Semi-liturgical question... Dr. K, I remember that, a few months ago, you posted something on your Facebook page about AI and a question about (and I may have this quotation wrong), "the liturgical significance of silver shoe buckles." I got the impression that the subject matter of the photograph was a joke, but I have been wondering ever since if buckled shoes do, in fact, have a special meaning to them? So many things have significance in traditional Catholicism that I'm no longer surprised when little things like these keep popping out from behind every tree.
I might have been making a bit of a joke, to say we shouldn't overemphasize a detail of haberdashery like the style of shoe. In fact, only bishops (and, a fortiori, cardinals) ever had "formal" liturgical shoes, called sandals or buskins; they came in the liturgical colors and were made of silk and other fine materials like that. Lower clergy wore buckled shoes because, well, every man was wearing buckled shoes - they were the finest you could get. It would not be appropriate for a cleric to wear clogs, leather work shoes, or slippers! Today, the buckled shoe is somewhat like a preference for a cape, a cappello romano (saturno), or a snuffbox. Nothing wrong with it, but neither should it be given undue weight. I *will* say that clergy should be careful to wear shoes that don't look like black sneakers or trainers or casual loafers.
Please pray for the soul of Mr. John Dorsey, who passed away this morning, on the 180th anniversary of the dedication of our beloved St. Alphonsus Church in Baltimore.
I'll have a look at the linked video tomorrow night, but it sounds right up my street. The English language is very poetic.
Regarding the treatment of the divine, etc. in writing and expounding history: Berdyaev's "The Meaning of History" has some stimulating thoughts along those lines.
The “Spiritual History of the English Language” looks really interesting. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, I think very highly of this book.
https://osjustipress.com/products/the-spiritual-history-of-english
Semi-liturgical question... Dr. K, I remember that, a few months ago, you posted something on your Facebook page about AI and a question about (and I may have this quotation wrong), "the liturgical significance of silver shoe buckles." I got the impression that the subject matter of the photograph was a joke, but I have been wondering ever since if buckled shoes do, in fact, have a special meaning to them? So many things have significance in traditional Catholicism that I'm no longer surprised when little things like these keep popping out from behind every tree.
I might have been making a bit of a joke, to say we shouldn't overemphasize a detail of haberdashery like the style of shoe. In fact, only bishops (and, a fortiori, cardinals) ever had "formal" liturgical shoes, called sandals or buskins; they came in the liturgical colors and were made of silk and other fine materials like that. Lower clergy wore buckled shoes because, well, every man was wearing buckled shoes - they were the finest you could get. It would not be appropriate for a cleric to wear clogs, leather work shoes, or slippers! Today, the buckled shoe is somewhat like a preference for a cape, a cappello romano (saturno), or a snuffbox. Nothing wrong with it, but neither should it be given undue weight. I *will* say that clergy should be careful to wear shoes that don't look like black sneakers or trainers or casual loafers.
Please pray for the soul of Mr. John Dorsey, who passed away this morning, on the 180th anniversary of the dedication of our beloved St. Alphonsus Church in Baltimore.
I'll have a look at the linked video tomorrow night, but it sounds right up my street. The English language is very poetic.
Regarding the treatment of the divine, etc. in writing and expounding history: Berdyaev's "The Meaning of History" has some stimulating thoughts along those lines.