Altar girls, jeans, and Crocs

[BlueSeven]

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.

this is pointless different parishes function different ways. all i can say to who ever started this thing is that i can’t help you. talk to some of your friends about it.

 

[jmcrae]

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?

Actually the Bible is very clear that we are to dress appropriately for worship. Remember the parable of the wedding feast, where the guy who didn’t dress properly for the wedding (which is a symbol of the Mass) got thrown out into the outer darkness, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth?

 

[need_to_know]

this is pointless different parishes function different ways. all i can say to who ever started this thing is that i can’t help you. talk to some of your friends about it.

(My emphasis).

And some parishes’ masses involve major abuses and illicities. We can’t put this down to ‘that’s just the way they do it’.

 

[japhy]

St. Francis of Assisi dressed in robes and gave his nice clothes to the poor.

Is this what you have done?

Jesus dressed in white cloth and was ridiculed before his death by being dressed in nice clothes.

He was dressed as a mock-king. He was not ridiculed just by putting nice clothes on him, he was ridiculed by being dressed as if he were a king and treated horribly.

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?

We are not the ultimate arbiters of sin. And which is humbler, to “come as you are” as if Jesus were just another person, or to come in your finest attire as a sign of how much grander the Lord is than us? Dressing humbly does not mean dressing plainly. Dressing better than we usually do is a sign that we are still in need of being perfected.

God cares about you and you alone not what you wear, not what you look like. It doesnt matter to him.

Does God care how you smell? If not, why shower?
Does God care about your teeth? If not, why brush them?

Isnt that what the bible says over and over again?

Jesus told a parable about people invited to a wedding feast. One man who received an invitation showed up, but was not dressed in the proper attire. He was cast out of the wedding feast.

Everything at Mass should direct our minds and hearts to Heaven. In Heaven, the saints are dressed in the whitest linen robes, washed clean of all sin in the blood of the Lamb. Jesus himself is dressed in royal array, as our High Priest, High Prophet, and High King.

It is appropriate, then, that the way we dress at Mass should symbolize the coming glory of our heavenly worship of God for all eternity. If you think a KORN t-shirt and ripped jeans is the best way for you to symbolize that, by all means, go ahead. But don’t be surprised if other people are a bit shocked by it.

I’m not saying I’m perfect. I should have shaved this morning, and I didn’t. I do not always wear proper clothes to Mass. But I make a concerted effort to avoid immodest or offensive attire, and I am usually dressed well for Mass. (I also believe in “progressive solemnity,” but that’s another matter entirely.)

 

[Heather_Santiag]

As a returning Catholic reading this complaint & some of the responses I am reminded of what I did not like about going to Church. There are many people that go to Church & are more concerned about what other people are wearing or if they saw you last week or not. I think that peolple need to pay more attention to what the preist is saying & what is going on in the mass & less time to the foot wear of the alter girls. To say that you are going to stop making contributions is also not very Christian like of you. This whole thing just stands as a great example of why people think of us as uptight, snooty Catholics. You need to just relax & be thankfull that these girls are there worshipping the Lord. I don’t believe that in biblical times everyone put their best clothes on to listen to Jesus preach. That is not what it’s about.
Also, I saw that someone had said that Churchs should only use older male alter boys during Holiday’s because they always look better. Wow! How disrespectful, sexist & unchristian of a statement! I thought that Jesus had taught us love.

 

[jmf83]

There is so much going on in this thread - wow.

First of all, I have to ask - why are you in church if you are distracted by what the server is wearing. The focus should be on worship and the Eucharist - not what people are wearing. I took a non Catholic to mass last night and he told me he was uncomfortable - not because he was not familiar with the responses and such, but because others were staring at him because he was not doing them. I was greatly embarrassed. We should be focused on God at mass, not each other.

Secondly - this is not an “abuse”. Call it irreverent, rude, etc - but it is not an abuse.

Thirdly - Do you know the family? Are they able to afford the fancy clothes you think they should be wearing?

