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Pope Saint Paul VI (3 April 1969): “Although the text of the Roman Gradual—at least that which concerns the singing—has not been changed, the Entrance antiphons and Communions antiphons have been revised for Masses without singing.”

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Views from the Choir Loft

Vesting Prayers • Part 7 of 9

Fr. David Friel · August 16, 2015

UR CONSIDERATION of the priestly vesting prayers continues this week with the stole, one of the most important vestments worn during the sacred liturgy. The stole is the distinctive garment of ordained clergymen, symbolizing the role & authority of the minister who wears it. In form, a stole is a long, narrow band of embroidered material worn around the neck that matches the color of the chasuble.

The vesting prayer that accompanies the stole is as follows:

Redde mihi, Domine, stolam immortalitatis, quam perdidi in praevaricatione primi parentis; et, quamvis indignus accedo ad tuum sacrum mysterium, merear tamen gaudium sempiternum.

Restore to me, O Lord, the stole of immortality, which I lost by the transgression of our first parents. Grant that, although I am unworthy to approach Thy sacred mysteries, I may be made worthy of everlasting joys.

I love the fact that, as the priest dons his stole—the very symbol of his priestly authority—he acknowledges his unworthiness to approach the sacred mysteries. No one is worthy to attend Holy Mass, much less offer it. Jean-Marie Vianney, himself, was not worthy to celebrate Mass, and he would be the first to admit it. Nevertheless, the Lord extends the invitation to us to share in the sacrifice of His Son. It is wholly fitting that we priests, especially, should acknowledge our unworthiness before every Mass, so that our approach to ministry might never become casual.

In addressing the maniple last week, we drew attention to the manner in which that vestment symbolizes the toils of priestly life. Similar symbolism applies also to the stole, which is worn like a yoke, around the neck. To some extent, this significance of the stole has been increasingly underscored since the abrogation of the maniple.

Yet another aspect of the stole’s symbolism comes out in the vesting prayer, which refers to the vestment as the “stole of immortality.” The stole, indeed, refers to the everlasting life in which we hope to share.

Traditionally, the manner in which the stole is worn has been used to distinguish the degrees of Holy Orders. For instance, a deacon has always worn the stole draped over his left shoulder down to his right hip. Bishops have always worn the stole around their necks, with the two ends hanging straight down in front. Priests, meanwhile, formerly wore the stole around their necks, with the two ends crossed over in front. Since the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, however, presbyters no longer wear the stole crossed; instead, the stole is worn in the same manner by both bishops and presbyters, without differentiation.

The stole has always been a symbol of authority, and we should not be afraid to admit that. The rationale for the former crossing of the stole was to acknowledge the distinction between the full authority of the bishop and the lesser authority of the priest. According to Fr. Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University: “In the light of the Second Vatican Council’s call for an overall simplification of the rites and rubrics, this distinction in the way of donning the stole was abolished.”

Fifty years on, it is worth asking whether the liturgical reform constituted an “overall simplification” or an “over-simplification.”

Let me share, in closing, a short anecdote to illustrate the importance of the stole as a sacred vestment. I never once put a stole around my neck until the day I was ordained a priest. From the time I was a young student in Catholic grade school, I had been taught that the stole was a symbol of priestly identity and authority. For this reason, I always had a profound respect for the stole, and I chose not even to “try on” privately the stole I planned to wear for my first Mass of Thanksgiving. The result has been that, as a priest, the donning of the stole has been especially meaningful. It is a daily reminder of the extraordinary calling I have received.

May the stole be for all ordained ministers a reminder of the sacred responsibilities with which we have been charged!

Part 1 • Introduction

Part 2 • The Hand Washing

Part 3 • The Amice

Part 4 • The Alb

Part 5 • The Cincture

Part 6 • The Maniple

Part 7 • The Stole

Part 8 • The Chasuble

Part 9 • The Dalmatic

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Traditional Catholic Vestments, Vesting Prayers Last Updated: March 29, 2021

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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Corpus Christi Watershed

President’s Corner

    New Bulletin Article • “12 October 2025”
    My pastor requested that I write short articles each week for our parish bulletin. Those responsible for preparing similar write-ups may find a bit of inspiration in these brief columns. The latest article (dated 12 October 2025) talks about an ‘irony’ or ‘paradox’ with regard to 1960s switch to vernacular in the liturgy.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Reminder” — Month of October (2025)
    Those who don’t sign up for our free EMAIL NEWSLETTER miss important notifications. Last week, for example, I sent a message about this job opening for a music director paying $65,000 per year plus benefits (plus weddings & funerals). Notice the job description says: “our vision for sacred music is to move from singing at Mass to truly singing the Mass wherein … especially the propers, ordinaries, and dialogues are given their proper place.” Signing up couldn’t be easier: simply scroll to the bottom of any blog article and enter your email address.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Music List” • 27th in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Readers have expressed interest in perusing the ORDER OF MUSIC I’ve prepared for 5 October 2025, which is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C). If such a thing interests you, feel free to download it as a PDF file. As always, the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, and Mass Propers for this Sunday are conveniently stored at the spectacular feasts website alongside the official texts in Latin. Readers will want to check out the ENTRANCE CHANT posted there, which has a haunting melody (in the DEUTERUS MODE) and extremely powerful text.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    “American Catholic Hymnal” (1991)
    The American Catholic Hymnal, with IMPRIMATUR granted (25 April 1991) by the Archdiocese of Chicago, is like a compendium of every horrible idea from the 1980s. Imagine being forced to stand all through Communion (even afterwards) when those self-same ‘enlightened’ liturgists moved the SEQUENCE before the Alleluia to make sure congregations wouldn’t have to stand during it. (Even worse, everything about the SEQUENCE—including its name—means it should follow the Alleluia.) And imagine endlessly repeating “Alleluia” during Holy Communion at every single Mass. It was all part of an effort to convince people that Holy Communion was historically a procession (which it wasn’t).
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    “Canonic” • Ralph Vaughan Williams
    Fifty years ago, Dr. Theodore Marier made available this clever arrangement (PDF) of “Come down, O love divine” by P. R. Dietterich. The melody was composed in 1906 by Ralph Vaughan Williams (d. 1958) and named in honor of of his birthplace: DOWN AMPNEY. The arrangement isn’t a strict canon, but it does remind one of a canon since the pipe organ employs “points of imitation.” The melody and text are #709 in the Brébeuf Catholic Hymnal.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Did they simplify these hymn harmonies?
    Choirs love to sing the famous & splendid tune called “INNSBRUCK.” Looking through a (Roman Catholic) German hymnal printed in 1952, I discovered what appears to be a simplified version of that hymn. In other words, their harmonization is much less complex than the version found in the Saint Jean de Brébeuf Hymnal (which is suitable for singing by SATB choir). Please download their 1952 harmonization (PDF) and let me know your thoughts. I really like the groovy Germanic INTRODUCTION they added.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

“The Humanists abominated the rhythmical poetry of the Middle Ages from an exaggerated enthusiasm for ancient classical forms and meters. Hymnody then received its death blow as, on the revision of the Breviary under Pope Urban VIII, the medieval rhythmical hymns were forced into more classical forms by means of so-called corrections.”

— ‘Father Clemens Blume, S.J.’

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