October 7, 2004
French chaplains run afoul of ‘headscarf law’
TOULON, France - The French law meant to banish Muslim headscarves from state schools is finding unexpected targets in southern France, where some principals have begun turning away Roman Catholic chaplains.
Five priests have been barred from state schools in the Var region despite the fact that French law has long allowed them entry to meet Catholic pupils there, according to the local diocesan spokesman Father Charles Mallard.
One school in this Mediterranean port city barred a priest this week because he was wearing a cassock, the traditional black robe he wore last year without problem before the new law barring conspicuous religious symbols came into force. (Source)
I suggest a trade. France sends us cassock wearing priests and we send them people like Fr. McBrien and Joan Chittister. They will never again have to worry about priests wearing cassocks or religious habit wearing nuns again.
Posted by Jeff Miller at October 7, 2004 5:26 PM | TrackBackI'd be willing to donate to the cause - provided that it's for a one-way ticket only.
That is so cruel! The French may be a little wacky but they don't deserve that kind of treatment. (Reminds me a little about something I saw on the news the other night about the exportation of toys deemed unsafe for American children. It's just not right to foist our defective products on an unsuspecting world.) ;)
Posted by Ellyn email at October 8, 2004 8:12 AMI'll sign off on the deal if we can throw in Michael Moore.
Posted by Elinor email at October 8, 2004 10:43 AMCassock-wearing priests in France (or soutanes as they call them there) are a rarity. Only the Society of Saint Pius X, the Fraternity of Saint Peter, and other traditionalist orders wear them with regularity. A priest wearing a soutane is usually presumed to be an "integrist". (Fr. Galland, the priest mentioned in this story, is a member of the Communaute Saint-Martin, a small conservative order that says the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin and supports a "reform of the reform" position.) In fact, even the black clerical suit with Roman collar worn by many "conservative" priests in the U.S. is rare over there. French priests tend to wear business suits with a discrete pin to identify themselves as priests.
Posted by Mark C. email at October 9, 2004 4:10 PM