Thomas,

Nothing like this would be in the Catechism which only deals with matters of faith and morals.

To the best of my knowledge there is presently no canon law that stipulates anything about hairstyles, facial hair, or anything like that though there may have been disciplines to that effect in the past.

Certain religious orders might have had or still have particular disciplines like shaving the tops of their scalps and so on . . . but this has absolutely zero to do with faith and morals. It's mainly symbolic stuff that various religious orders do to identify with or signify a certain thing.

That's about it.

John

Thomas,

Unless they a breaking a particular discipline of a particular religious order, they can have hair of any length. There is nothing intrinsically sinful about a priest having long hair. It's not a moral question.

It can be a matter of obedience if a discipline is imposed for a particular reason. There are also local customs. Eastern Rite Catholic and Easter Orthodox priests, for example, almost always have beards. That's the way they've always done it . . . it's a custom. Diocesan priests usually only wear black, clerical shirts but the local bishop can also allow them to wear other colors as well.

None of this stuff matters a hill a beans to anyone's salvation.

John

Thomas —

It depends on their superior i.e. their Bishop or Abbott, etc.

So some can; some can't.

Fr. Jonathan