Academic hoods

Viola

Please may I have your opinions on this.
I note that Anglican, so I presume also Episcopal and Ordinariate, choir directors and organists wear academic hoods while conducting or playing. I have been told that this considered inappropriate in the Catholic church, presumably because it is too much wordly show etc. Is this correct?

Liam

The only context in which I have witnessed it in Roman rite usage (OF) is for liturgies in university parishes and oratories at specific times of the academic year, most typically for graduating students just before commencement exercises, sometimes for votive Masses of the Holy Spirit in connection with academic convocations at or near the beginning of the academic year. In these contexts, of course, the choir director/organist is not alone in wearing academic vesture.

chonak

Just to confirm: the local Ordinariate congregation does invite choir members to wear academic hoods for Evensong, but I haven't seen the practice elsewhere.

M. Jackson Osborn

In Anglicandom and Ordinariatedom academic hoods are worn at evensong. Why only evensong I do not know. This could extend to other offices such as Matins (though never at mass), but I've never seen it. I do not know the rationale behind it. It occurs to me that it might possibly have originated at collegiate chapels and been copied elsewhere - but this is pure speculation.

Gamba

The truly high-church Anglo-Catholic never wears a hood at Mass, only perhaps at non-Eucharistic liturgies like Evensong.

In my situation (OF) I only wear my MM hood at big school events: graduations and regional Catholic Schools Mass, over cassock and surplice. At such events, I think it is important for the youth to be reminded that the true goal of education is the building up of the Church, and music education in particular is essential to worthy celebration of the liturgy. So a little bit of pink might show that on the odd chance anyone is looking at the organist.

OrganistRob320

I've only worn my hood at Evensong and for Baccalaureate Masses and Graduation Ceremonies.

CharlesW

I have worn it for graduations, when I was told to wear it. This was before I retired from teaching, of course. I tended to take it off when I was in the loft. We have a uniform temperature in the loft year round - hot.

Cantus67

I've been called a hood before, and radical, and a purist.

a_f_hawkins

I have seen one of the previous DMs at St George's Cathedral, Southwark, wearing an academic hood at liturgical functions. I cannot recall on what occasions, but I suggest the RCIA election of Catechumens, and/or other diocesan events. They also have a mace carried at the head of processions on such occasions. That might occcur at the Chapter Mass on St George's Day, but not at any 'normal' Mass.

a_f_hawkins

Not in action, but here is the mace bearer.

M. Jackson Osborn

...They also have...

The 'mace' is a verge. The 'mace bearer' is a verger. It is his duty to see that the procession is in order and to guide it where it is supposed to go. He also leads readers to the lectern, and other similar things. We have several vergers at Walsingham. They are very common in Anglicandom. If one watches the processions at Westminster Abbey (as for the evensong when HF Benedict visited) one will notice the verger carrying his verge at the head of the procession. As in the picture supplied by Mr Hawkins, the verger rests his verge on his shoulder when not guiding someone or heading a procession. When in the act of leading he would carry it pointing outward from him. Vergers are vested in vergers' gowns, which vary in their cuts and colours.

Welcome to the MusicaSacra Forum!

Categories