13/8/09

I just wondered what people’s opinion is of wearing academic hoods a) during Mass / Eucharist and b) with a cotta as opposed to a surplice.

James, Essex
 

REPLIES

16/8/09

Academic hoods are part of "Choir" dress, hence their use by clergy and choir/organists for Morning and Evening Prayer. The 'dress' for the Mass or Eucharist (presumably as a server) was designed to cover our worldly attire. Our Lord knows our successes and failures without reminders. "We do not presume to come......"

David Jones - 16/8/09

Dear GSS,

I have always understood that the academic hood is optional vesture, to be used only with a black scarf and only over a surplice, for the choir offices. It is inappropriate for Mass, at any time. I have never seen it so used.

For Mass, I would expect that, if full vestments are not used, then only a stole must be used - essential for a sacrament - preferably over a cotta but over a surplice as a second choice. Indeed, in my church, if full vestments are not worn by the celebrant - and in any case, by the concelebrating priests - stoles are worn over albs, amices and girdles.

We, as lay Eucharistic ministers, wear cassocks and surpluses. I think that cottas would be more appropriate - but surplices have become the norm. Also, some LEMs are also in the choir, so the surplices match the choir vesture, which is normally and properly cassocks and surplices

David Jones
[Last surviving MC to Father E.C.R. Lamburn, author of Ritual Notes]
Lay Eucharistic Minister
Lay Intercessor
Lay Lector
Church of the Good Shepherd, Burke, Virginia.
Episcopal Church of the USA.

Home:
4936 Andrea Avenue,
Annandale. VA. 22003. USA
Tel: 703-978-8564 Fax: 703-978-8014

Eddie Bestwick - 16/8/09

Another view: academic hoods worn in church are, frankly, unnecessary and can be elitist show. In these days when we can easily check whether a person has the right to take a service etc we do not need a visible show of their qualifications or training location. Indeed, some clergy are drawn from the Trades and Professions and do not have academic hoods from those and are just as qualified to be in leadership in church, if not more so from the 'qualifications point of view'.
Eddie Bestwick
Leicester.

David Jones - 17/8/09

Tony Ralli - 20/7/10

How quickly we forget our history. Both Dearmer and Ritual Notes remind us that the Academic Hood (if entitled to one) is an integral part of Choir Habit under Canon 58 (I do not have access to current C of E Canons). It is always to be worn with Scarf (Tippet) over the surplice (not Cotta) at Choir Offices, never at the Eucharist. A Reader similarly wears an Academic Hood with the Blue Scarf over the surplice. By custom organists and choir masters wear a hood (if entitled) over their cassock and surplice (or winged rochet).

Clergy ministering at the Eucharist wear the appropriate Eucharistic vestments or alb, cotta, or surplice with stole. Lay persons wear albs, cottas, or surplices. Scarves (with or without the hood) should never be worn at the Eucharist or other sacraments.

In Australia we have developed an item of vesture commonly called the "cass alb" which being white does duty as a combined cassock and alb. In this case clergy wear the Eucharistic vestments, or stole only, over this. The cass alb should never be worn as choir habit, the normal black cassock with surplice being worn instead as above.

The wearing of the Cotta as choir habit is frequently seen in Anglo-Catholic churches but is strictly speaking incorrect since it precludes the use of the scarf and hood required by canon. Its use by choristers may perhaps be forgiven.

Tony Ralli