Fourth - As a former youth minister and current high school teacher, I am often very glad youth are in church and really dont care what they are wearing as long as it covers what it should be covering. Getting them there and engaged is far more important. I just had this conversation with a colleague on Wednesday. As a man in my mid thirties - I often wear dress pants and a polo for work and occasionally a button down shirt. On days we have mass at school I wear a tie because the students are required to do the same. A fellow teacher who is in his 60’s wears a tie every day and adds a sports coat on mass days. We were talking about how it is generational. He mentioned his father would wear a suit every Sunday for church. So, there are three generations - suit - tie and coat - tie. The younger generation just does not dress up - working with them I know this and I am glad they are in church.

And lastly - please do not write anything to the pastor anonymously. Like another poster said, if you feel it is important then put your name to it. When I worked in parish work - anonymous letters were trashed.

Perfect response. I couldn’t agree more.

In a world where young people are drifting away from religion and into truly frightening lifestyle choices, are jeans and shoes what we should be focusing on? At least these girls are in church and actively participating in Mass.

The dress style of young people may not appeal to you but is God judging their fashion sense or their souls. We should be trying to get our kids to church. Not drive them away. Fashions change and so will they. In the meantime let’s nurture their souls

 

[japhy]

There are many people that go to Church & are more concerned about what other people are wearing or if they saw you last week or not.

More concerned about that than what?

I think that people need to pay more attention to what the preist is saying & what is going on in the mass & less time to the foot wear of the alter girls.

How do you know how much attention they are paying to the prayers and the Mass?

 

[CWBetts]

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?

Its all about respect, and in case you didn’t know, St. Francis took vows of poverty. Most of us have not done that.

 

[japhy]

At least these girls are in church and actively participating in Mass.

Yes, at least. Is it wrong to challenge them (charitably) to do more?

The dress style of young people may not appeal to you but is God judging their fashion sense or their souls.

I’m not saying God judges their fashion sense, nor that you can necessarily judge a book by its cover, but shouldn’t we try to get our external appearance to adequately reflect our internal dispositions?

 

[Spirithound]

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?

Jesus and St. Francis likely each had one, max of two robes. No sandals either. When your wardrobe is down to that, we’ll excuse the jeans visible under the alb.

 

[graceandglory]

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?

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

Any thoughts?

Oh dear Matariel,
I don’t know if anything will change. If it’s all the same, I would suggest switching parishes.

And gently in writing let your current parish know why you are switching.

I’m a convert too, so my response is probably not very orthodox. I attended the most beautiful and holy and reverent Good Friday service last week with Dominican priests, I can’t imagine crocs and sweatpants.

So sorry you had to put up with that… It could have been so much nicer.

 

[Alma]

I just read another thread where someone was complaining about people who serve at Mass wearing crocs.

I am a Eucharistic Minister and I always dress properly for Sunday Mass and whenever I have to serve, either by helping distribute Holy Communion or procclaiming the Readings.:curtsey:

However, the other day during a weekday Mass I was wearing a nice blouse, white pants and white crocs (with white socks). I sat in the back of the Church. But since there was only one reader and no one volunteered to read the Psalm I went up and did it.

Was it preferable that I had not read because I was wearing crocs? uch:



Alma

 

[Little_Dove]

Dear Alma,
This is just my personal thought, but during weekday masses, I don’t dress up as I do for Sunday Mass. Rather, I make Our Lord an essential part of my workday, so I am usually dressed the way I will be for whatever I have to do after mass and during the day…I don’t think this offends Jesus, I think He likes to be an integral part of my day…What you describe you were wearing seems perfectly appropriate for a daily mass…in my thinking…often it is not practical or possible to run back home after mass and change before proceeding with the rest of your day. It is only my opinion…And if you were the only other person who stepped forward to read the responsorial psalm, then God Bless you!

To Jesus, through Mary!

 

[quiet52]

I am a Eucharistic Minister and I always dress properly for Sunday Mass …

No, you’re not a Eucharistic Minister. This has probably been beaten to death on CA but … I’ll do it again.

Only the priest can be a Eucharistic Minister. Only certain people can administer each sacrament – Baptism – bishop, priest or deacon; Confirmation - bishop or a priest given the faculty to confirm; Reconciliation - bishop or priest; Eucharist - bishop or priest; Holy Orders - bishop; Anointing of the Sick - bishop or priest; Matrimony - spouses (officially witnessed by bishop, priest or deacon).

