Another clothing question

[damooster]

If we are supposed to wear our best clothes to Mass, why do religious communities (sisters, monks, etc) wear only modest robes?

This may sound like I’m trying to start an argument, but it is a sincere question. I understand that they take vows of poverty, but shouldn’t they try to make nice clothes for themselves that they only wear for Mass or something?

Again, this is not an argument starter: this is a sincere question (I’m repeating this because I don’t want to be misunderstood ).

 

[sancte_joseph]

By “nice clothes” it is meant to be a plea to all the people that can… to wear the best clothes they can… of course a hobo who does not have good clothes CAN still go to Mass and maybe someone might see him and offer him food and some nice clothes for mass another day…

now to your question…
like you stated monks and nuns take a vow of poverty… even though they have taken that vow their clothes aren’t all that bad… maybe uncomfortable because of what they are made as some rules dictate them to be…

I think they certainly use a nice clean habit for mass or at least Sunday mass.

i probably said a whole bunch of nothing but i hope i said something to answer your question.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think the religious have two or three habits, and save the best one for mass. I am relying on Sister Mary Martha here. Sometime back she mentioned that she had three habits: one for best wear, one for everyday, and one for the days she dusts pews and does other maintenance work.

 

[DebChris]

I think the religious have two or three habits, and save the best one for mass. I am relying on Sister Mary Martha here. Sometime back she mentioned that she had three habits: one for best wear, one for everyday, and one for the days she dusts pews and does other maintenance work.

The other way that I have heard it (ie. Mother Teresa) is one to wear, one to wash,and one to mend.

 

[damooster]

So, they do have special clothes for Mass? I did not know this! Thanks.

 

[bpbasilphx]

Obviously, they would wear the cleanest habit they have for Eucharist and major services.

As well, some orders, such as Mother Angelica’s sisters, have what is sometimes called choir cape for Mass and Office.

 

[EasterJoy]

There is nothing to say that a layperson’s “Sunday best” may not also be modest in terms of how costly or fashionable the clothes are. If one is in a line of work that calls for serious indoor clothing, rather than clothes that can endure dirt and hard wear, then daily work clothes and Sunday clothes may also be the same for a layperson.

 

[Sr_Sally]

One thing to also remember is that we have a very skewed view of fashion and what is required for “Sunday best”. For most of Christian history, one’s Sunday best often was the same suit or dress for many years. That is one reason why bride dresses for much of history were not the ornate white dresses we think of today. A couple got married wearing what would then be their “Sunday best” for many, many years after that. That same suit or dress would be worn to Sunday Mass, to other weddings, to funerals, etc until the clothes either wore out or the wearer couldn’t fit them anymore (for women, often after children or when they grewer older and the fashion was considered too youthful).

People who were able to attend daily Mass, would do so in their regular work clothes, so depending on the time and place, they might even be the same clothes worn the previous day, since people didn’t have as many changes of clothes as we do today.

This is the history that most orders were founded in. A monk, friar, or sister who came to Mass in a clean (or brushed off) habit, with a clean face and hands was physically appropriate. The more important thing was that they came with their soul prepared to witness the greatest miracle on earth!

In modern America, most people can come up with a clean, modest, appropriate outfit to wear to Sunday Mass, and so we should expect that. But more importantly, we should strive to have that same interior preparation as the religious of times past.

 

[DebChris]

My mother told me how she only had two dresses during the Depression, one to wear everyday plus one for Sunday.
I mentioned Mother Teresa’s three habits–one to wear, one to wash, and one to mend.
This possibility is going to come from my own experience working in a factory. I bought jeans for work while they were on sale. Unfortunately by simply rotating them, they all wore out at the same time so that they all needed to be replaced at the same time. After that I learned to hold back one pair.
It is likely that when a nun is given her first set of habits, none of them needs to be mended. The third habit can indeed be held back for Sunday worship while the other two are alternated throughout the week ( one to wash and one to wear). Eventually one habit will become so worn that it can no longer be mended and needs to be replaced. The Sunday habit now becomes a daily habit and the replacement become her “Sunday Best.”

 

[Ohiomom]

If we are supposed to wear our best clothes to Mass, why do religious communities (sisters, monks, etc) wear only modest robes?

This may sound like I’m trying to start an argument, but it is a sincere question. I understand that they take vows of poverty, but shouldn’t they try to make nice clothes for themselves that they only wear for Mass or something?

Again, this is not an argument starter: this is a sincere question (I’m repeating this because I don’t want to be misunderstood ).

