Sing to the Lord 33 suggests, "Choir and ensemble members may dress in albs or choir robes, but always in clean, presentable, and modest clothing. Cassock and surplice, being clerical attire, are not recommended as choir vesture." There is no citation, so I don't know if any other documents have any similar suggestions.

I think they indeed look Protestant, are a waste of money, and are not suited for church spaces that lack air-conditioning; I can't say anything good in their defense except perhaps that they let people dress down underneath, shall we say. I think a uniform look for a Catholic parish choir is overrated.

This issue has been hashed and re-hashed so many times....but I don't think there has ever been a reasonable answer....but here is my thought:

Cassocks and surplices are clerical dress. When clerics are sitting literally "in coro", they wear cassocks and surplices. Now, traditionally when laymen have filled the role of a cleric, they have taken the attire of the cleric (think the "straw" subdeacon). However....when women enter the picture, the matter gets blurred. The men who fill these roles could, in theory, be made clerics. Women cannot be clerics. Seeing women in clerical attire is weird at best and scandalous at worst.

So, I see two ways to avoid the matter:

1. Since the choir is rarely "in coro" (mostly because most choirs include women, who cannot sit "in coro"), there really is no need for them to be vested. As most choirs aren't visible (are in the loft), there really is no point.

2. If your choir is in the front and you truly feel the need for them to be vested, then the alb would be appropriate. It is the baptismal garment, so it is technically it is appropriate to all the baptized. However, the alb should be an actual alb...not a Protestant choir robe....which just looks silly as a vestment in Catholic worship. These look reasonable: http://www.simplychoral.us/product/4001

Honestly, though, it just seems to be that money would be better spent on so many other things in the parish music program.

Adam S.

At least (I hope) you don't have to attend a cantored Mass, music from the OCP, accompanied by an electric keyboard, with the cantor wearing denims and a dark colored t-shirt. That was my (mis)fortune this past Sunday, sad to say.

thanks for these

In Adrian Fortesque's Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Described (a standard reference work first published in 1917 and reprinted, re-edited many times since and widely available) is stated in chapter 2 (The Vestments of the Roman Rite) : The common dress for servers and all who assist at any function in choir is a black CASSOCK (talare) with a white linen SURPLICE (superpelliceum).

Also instructive are the comments in chapter 5, part 1 (The Liturgical Choir) where Fortesque states: We must note first that the "choir" during a service does not necessarily mean those who sing. It was so originally. In theory, no doubt, it should be so still, namely, that the singers have their places right and left of the altar and sing there. But there are often practical difficulties against this. In singing part-music especially it is often difficult to produce a good artistic effect when the singers are arranged in two rows facing each other, perhaps at some distance, across the church. Often, therefore, the actual singers are placed elsewhere, in a space together at the side behind a grating, behind the altar, or in a gallery at the other end of the church. In such cases no notice is taken of them during the ceremonies. There remains, however, the possibility that a liturgical " choir" may assist at the service; even if they sing only part, or none, of the chants.

Later editions of this reference work may have other comments. I only have a copy of the first edition. A copy of the 1917 edition is online at:

http://www.global.org/Pub/Ceremonies_of_the_Roman_Rite_Described.asp.html

I, therefore, go for the cassock and surplice for choirs. It's an ancient catholic tradition that precedes the reformation. It's not protestant. Our church (in Amsterdam) has purple cassocks for Advent and Lent and red for other liturgical seasons. And white surplices, of course. We moved from the gallery (since the church's opening in 1887) to the choir (after a renovation of the building ensured the space) some 10-12 years ago.

We don't use robes. Our choir is in a loft 20 feet above the main floor. Our air conditioning system keeps the loft temperature constant - hot year round. We are out of sight and usually uncomfortable enough without adding robes.