Altar girls, jeans, and Crocs

[maryjk]

I always have certain clothes for my sons to wear to daily and Holy Day Masses. No sport shoes are allowed. After all, who is in the tabernacle? At the consecration we are kneeling at the foot of the Cross with our Savior dying on it!!! Do we Catholics really believe this? Then dress accordingly-with respect and teach the children to do so, too!
My children would sometimes wonder why they are the only children not allowed to wear their sport or picnic clothes to Mass. I tell them that the poor people perhaps do not know WHO is there!
Or they have a gnostic flavor to their faith which considers that the body is irrelevant and even bad and so it doesn’t matter how one appears since God looks on the heart. True, but as human beings we are bodied and our body should also worship together with our heart. The respectful and orderly appearance is necessary for ourselves, so that we can worship Him in the unity of body and soul.
I also am a convert. You have made the best decision of your life.
When I found out that God is present in the Eucharist, it explained everything. So we dress respectfully, because we know He is there and we want to show Him and others that we know He is there!!!

So those of us that allow our children to wear athletic shoes to Mass do not believe in the True Presence? It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that athletic shoes cost $20 and dress shoes cost $50+? And some children grow out of shoes every couple of months?

 

[BlueSeven]

I am an altar girl.
The church does not supply enough size 14 robes so sometimes i am forced to wear a size 12 which shows my jeans and I feel horrible when i have to but i can’t do anything about it because the size 16 is wayyyy too big. I had to serve on Holy Thursday mass and my friend took the size 14 well…you can imagine my embarrassment .

I would contact the Person in charge of the alter server schedule in your church and tell her your dilema and she might bring it up at a voluteer meeting. or maybe you could join the church volunteers yourself my mom goes to those meetings and she says its a great way to make the parish a better place for everyone.

 

[japhy]

The church does not supply enough size 14 robes so sometimes i am forced to wear a size 12 which shows my jeans and I feel horrible when i have to but i can’t do anything about it because the size 16 is wayyyy too big.

Is the size 16 too big merely in length? Does your parish have the altar servers wear cinctures with their albs?

If you can answer “yes” to both of those questions, then you can do what I did as a youth, which was wear one size too big, but pull the extra length of the alb up through the cincture and let it hang over slightly. That way, it’s not too long for your legs, and the extra stuff is hanging (nicely, not like a gut!) over the cincture.

But if the bigger alb is also too big in sleeve size and other dimensions, then yeah, you’re a bit out of luck.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I am an altar girl.
The church does not supply enough size 14 robes so sometimes i am forced to wear a size 12 which shows my jeans and I feel horrible when i have to but i can’t do anything about it because the size 16 is wayyyy too big. I had to serve on Holy Thursday mass and my friend took the size 14 well…you can imagine my embarrassment .

I would contact the Person in charge of the alter server schedule in your church and tell her your dilema and she might bring it up at a voluteer meeting. or maybe you could join the church volunteers yourself my mom goes to those meetings and she says its a great way to make the parish a better place for everyone.

I have another question. If you knew you were going to serve (it was a scheduled day) do you have any nice dress slacks you could wear? After all it was Holy Thursday.

 

[nicolep]

Why would they just throw them away? Isn’t that unbecoming a priest?

The pastor at my parish will not address anonymous letters. He is always open to a conversation, but not random letters that people don’t sign.

His reasons make a lot of sense. There is no way to discuss the matter with the person. It might be something that can be easily solved, but he cannot have a conversation with “anonymous”. Also, it could be something that is misunderstood. He can’t explain anything to “anonymous”.

I would react the same way. If I received a letter from an anonymous person stating, “The way you dress is distracting me at Mass,” I’m not going to do anything differently. If someone walked up to me and had an honest conversation along with the reasons why it’s distracting, I’d be much more open to making a change. How would you react if someone left an anonymous letter in your mailbox stating that your yard distracts them while being outside? Would you like that very much? Would you honestly be prompted to make some sort of change?

 

[rudytoo72]

if you think altar servers’ attire is distracting, don’t come to our church. the altar servers are fine. but we have a new younger priest who obviously works out on friday mornings. he will do mass wearing his vestments, but underneath we can see his legs because he is wearing running shorts and tennis shoes. THAT’S distracting. i thought some of the older parishoners were going to faint. i have to say it really is disturbing. most things i don’t notice, but that was hard to miss! if we are going to require servers and others to dress nicely for mass, clergy should do it too. just my opinion!

 

[CWBetts]

if you think altar servers’ attire is distracting, don’t come to our church. the altar servers are fine. but we have a new younger priest who obviously works out on friday mornings. he will do mass wearing his vestments, but underneath we can see his legs because he is wearing running shorts and tennis shoes. THAT’S distracting. i thought some of the older parishoners were going to faint. i have to say it really is disturbing. most things i don’t notice, but that was hard to miss! if we are going to require servers and others to dress nicely for mass, clergy should do it too. just my opinion!

You’re kidding me! A PRIEST!?!? Maybe I’m old fashoned, but dressed like thit in the presence of Jesus???

 

[rudytoo72]

No, I am not kidding.(concerning the priest in shorts).call me old fashioned too. it freaked me out! maybe i am too rigid in my thinking, but that seemed wrong to me. but then again, i have seen this priest invite parishoners to stay after mass (outside) and have coffee and donuts with him. when he went down the aisle after mass, he took off his vestments and literally threw them on the back of the last pew. i thought that was weird. seeing a priest do that just seemed wrong. i thought they put vestments on and took them off in a reverent way. i guess i was wrong. i have seen a few things that were strange. all the kids think he is cool. he sits on the altar and giggles and makes eye contacts with certain people. it just seems like a lack of reverence in general. i like my priests serious and reverent. guess i am old fashioned!