The other issue, which I THINK I pick up in your question is why religious don’t have really nice or fancy clothes for mass. Part of their vows is giving up things that lay people might find “normal” for dressing up, make up, high heels. Some order practice more radical poverty. Others, though their habits are essentially simple, but they have something special they wear for mass or feast days such as the carmelite and domincan cloak.

 

[PrairieMom]

One thing to also remember is that we have a very skewed view of fashion and what is required for “Sunday best”.

On the other hand, people need to be conscious of what is “fashionable” to wear. I see far too many people (especially girls and women) that wear something fashionable, but wholly inappropriate for Mass.

This really was an excellent question, I never thought about it before. Thanks!!

 

[peary2]

If we are supposed to wear our best clothes to Mass, why do religious communities (sisters, monks, etc) wear only modest robes?

This may sound like I’m trying to start an argument, but it is a sincere question. I understand that they take vows of poverty, but shouldn’t they try to make nice clothes for themselves that they only wear for Mass or something?

Again, this is not an argument starter: this is a sincere question (I’m repeating this because I don’t want to be misunderstood ).

For many religious, those ARE their best clothes!

 

[JReducation]

For many religious, those ARE their best clothes!

For many of us who are religious, the habit is our only set of clothes. In my community we have two long tunics with a capuche and chord. They are washed monthly. We have a shorter tunic that reaches just below the hips, for the hot weather, when it is almost impossible to do manual labor in a long habit.

But we go to the liturgy with our best spiritual dress, a soul that is open to Christ and his love and willing to give to Christ what he aks of us.

Even those religious intitutes that do not have a traditional habit, but wear secular clothing, usually have a very limited supply of clothing. Their clothing is usually determined by the work that they do. I once worked with the Carmelite Sisters of Charity, a congregation that is most dedicated to the ideal of Carmel and of charity. The sisters wore secular clothing. However, they worked among the poorest of the poor. Their clothing reflected it. They did not get any money from the poor for their ministry. Their money came from donations or from the salaries of a few sisters who worked for other organizations to bring in some money for the entire community. Those sisters wore hand-me-downs or clothes from a consignment shop. That was the best that they could afford.

However, I would never say that the Carmelite Sisters of Charity did not wear their best spiritual garment to the Eucharist. Their contemplative spirit, their willingness to receive what God gave them and give what God asked in return was an example to all who knew them. They continue to be such an example. I wish I were still working with them. I learned a great deal about humility, prayer and contemplation from them.

Our Poor Clare nuns wear many different styles of clothing, from the very French habit that Mother Angelica’s nuns wear to the very simple skirt and blouse that other Poor Clare nuns wear. However, whatever they wear, I have never been to a Poor Clare monastery where I did not find reverence and a passion for the Lord in the Eucharist. This is the heritage that my Franciscan sisters inherited from our holy mother Clare. This reverence is the most appropriate garb of all.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[DebChris]

For many of us who are religious, the habit is our only set of clothes. In my community we have two long tunics with a capuche and chord. They are washed monthly. We have a shorter tunic that reaches just below the hips, for the hot weather, when it is almost impossible to do manual labor in a long habit.

But we go to the liturgy with our best spiritual dress, a soul that is open to Christ and his love and willing to give to Christ what he aks of us.

Even those religious intitutes that do not have a traditional habit, but wear secular clothing, usually have a very limited supply of clothing. Their clothing is usually determined by the work that they do. I once worked with the Carmelite Sisters of Charity, a congregation that is most dedicated to the ideal of Carmel and of charity. The sisters wore secular clothing. However, they worked among the poorest of the poor. Their clothing reflected it. They did not get any money from the poor for their ministry. Their money came from donations or from the salaries of a few sisters who worked for other organizations to bring in some money for the entire community. Those sisters wore hand-me-downs or clothes from a consignment shop. That was the best that they could afford.

However, I would never say that the Carmelite Sisters of Charity did not wear their best spiritual garment to the Eucharist. Their contemplative spirit, their willingness to receive what God gave them and give what God asked in return was an example to all who knew them. They continue to be such an example. I wish I were still working with them. I learned a great deal about humility, prayer and contemplation from them.

Our Poor Clare nuns wear many different styles of clothing, from the very French habit that Mother Angelica’s nuns wear to the very simple skirt and blouse that other Poor Clare nuns wear. However, whatever they wear, I have never been to a Poor Clare monastery where I did not find reverence and a passion for the Lord in the Eucharist. This is the heritage that my Franciscan sisters inherited from our holy mother Clare. This reverence is the most appropriate garb of all.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Our spiritual clothing is always much more important than our outward appearance.

 

[peary2]

Our spiritual clothing is always much more important than our outward appearance.

