Why do priests wear a Roman collar?

Early in Church history, clergy wore the same clothing as the people they served. As Christianity spread, it became more common for members of religious orders, and later diocesan priests, to wear distinctive clothing. Regulations came about stipulating exactly what clerics could wear.
 
After the 12^th century, Roman Catholic diocesan priests began wearing cassocks (long garments) as their everyday attire. These soon became standardized in black with a white collar. The collar itself, however, was not unique to the clergy. It became fashionable among the laity to wear elaborate collars over their garments, and the clergy followed that trend. Collars became more and more elaborate and were often made with decorative lace.

That came to an end in 1624, when Pope Urban VIII forbade all ornamentation and lace on clerical collars. This led to the Roman collar as a simple white band around one’s neck. Variations on this, including some innovations by Protestants, led to the simple designs we see our priests wearing today. 
 
In 1994, the Congregation for the Clergy, under the direction of Saint John Paul II, issued this instruction: “In a secularized and materialistic society, where the external signs of sacred and supernatural realities tend to disappear, it is particularly important that the community be able to recognize the priest, man of God and dispenser of his mysteries, by his attire. … This means that the attire, when it is not the cassock, must be different from the manner in which the laity dress, and conform to the dignity and sacredness of his ministry. The style and color should be established by the Episcopal Conference…”
 
In our diocese, “outside liturgical functions, a black suit and Roman collar are the usual attire for priests and transitional deacons, especially while fulfilling pastoral duties. The omission of a black suit coat when carrying out normal daily duties is permitted by local custom. The use of the cassock is at the discretion of the aforementioned clerics.”
 
One of the main reasons priests wear distinctive garb, then, is to be available. The sight of a Roman collar makes the Church present to people who never darken the doors of our churches. Just today, for example, a woman I’d never met approached me as I was shopping. She asked to schedule a meeting about a baptism, which we did. Perhaps God will work through this baptism to bring that family closer to the Church’s regular worship. If I were not wearing a Roman collar, I would have disappeared into the crowd, and this baptism may never have taken place.
 
Another reason for the collar is that it serves as a sign of the priest’s state in life. As a married man wears a wedding ring to signify that he is married, so the collar signifies the priest is dedicated to God and the Church. This establishes boundaries which are helpful for the priest and for others whom he encounters.
 
The collar also opens doors for the priest, often literally. As I walk into an emergency room, nursing home, or the home of someone who is sick or dying, people see the Roman collar and immediately know who I am and why I am there. It provides comfort to those who are suffering.
 
Finally, while diocesan priests do not take vows of poverty and can own property, the simple black clothing and the white collar do reflect the simplicity of life to which priests are called. We do not wear fancy clothes to set ourselves apart. The Church chooses our attire for us.
 
It is not always easy to wear the Roman collar. These days, not everyone is happy to see it. There are unkind looks, harsh words, and so on, from non-Catholics, fallen-away Catholics and disbelievers. But there are also many people out there who are looking for an encounter with God and the Church. The collar makes that possible.
 
Please pray for us priests, who wear the collar, that we may live up to what it represents.