler, really.
A traditional cassock is floor-length black wool serge. Not being a cleric, I'm not likely to be wearing one anyway, but if I were, and if it were summer, I'd be looking for a living in some nicely northern place like Yellowknife. Cassock when the temperature is anywhere above 22C is a form of self-immolation.

The problem though that you'll run in to, is that cassocks and albs obtained from a church supply mail-order house may vary in some considerable degree from the materials and patterns of the past. You may have a calf-length "cassock" of cotton/polyester percale (in which case, yes, you'd better be properly dressed underneath it). Traditionally styled clerical garb made with traditional fibres is going to be more expensive to obtain, and more expense and trouble to care for.

Albs can be traditionally made either of wool, or of heavy linen. If you can acquire good heavy linen albs, I expect you'll find they're quite substantially cooler.

Regards,
Pamela

[trooper]

Wow. Thanks for the response. I haven't checked the label on his cassock, but it goes all the way down to the top of his shoes. I really appreciate the idea that he's already dressed when he wears the cassock and so we are evidently double layering him right now. His first day acolyting he wanted to wear slacks, a dress shirt and a tie. I talked to him a lot about his new ministry and I'm proud that he's taking it so seriously, but it might help him to know that authorities such as yourselves would suggest some alternatives to heat stroke. Thanks again.