I would agree, but modesty should be the rule of thumb. Any woman (or man, for that matter) who wears tight fitting clothes to worship that accentuates their sexuality rather than the wholeness of their being to others brings great disrespect upon themselves as well as being an occasion of sin to someone else. To think otherwise reveals that they are mired in themselves and do not live in the real world of what it means to be human.

There is a great vacuum of understanding in one’s mindset as to how what is proper dress for Friday/Saturday night and how to dress before the Blessed Sacrament. If you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing an outfit in front of your parents or children for a special occasion, then it shouldn’t be worn into a place of worship, much less before the Lord.

 

[Sr_Sally]

I would agree, but modesty should be the rule of thumb. Any woman (or man, for that matter) who wears tight fitting clothes to worship that accentuates their sexuality rather than the wholeness of their being to others brings great disrespect upon themselves as well as being an occasion of sin to someone else. To think otherwise reveals that they are mired in themselves and do not live in the real world of what it means to be human.

There is a great vacuum of understanding in one’s mindset as to how what is proper dress for Friday/Saturday night and how to dress before the Blessed Sacrament. If you wouldn’t be caught dead wearing an outfit in front of your parents or children for a special occasion, then it shouldn’t be worn into a place of worship, much less before the Lord.

This is all very true, but I have never seen any religious (man or woman) dressed in form-fitting clothing! Even those who wear secular clothing are always dressed appropriately for Mass. They may not be ‘dressed up’ in the sense of wearing a fancy suit, pearls, heels and stockings, but what they do wear is modest and clean.

I agree wholeheartly that our society has become very casual and what people often wear to Mass is neither appropriate or modest, however, I agree even more strongly with the premise that:

Our spiritual clothing is always much more important than our outward appearance.

 

[DebChris]

This is all very true, but I have never seen any religious (man or woman) dressed in form-fitting clothing! Even those who wear secular clothing are always dressed appropriately for Mass. They may not be ‘dressed up’ in the sense of wearing a fancy suit, pearls, heels and stockings, but what they do wear is modest and clean.

I agree wholeheartly that our society has become very casual and what people often wear to Mass is neither appropriate or modest, however, I agree even more strongly with the premise that:

Thank you Sr. Sally. I don’t think anybody on this thread has advocated inappropriate clothing. In the secular world, there is a great deal of emphasis on “dressing for success,” of wearing conservative business clothing in order to advance in one’s career. A variation of this that I prefer is professional people are expected to “dress for respect.”
Depending on the profession, or the role of the religious, this dressing for respect could be a pair of jeans or work pants reflecting the occupation or call to service. While the jeans may have splatters of paint, they are not going to be “holey,” cut off at the knee, or designed to call attention to the derriere. An apron worn over a habit may be patched. A mechanic will have washed his face and hands, and possibly thrown a clean shirt over the T-shirt worn while working on cars before coming to Mass. Working in a factory, it didn’t take too many disapproving looks from the manager to learn not to wear a T-shirt with any type of Logo or picture, no matter how innocent.
Outward appearance is a reflection of an inward disposition. We are more than what we wear. Outward appearance is never more important than that inward disposition, our spiritual clothing.
I have learned much from religious who wear secular clothing. I know that their budgets are limited, as is my own. They do “dress for respect” according to their calling.
While I, and I suspect most religious, wear everyday clothing to daily Mass, Sunday is holy unto the Lord. Sunday is the day for wearing our best, whatever that best may be. As rightly pointed out, our best does not mean the formal wear worn to a party. The tux and floor length gown is saved for weddings.
When I head overseas next month, dressing for respect means wearing the clothing expected in a culturally conservative country.

 

[JReducation]

I was stationed as a missionary in South America. I did notice one major difference between the South Americans and North Americans. That is the form of dress. Just one simple example . . .

Despite the fact that Ecuador is warm year-round, all professional women wear pantyhose, blouses with sleeves and blazers or vests to work. Men wear button down shirts or shirts and ties to work. Students in public and private schools wear uniforms. Colleges have dress codes. They allow casual clothing, but it may not be what you wear to the beach or to a club.

On Sundays, the common man and woman wears casual clothing to church, because of the heat, but it is what one would call “Sunday casual.”

I believe that in Europe and North America we have a blurred vision when it comes to dress. When I was stationed in Florida, I noticed that everyone dresses picnic casual or less, for every situation. The most conservative clothing were those in uniforms: nurses, doctors, fast food workers and clerks at dept stores. And I know for a fact that people in Florida have more fiancial resources than most people in South America. Money is not the problem. It is a problem of vision.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF