Of Popes, Matadors, and Proper Attire

I have stumbled upon a little article that provides an excellent (and hilarious) analysis of why a priest/bishop/pope should wear the vestments appropriate to his office. (H/T to Annie.)

For the full effect – and a good laugh – you must read the whole thing. But here’s a sample of this little tirade by “Mantilla the Hon”:

OK hon, think about my fiancé Augusto. He’s a matador you know? What everybody think if Augusto go out to fight El Toro wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt? No. They want him to wear those tight pants with sequins and the little hat and those slippers and stand tall and fight El Toro. It is the same thing with a priest. Nobody wants to see the priest in jeans and a T-shirt to say Mass. No. He should wear his fighting clothes and they should be as beautiful as possible because he is handsome and good and strong and he is fighting El Diablo who loves ugliness and cheapness.

Mantilla concludes:

I think maybe I write to the Holy Father about this. He’s a good man, but he never do a degree in Ecclesiastical haberdashery like me. I think maybe I am going to say, “Holy Father, thank you for being poor and riding the bus” I am going to say. “Thank you for being poor and wearing brown shoes. Thank you for being poor and riding in an old jeep and kissing people, but Holy Father, when you come to the altar, then I want you to be a prince. Be poor like poor baby Jesus every day, but when you come the altar I want you to remind me of King Jesus.”

You know what I mean Hon?

 Seriously…well, humorously…go here and read the whole thing!