'I am a Father..'

Credit: www.i329.photobucket.com

A little boy got on the bus, sat next to a man reading a book, and noticed he had his collar on backwards.

The little boy asked why he wore his collar backwards.

The man, who was a priest, said, 'I am a Father..'

The little boy replied, 'My Daddy doesn't wear his collar like that.'

The priest looked up from his book and answered, ''I am the Father of many.'

The boy said, ''My Dad has 4 boys, 4 girls and two grandchildren and he doesn't wear his collar that way!'

The priest, getting impatient, said.  'I am the Father of hundreds', and went back to reading his book.

The little boy sat quietly thinking for a while, then leaned over and said, "Maybe you should wear a condom, and put your pants on backwards instead of your collar."

Shared by Sharif of UK

What does such a collar actually represent?

The clerical, or Roman, collar is a sign or mark of a person's holy calling, according to the Church of England. It is an identifying badge that can be recognised by people of all faiths.

Worn by both Anglican and Roman Catholic priests around the world, the narrow, stiff, upright white collar fastens at the back. Part of both formal wear and day attire, it is often seen as a small white rectangle, peeking from under a black tab-collar shirt.

It wasn't until around the 6th Century that clergy identified themselves outside the church building with special dress, and it has developed and changed over the centuries. The collar is thought have been invented in the late 1800s. According to the Church, it became popular with Anglican clergy during the Oxford Movement, which attempted to revive Catholic religion in the Church of England in the 19th Century.

Source : BBC News, December 10, 2007

 Askthepriest.org has more information on ‘dog collars’