 

[jmcrae]

No, I am not kidding.(concerning the priest in shorts).call me old fashioned too. it freaked me out! maybe i am too rigid in my thinking, but that seemed wrong to me. but then again, i have seen this priest invite parishoners to stay after mass (outside) and have coffee and donuts with him. when he went down the aisle after mass, he took off his vestments and literally threw them on the back of the last pew. i thought that was weird. seeing a priest do that just seemed wrong. i thought they put vestments on and took them off in a reverent way. i guess i was wrong. i have seen a few things that were strange. all the kids think he is cool. he sits on the altar and giggles and makes eye contacts with certain people. it just seems like a lack of reverence in general. i like my priests serious and reverent. guess i am old fashioned!

I used to work with a priest who acted exactly like that.

You don’t happen to live in Calgary, do you … ?

 

[rudytoo72]

jmcrae, no i live in LA. this is a priest who has not been ordained 2 years yet. i think he drives the older priest nuts, as he is very traditional and much older. i hope he grows up and matures, but i fear this is his personality. he acts as though he has ADHD. i can deal with different personalities, but i feel some things are inappropriate.

 

[BlueSeven]

Today was Good Friday. As everyone went up to venerate the cross (a plain, empty cross) two altar girls were to the sides. As I went up to kiss the cross, I noticed once again distracting fact that the girls, underneath their albs (which were too short, only about knee-length) they were wearing jeans and pink and lime green Croc shoes. Throughout the service, I found I couldn’t concentrate due to that.

What’s worse, is, last Sunday (Passion Sunday) they did the same thing. They never wear anything formal, you can always see their jeans and shoes and sometimes athletic pants.

Sigh. It’s super-distracting, and, even worse, tomorrow is Easter Vigil, when we join the Church. If they wear that get-up again… well, I just can’t stand it.

Does anyone know of any way I can kindly inform someone about how distracting this is to the Mass, and actually effect change?

Uh huh well… after reading this again i had to add this…

We are told to wear comfy clothes underneath because the robes are extremely hot and being a girl i can’t wear a dress because you know when i’m dressing in same room as a guy, i dont want any incidents to happen…and i could trip during communion

Sorry if this seems like such a minor issue, but I find it unbelievingly distracting.

Any thoughts?

 

[jmcrae]

We are told to wear comfy clothes underneath because the robes are extremely hot and being a girl i can’t wear a dress because you know when i’m dressing in same room as a guy, i dont want any incidents to happen…and i could trip during communion

Comfortable clothes don’t have to be ugly.

You can easily find dark-coloured cotton pants and dark-coloured cloth shoes, which would be just as comfortable as the brightly-coloured ones.

 

[BlueSeven]

Comfortable clothes don’t have to be ugly.

You can easily find dark-coloured cotton pants and dark-coloured cloth shoes, which would be just as comfortable as the brightly-coloured ones.

When did jeans become ugly?

 

[jmcrae]

When did jeans become ugly?

Are you going horseback riding, or doing the haying, right after Mass? If not, then you don’t need to wear jeans to Mass.

 

[BlueSeven]

Are you going horseback riding, or doing the haying, right after Mass? If not, then you don’t need to wear jeans to Mass.

no but theres something called i dont sit on my butt and watch tv i go outside on my bike, go to a friends house, play tennis because i have a social life unlike some people.

just saying.
no need to be snobby like that because i will fight back.
w/e the consequences.

 

[TrinityKnot]

Hm. When I was alter serving, my priest told us we had to wear black shoes. So I guess you should just talk to your priest about it, and see if he will do anything.

 

[CWBetts]

no but theres something called i dont sit on my butt and watch tv i go outside on my bike, go to a friends house, play tennis because i have a social life unlike some people.

just saying.
no need to be snobby like that because i will fight back.
w/e the consequences.

Then after Mass. take ten minuited to change clothes. There is no valid escuse barring financial hardship to not be dressed well in Mass. Think of it this way: If you you were going to the White House you would dress up wouldn’t you? What about Buckinham Palace? Now remember you are going to be in the presence of Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. How much greater is He than a worldly leader?

 

[jmcrae]

Then after Mass. take ten minuited to change clothes. There is no valid escuse barring financial hardship to not be dressed well in Mass. Think of it this way: If you you were going to the White House you would dress up wouldn’t you? What about Buckinham Palace? Now remember you are going to be in the presence of Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Holy Trinity. How much greater is He than a worldly leader?

Unfortunately, I have seen kids wear jeans and t-shirts to meet the Queen. (I am guessing that the protocol officer told them, “Dress as you would for Church,” without realizing how they dress for Church.)

My god son was the only child wearing a dark suit and carrying flowers, the last time she visited our city.

Needless to say, he was also the only one invited to have lunch with her. (Cucumber sandwiches with Devonshire cream, carrot soup, and fizzy punch, with cherry cake for dessert.) He had a very nice time.

 

[BlueSeven]

St.Francis of Assisi dressed in robes and gave his nice clothes to the poor. Jesus dressed in white cloth and was ridiculed before his death by being dressed in nice clothes. We should humble our presence for God. He doesnt want us to be extravagant that is another one of the sins in my eyes. Are you truly Christian if you are too ashamed to show yourself to Jesus how you usually dress? Then i shall pray for you. Think about that ok?
God cares about you and you alone not what you wear, not what you look like. It doesnt matter to him. Isnt that what the bible says over and over again?

 

[Matariel]

BTW, I found this on the USCCB website, under* Liturgy*:

Servers should receive proper formation before they begin to function. The formation should include instruction on the Mass and its parts and their meaning, the various objects used in the liturgy (their names and use), and the various functions of the server during the Mass and other liturgical celebrations. Servers should also receive appropriate guidance on maintaining proper decorum and attire when serving Mass and other functions.