Q: Thank you, Father, for all you do! I greatly appreciate it! I’ve noticed a lot of young priests crossing their stoles under their chasubles. Is this still permitted? I am aware of the old rubrics that required priest to cross their stoles but is it now an option or merely a statement of those who cross their stoles? Thank you!
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A: I treated this in my book Present for God’s Call: An Overview of the Rites of Institution and Ordination.
The rubrics in the ordination rite and for the Mass used to require the priest to cross the stole in front. At ordinations, the bishop vested the priests with a statement alluding to Matthew 11:30 because of the yoke-like appearance of the stole.
All references to the crossed stole have been removed from the liturgy, as well as the allusion to the yoke. Because these were deliberately removed, I understand that priests are no longer to continue the practice. The two ends of the uncrossed stole hang in front of the priest from his shoulders.