Attire for Adoration

  • Thread starter Thread starter brockmac
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

brockmac

Guest
I am lucky to live just a block and a half from my parish, which has adoration from Monday morning until just before the Saturday vigil Mass (except when daily Mass is being celebrated). There is also a chlidren’s playground just across the street. Often when I take my children to play, I feel like going to the Church for adoration afterwords. Unfortunately, I am dressed for the playground, not for Church.

If I am not sweaty and smelly and am wearing a tee-shirt or polo, with nice shorts and tennis shoes, would it be appropriate to go into the chapel for adoration? I feel like I should be dressed better to go into the presence of my Lord, but another part of me feels that even if I am not dressed as I would for Mass, it is better to go and worship our Lord in the Eucharist (and especially let my children see me doing so) than to not do so.

I would be intersted in feedback from others. I know that Ideally, I should schedule time to go and dress appropriately when I do so. However, in your responses, please limit your responses to your views on the appropriateness of going to adoration dressed as described above.

Thank you.
 
In general attire for daily Mass, so presumably for Adoration as well, is whatever you are wearing for the work of the day, as most people are on their way to or from work. Your work is taking care of your children so whatever you are wearing when you take a break from that work for Adoration is acceptable (as long as it is modest of course, if you had them at the pool you would want to change, for instance). Congratulations for taking the children and helping them form this wonderful habit early. If anybody gives you a hard time about that, let me know, I will whup them up side the head. If wearing shorts makes you feel uncomfortable, you could keep a skirt or jumper in the car to throw on. It might give a good non-verbal message to your kids about respect and so forth. But I would not let the clothes keep me from Adoration if the opportunity was there, and there was no practical way to come back later in the day.
 
Thank you for the advice, however, I would feel even less comfortable in a skirt than in shorts, as I am a man. This generally happens on Saturday mornings or Friday evenings, so technically, I don’t know if it is my attire for work, as I have changed clothes from work before going to the park, but in general I tend to agree with you. The more I think about it, the more I think it is better to go dressed in a casual, but modest way than not at all.
 
I try to dress “business casual” or better but sometimes I have been known to pop into the chapel on the spur of the moment, wearing jeans or whatever. One time I was going past the church on the way to the grocery store, wearing grubby clothes, and I felt a pull in my heart to stop in at the Adoration chapel. It turns out that the adorer scheduled for the next hour didn’t show up (they often had only one scheduled adorer, although they tried to get two), and our Lord would have been left alone if I hadn’t dropped in. I’m sure He was pleased even though I looked a mess! 👍
 
brockmac,

I don’t think we’re at the same parish, but I have almost the identical situation…we have perpetual adoration and I live less than a mile from the church. I pop in as much as possible and have had the same thoughts about dress.

I figure that I’m hearing the call to adoration for some good reason, and unless I’m wearing very short shorts or something with a LOT of paint on it (I’m a painter) I will go into the chapel.

Once I was in an adoration chapel and a farmer came in wearing muddy overalls. He was very reverent, prayed, and left. It was heartwarming! Another time I was lucky enough to see a firefighter in a chapel wearing his gear…he was deep in prayer about something. It just illustrates to me that every unique life is touched by God.

I like puzzleannie’s rule of thumb about work clothes, but mine are pretty terrible most of the time. I’m truly wearing my Sunday best in a pair of jeans WITHOUT paint on them. 😃
 
I have to walk two miles to go to church if I’m not going on weekends because I don’t have a car. It’s about 95 degrees here with a lot of humidity so I can’t help it if I’m a bit stinky. I just sit away from other people. I wear shorts and one of my nicer shirts but I don’t have many of them.
 
idk
normally i wear kaki shorts and a polo.

on the morning I found out that my grandfather died I went in my p.j.'s. I didn’t think about getting dressed that morning. There was an old lady there but she didn’t seem to mind.
 
I have worn jeans before but only when I was running late and did not have time to change.

I think some people are really sensitive about this so it is best to dress business casual, even if it is just to be charitible towards those who might get upset by it.

I am unaware of any Church rules regarding this matter.
 
If it’s a matter of going vs. not, I’d say go, even in the shorts.

I can’t remember where I read it, but there is this charming story that was told by St. Josemaria Escriva. Every morning he would be praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and there would be a bit of a clatter at the front door, and then some more clanking and some heavy footsteps, then the thud of somebody kneeling down in the middle of the aisle. Then, a very rough voice would say, “Jesus, here is Juan the milkman!” And after a few moments of kneeling, he would proceed on his way.

