VESTMENTS

In our Masses and Baptisms here at St. Mary’s and St. John Neumann’s churches we sometimes use vestments with images of children on them. When using them I often get comments about how neat they are.

I’ve also got the thought: why doesn’t the same company or other companies make similar vestments with images of senior citizens on them?

Or families? Or cities? Or workers? Or people playing sports?

When I went on line, sure enough, there are various unique vestments. Some are a bit much and too, too expensive. 

Yet, the possibilities are endless.  Is there a Michelangelo of the Sistine Chapel Ceiling fame - who could make great vestments?

We also have here a few stoles with images of animals on them. They seem to represent  the Biblical scene of creation or Noah’s Ark. Sometimes in wearing that stole I see little kids during a baptism staring at images.  Yet I hesitate to guess how and what little kids see.

At Mass what are we supposed to be seeing or thinking about?  Purists might scream at a vestment showing little children on them. Or if I had my way, why not have vestments with images of 17 people in wheelchairs or Down Syndrome kids at a party? 

Check out stained glass windows. They could use a make-over as well. The images have to be lasting - people will be looking at them for centuries.  Great images can call us to greatness.  I’m not an artist - but I’ve seen some art work in stained glass windows that do not have a grab in them.

I made a retreat once in a mother house in Kentucky and they had wonderful hanging tapestries that were put up for different seasons. I thought they were neat - and gospel driven - and one super way to get the Good News of Jesus proclaimed.

If someone who wants to start a cottage industry with more of these image driven vestments, start with senior citizens. Check out Normal Rockwell images and gather great artists. Go for it.

P.S.  I noticed that a Vestment Making Company is called, “Theological Threads.”  How about that?