During that time I was tasked with assembling a delegation of students to represent our school at the liturgical service. I felt it necessary to quickly brief the delegation on Church protocol, and their reaction was mixed at best. The particular point of contention involved the practice of kissing the ecclesiastical ring, or in Cardinal Collins’ case, the cardinalatial ring. However, this response was of little surprise to me. After all, we inhabit a very casual society that avoids any notion of physically humbling one’s self before spiritual or temporal authority (i.e. kissing a ring). Furthermore, parents simply do not teach their children the “old ways,” which can seem rather archaic and feudal.

All living Catholics are part of the greater Communion of Saints, which is comprised of the Church Repentant (Catholics in purgatory), the Church Triumphant (Catholics in heaven), and Church Militant (Catholics on Earth). We are the army of God on Earth, a spiritually armed force tasked with the mission of evangelization. Think of the pope as our generalissimo, the cardinals as marshals, the bishops as generals, the male and female religious overall as commissioned officers, and the laity as the backbone of the army, the non-commissioned troops. In the military, you salute the office just as much as the person.

In the Catholic Church, it is similar. However, instead of saluting the general, you kiss his ring. Beyond the military comparison, there is a deeper meaning. That ring symbolizes his apostolic authority and office and that the bishop is wedded to the Church. Ultimately, this practice was to encourage spiritual obedience, cultivate piety and practise humility.

Apart from ecclesiastical forms of address or traditions like kissing the bishop’s ring, I encourage my fellow Catholics to learn about our rich history and traditions so as to discipline and arm themselves to fight in the army of God.

(Olaer, 18, is a Grade 12 student of St. James Catholic High School in Guelph, Ont.)