I’m quite sure Juan was wearing overalls and boots, and they probably weren’t free of mud or dirt. I’m also quite sure Jesus was delighted to see him there.

Margaret

PS
I would feel even less comfortable in a skirt than in shorts, as I am a man.
Click to expand...
:rotfl: I needed a good laugh. Thank you.
 
My general rule of thumb is, dress for what you are doing.

If the main point of my outing is Adoration, I’d throw on something dress casual… Khakis and a nice shirt or the such.

However, if I am out doing something else, and have the chance to stop by Adoration, I will drop by in what I am wearing, as long as it is modest and such.

I’ve had times where, in ‘poor-looking’ clothing (dirts stains, ect…) I’ve stopped by to pray in isolated Churches and happen to find Adoration going on. I find that an invitation I cannot refuse 😉
 
brockmac said:
Thank you for the advice, however, I would feel even less comfortable in a skirt than in shorts, as I am a man. This generally happens on Saturday mornings or Friday evenings, so technically, I don’t know if it is my attire for work, as I have changed clothes from work before going to the park, but in general I tend to agree with you. The more I think about it, the more I think it is better to go dressed in a casual, but modest way than not at all.
Click to expand...
Well, wear your kilt, of course!😉

My DH wears shorts that cover his knees when he sits. Our pastor has deemed these acceptable.
 
brockmac said:
Thank you for the advice, however, I would feel even less comfortable in a skirt than in shorts, as I am a man. This generally happens on Saturday mornings or Friday evenings, so technically, I don’t know if it is my attire for work, as I have changed clothes from work before going to the park, but in general I tend to agree with you. The more I think about it, the more I think it is better to go dressed in a casual, but modest way than not at all.
Click to expand...
well we actully have two parishioners who occasionally wear kilts, but that is probably considered formal wear. Your work at the time is doing what you are doing, parenting is certainly work, so wear whatever you wear. For that matter if you have been out jogging by yourself, stop for a drink of water, and come on in. I sure would not avoid doing something so good for a reason like clothing.

my work clothes for many years were chemical resistant jumpsuit and steel toed shoes and hardhat, so that is what I wore to Mass on the way to or from work. In a working class town nobody gives it a thought. The firefighters and postmen, since this downtown church was near both general mail facility and main fire station, along with cops, nurses and doctors in scrubs, and people in all kinds of work attire were the regulars, especially on Holy Days.
 
God’s house celebrates “open house” constantly and it’s a “come as you are” party.

Matthew
 
brockmac said:
Thank you for the advice, however, I would feel even less comfortable in a skirt than in shorts, as I am a man. This generally happens on Saturday mornings or Friday evenings, so technically, I don’t know if it is my attire for work, as I have changed clothes from work before going to the park, but in general I tend to agree with you. The more I think about it, the more I think it is better to go dressed in a casual, but modest way than not at all.
Click to expand...
Well, I don’t see why you’re having problems with the skirt idea. 😃

Heck, we have a guy at daily Mass, who comes in on the way home from his morning run. He’s in sweats or shorts & a t-shirt, which should probably raise my hackles, but it doesn’t.

I think the Boss would be glad to see you pretty much in any garb that a gentleman would wear in a public place – even on a Saturday. Decent shorts & a polo shirt sounds perfectly acceptable.
 
I think it is fine to stop in wearing whatever you happen to have on. When I plan a holy hour in advance, I dress accordingly, but if I just happen to feel the call to stop by to spend time with our Lord for a few minutes, I think it is fine to do just that without going home and changing my clothes first. If I am wearing shorts, I feel a bit out of place (I am female), but if I feel the need, I stop anyway and stay in the back of church to try to avoid upsetting anyone else who might be there or who might come in after me. Just spending time in adoration is the highest priority to me. I do dress more formally in church for Mass and other events, but it is a rare treat for me to get a few unplanned minutes of adoration, so I take them when I can.
 
I went over to my moms the other day. Been busy with the kids in my jeans, a little sweaty. Just stoped in to say hi, talk for a few. Started to leave, backed up from giving her a hug and she asked whats the matter. I said mom i’m sweaty she laughed and pulled my into a big hug and said i’m your mom and i don’t care, I love you… I wouldn’t say go to Mass in just anythig but to stop in and say hi to some one you love and Loves you very much, I don’t think if your a little sweaty He will mind:D
 
I always try to wear Sunday best to Sunday mass, but I’m actually far less concerned with my attire to weekday adoration.

Personally, I’d be glad to see you there with your children, and I wouldn’t be paying attention to what you’re wearing.

Thank you for taking your children to visit the Blessed Sacrament!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top