Under the old calendar, today --Feast of the Presentation-- marked the end of the Christmas season. So the old, "I'm a traditionalist" excuse won't work now. The Presentation is also known as Candlemas, since it's when the candles used for the liturgy are blessed.
Since 1997, Feb. 2 has also been World Day for Consecrated Life. JPthe G used to celebrate a special mass at St. Peter's for all consecrated & religious, which I attended a few times --cheating because I was living with consecrated souls. It's a neat experience of the Church, seeing the exemplars of the rich variety of vocations mingling together --unity in diversity, as they say! May I just say, there are more colors and styles of habit than are dreamt of in your philosophy? Once my pals ran into an old companion of theirs --someone who'd discerned consecrated life wasn't for her-- in the habit of the Missionaries of Charity. Such a happy reunion --each in her "place," united in service to God.