During Mass, when a deacon helps distribute Holy Communion, because he is ordained, he is referred to as an ordinary minister of Holy Communion (not an administrator of the sacrament, but part of the distribution of the sacrament). When a lay person helps distribute Holy Communion, he/she is called an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion (again, not an administrator of the sacrament, but someone who helps distribute Holy Communion).

When the Church uses the word “ordinary,” she is referring to the latin word that means ordained or jurisdictional – it has nothing to do with the English word that means plain,commonplace, or unexceptional.

The word “extraordinary” stems from the latin word that means “outside of the ordained.”

 

[Jsmith17]

I would say that because you hadn’t planned on being a reader, the crocs were OK…

1. It was a daily Mass
2. You were dressed to be out (at work etc.) not to be at Mass
3. You weren’t planning on it, but were simply substituting

That being said, you might plan for this in the future by keeping a pair of nicer shoes in your car in order to be able to make a quick change.

 

[thistle]

Can someone please tell me what “crocs” are?

 

[Phemie]

Can someone please tell me what “crocs” are?

Crocs are lightweight plastic shoes. See here. On hearing the word ‘crocs’ most people would think of the black sandal in the banner at the top of the page.

I’ve worn mine to be a reader, in fact, for a while I wore them everywhere because I had tendonitis and couldn’t wear my regular shoes.

 

[Lainey63]

I’ve read that post that you are referring too as well. I’ve also read other posts in which people get distracted by others shoes. I’ve never noticed what people are wearing on their feet. In my mind I think that is petty. With that being said, now I will probably find myself looking at people’s shoes the next time I go to Mass.

 

[Cat]

I don’t know why people make such a big deal out of crocs. They are a style of shoe that is fairly cheap and comfortable, as compared with the teeny weeny pinchy winchy “dress” shoes that some many women stuff their damaged feet into just to look “nice.” Bah. I supposed some might say that such “dress” shoes help remind women of Jesus’s pierced feet on the cross.

I admit to being very bitter about shoes because my feet are so deformed that I have no choice about what shoes to wear. I have to wear orthopedic shoes and I hate them. When I was young, my feet were huge (size 12) and I always had to wear WHATEVER FIT!!! Many of the cutsie pootsie shoes that all the other teenagers and young women wore as dress shoes were totally out of the question for me.

So I say, LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE’S SHOES ALONE!!! Show some charity! What on earth is “irreverent” about wearing shoes that are comfortable and cheap? It seems to me that this is good stewardship of our bodies and money.

Do people also get upset when old people wear sneakers with velcro to Mass? For people with arthritis, these shoes are an absolute God-send, even though they are not in the least-bit dressy.

For a while back in the 1980s, when the “simple lifestyle” movement swept the U.S., people were wearing sandals that they made themselves with tire rubber. The purpose was to live more simply and have more money to give to the poor. Do you object to these shoes, which were admittedly unattractive, but what a beautiful heart the people had who made and wore them.

If I were going to complain about people’s shoes, I would complain about people who are wearing those unbelievably high spikey heels. THAT, to me, looks like “working girl” shoes, and I’m not talking about working in an office or a factory. Over and over again, women have been warned by podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons about the dangers of high heels and yet, they keep on wearing them.

But it’s not my feet, and it’s none of my business. If it makes the woman feel more beautiful in the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, then wear the high heels.

I will say this–crocs were banned at our hospital for healthy care professionals who are working directly with patients because of FALLS! Only after several falls resulting in injuries and time off work, the administration banned the crocs. So I’m a little surprised whenever I see people wearing them to a Catholic Mass. I would think that people wouldn’t want to take any chance of tripping and dropping the Host. But that’s just me–I’m terribly afraid of falling.

 

[Phemie]

I will say this–crocs were banned at our hospital for healthy care professionals who are working directly with patients because of FALLS! Only after several falls resulting in injuries and time off work, the administration banned the crocs. So I’m a little surprised whenever I see people wearing them to a Catholic Mass. I would think that people wouldn’t want to take any chance of tripping and dropping the Host. But that’s just me–I’m terribly afraid of falling.

Crocs are no worse for falls if you’re just walking. I would bet dollars to donuts that the falls in hospitals are when the staff are running – then Crocs are unstable, particularly if you are not using the strap (most people I’ve seen don’t use them). I’ve never had to run as a reader or EMHC.