Collars risky, clergy warned

LONDON – Catholic and Anglican clergy should remove their clerical collars while off-duty to avoid being singled out for attack, a British church safety group said Sunday.

Criminals often target clergymen because they are perceived to have money. The stiff, white neck pieces – nicknamed “dog collars” – can also attract those bearing a “grudge against God,” said Nick Tolson, who heads National Churchwatch.

Britain does not routinely monitor violence against clergy. But a 2001 University of London study found that seven in 10 clergy had experienced some form of violence between 1997 and 1999, and that more than one in 10 reported being assaulted, according to Tolson.

He said most assaults on clergy are committed by parishioners, but attacks by strangers could be avoided if clergy remove their collars while not on church business.