Nuns, Habits, Disobedience, and Mortal Sin

The American Catholic ^ | 5/17/2010

[markomalley]

I was reading Father Peter M.J. Stravinskas‘ The Catholic Answer Book a few weeks ago and on page 173 I was surprised to read that all religious are required to wear their religious garb as a symbol of their vow of poverty.

I looked up and found in Canon Law that Father Stravinskas is absolutely and clearly correct on this:

Canon 669 §1 As a sign of their consecration and as a witness to poverty, religious are to wear the habit of their institute, determined in accordance with the institute’s own law.

§2 Religious of a clerical institute who do not have a special habit are to wear clerical dress, in accordance with canon 284.

In fact the Vatican, ie, the Sacred Congregation for Religious, routinely reject religious constitutions that do not have this requirement.

Meaning when you see a nun or a priest not wearing their habit/clericals they are in open disobedience to the Catholic Church and thus in mortal sin[1].

As the late Pope John Paul II said of the religious garb worn by religious is “keeping God on the streets” of the secular city.

[Fido969]

So, who died and made you Pope?

[bkaycee]

It may or may not be a sin, I seriously doubt its a mortal sin. I do not see any reference in Canon law to it being a grave sin.

[markomalley]

I haven’t researched it for myself, but perhaps the author is referring to intentional disobedience to the Holy See, which would be breaking a solemn vow. I think breaking a solemn vow classes as a mortal sin.

[bkaycee]

Yes, I suppose it could be a mortal sin according to canon law of the Roman church, but certainly a mountain out of a mole hill, biblically speaking.

[Desdemona]

I can name an awful lot of REALLY faithful priests who would be in hot water according to this article. Several who even wear shorts when they run and lift weights. Jeans when putting up pipe and drape for official occasions. In an official capacity, these men are always in clerical garb, but when practicality calls for something in which to get dirty, now that’s something else.

[BenKenobi]

And people wonder why the nuns are having trouble. No, it’s not a little detail. The nuns who have stopped wearing their habits have fallen away from the faith. It’s important for religious orders to maintain this discipline.

[VidMihi]

I think it may be more important for each one to maintain their own discipline, rather than to tell others how to maintain their discipline when I do not walk in their shoes.