The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-10
PRIESTS AND THE WHEEL
MGR, MIRTINELLI THINKS WELE
OF THE BICYCLE.

while Hc Does Not Ride Himself. lie says
There Arc Cases IN which tho nlc,c,s
Hns Dccn Very uscTul 10 tho Cierg,-The
Proper Costume for Priests Who Ridc.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2.-ArChbishop Marti.
nclli, the Apostolic Delegate, has been inter.
cstcd in the discussions in the Catholic ana
the secular press regarding tho proper habit foe
priests while riding the bicycle. Up TO the
present time there has been no necessity for Q
ruling on the question, and therefore his viows are
entirely personal and unofficial. Mgr. Martinolli
is a plain, straightforward, and outspoken man,
and in dealing with matters not strictly ccclo.
~slastical he uses O liberal amount of common
sense. A reporter Of THE Sun called on Mgr.
Martineni several nights avo, and in tho course
of n general conversation tho subject Of bicy.
cling was brought up.
why is It," asked the reporter, that VOC
have never ridden q bicyclel''
Mgr. Martinelli smiled and replied: "I an
too old. Perhaps not too old to learn to ride,
but I do not think it would be becoming in me,
old as I am The is only about sol, to ride a wheel.
/ an very fond OF walking, and prefer to take
my exercise in. that manner. As long as my
legs can support me and carry me about I win,
never take TO another method Of %locomotion. ,
"At tho same time, l do not disapprove Of thu
use Of the bicycle, either by laymen or bYi
priests. There are many cases In which tho
use OF the bicycle has been very valuable to tho
clergy. In making sick calls, where tho patienh ,
lives at a considerable distance, or in attendsS
Ing to other parish duties, 1 have no doubt that
1t is Of much service. Nor do 1 think that IN
such instances it lowers the dignity of q priest !
to use tho bicycle. II depends a great deal oAt
tho circumstances of the case and tho locality
in which the bicycle is used.'' ;
How about the proper dress Tor priests 10
riding the bicyclel" was asked.
II have watched with interest the different
views which have appeared in tho papers o !
this subject replied Mgr. Martinelli, ''but 10
has not been brought before me officially, noe
am l prepared to give a ruling on 1t at present. 4
The Council of Baltimore prescribed the use oeti
q long coat, reaching to or below the knees Of
tho priest, to be worn on the street, This rule
understood thing that this rule is not infiexiblo,
but, may be. agrecably to the wishes Of the
the summer time, when 1t is very hot, priestST
are permitted to wear a short coat instead al
Again. when bathing at the seashore, NO
one would expect to see a priest enter the water
4 bathing eldhinsi Costume cost I mt,h is a permitted tsnmen fo for the ' time
being only. OF course they are not expected to
use the suit except to go into the water; In
Italy and other European countries we have
little houses on wheels, which are taken to the
edge Of the water, and in them the bather
and women bathing together Is also unknown,
With u.s. but here n in America iTG II is different, and
tucTt II nolHlnR pTonlultlIR pTleSts lTOul IOllOWS
ing the customs of the country.
I'm Italy the rules regarding the dress arg
very strict, yet there are allowances made. In
the summer time, when q priest or Bishop goes
TO a retired place in the country where he will
be likely to meet but very few people, he is per-
United to discard the warm robes which arc
worn in the city and put on knee breeches, or
knickerbOckcrs, with a suitable coat of medium
length, reaching in most cases nearly or quite
to the knee. This dress would not be tolerated
In the city. but in the country it is permissible.
The same holds good in America, and even in ,
my own household. While / usually wear the
regular dress prescribed for a Bishop. should I,
choose in the solitude of my study to lay aside
the wide sash or band or some of the other Access
sorics TO the full dress of a Bishop, / consider
that il would be in good form. In certain coun-
the cassock in the street as well as in the house,
but in America no one thinks of weariny tho
cassock on the street any more than ] would
appear in public in the robe OF the .Augustinians.
The same rule applies to the bicycle. Priests
complain that they cannot wear the long coat
and ride the bicycle. They find the bicycle OF
use to them and apply to the Bishop for per-
mission TO adopt it. II he gives permission no
implies permission to wear a costume suitable
to the bicvcle. but one that will be compatible
with the dignity of the priestly office. Think.
therefore, that II priest who rides may wear with
propriety the short coat worn in summer"
But" inquired the reporter. do you APP
prove of the use of the sweater
The Archbishop looked puzzled. as he did not
understand the term. When it was explained
TO him he said:
Il do not think that it is permissible for
priests 10 wear such n thing as n sweater, and
in no case are they at liberty to discard tho
Roman collar. A sweater would hardly be con-
sistent with the pricstly dress"