Catholic priest blasted for asking 'ladies' to dress modestly to 'protect the

[phil19034]

phil19034:

If it’s not good enough for the Pope, it shouldn’t be good enough for Jesus

So all the women who wear something like that in the summer and the pastors who allow it are somehow disrepecting Jesus? The 80 year old ladies in their Alred Dunner culottes and matching tops aren’t good enough for Jesus because their arms are showing?

Maybe? I don’t know yet for sure because I’m not dead. However, I do know that Our Lady of Fatima warned that God was becoming most offended by the lowering of modesty standards (and this was the 1918)

And I also think those rules are in place because St Peter’s is a tourist attraction with people of all faiths (or no faith) coming to see it. I lived in NY for almost 15 years. Ever see how tourists dress sometimes?

True, I understand what you are saying. However, is it logical to have stricter standards for tourists than we have for our own parishioners?

 

[DeniseNY]

is it logical to have stricter standards for tourists than we have for our own parishioners?

Your run of the mill parishioners don’t usually show up in tight biking shorts with the goods on full display.

 

[phil19034]

Ah…makes sense. Necktie not required in the office, I assume?

Signed,
The guy sitting at his keyboard in a suit and tie (and a t-shirt undershirt, in case you were wondering…)

Correct. Tie is not required. So v-neck can only be worn with a tie that is tied. If you don’t wear a tie or remove it, you need to have a round neck undershirt.

NOTE: though there are a couple guys who like to show off their muscles who try to get away with no tie and no undershirt (when not at court or meeting with client).

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

is it logical to have stricter standards for tourists than we have for our own parishioners?

Your run of the mill parishioners don’t usually show up in tight biking shorts with the goods on full display.

And that is very true. But many do have a tendency to wear something inappropriately sexy to evening wedding masses

 

[Lifeisbeautiful3]

I once heard a priest say, “Church is an emergency room for sinners, not a museum for saints.”

If the focus on clothing turns even one person away from christ, was it worth it?

 

[phil19034]

is this an online booklet? is there a link to where to read or buy it?

 

[TheLittleLady]

Dancers wear tights.

Priests wear lace on vestments.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Depends on the wedding. Some formal weddings would required cocktail dresses or even gowns. I would not wear either to Mass.

 

[JanetF]

Correct, they aren’t tank tops, they are sleeveless and if I were thinking of wearing them to mass, I’d have a cardigan/jacket on too because the AC is on and it’s going to get cold sitting in the pew.

 

[Lea101]

So I’ll ask you this: if a man told you with humility and senerity that bare shoulders actually do prompt thoughts and feelings of lust that he doesn’t have control of, and that these can then lead to the sin of willfully cultivating lustful thoughts, would you believe him? Would you respond with charity and a desire to help a brother of yours grow closer to Christ? Would care enough about his soul to try to remove a near occasion of sin for him at least in a holy church?

The thing is, shoulders isn’t a sensual part of the body. If someone comes up to me and says that my hair is causing unpure thoughts, I wouldn’t slap on a veil. Unless I’m in such a culture that requires me to veil.

I think your sentiment is alright if we’re talking about cleavage etc, but shoulders? Idk. Where would the line be?

 

[Sarcelle]

However, I do know that Our Lady of Fatima warned that God was becoming most offended by the lowering of modesty standards (and this was the 1918)

You mean the certain fashions were offending God?

You mean sartorially or philosophically speaking?

I think Our Lady meant philosophy not fashion as in clothes. A lot of people have used this quote to say women wearing pants were offensive to God.

This was during the dawn of the age of nihilism and existentialism, a mode or fashion of thinking which seeks to eradicate God from society.

 

[JoeShlabotnik]

A rising tide lifts all boats.
By discussing dressing up for Mass, perhaps we are lifting all to a better place.

 

[twoangels]

 

[maryjk]

I have a unique opportunity every Sunday. I am in the hallway greeting people as they come to Mass and as they leave. I do it most Sundays. (Not on holidays or if I have to take a sick day.)

Because of that I see what most people are wearing.

Sleeveless dresses or tops don’t seem to be a big deal when the strap is a few inches wide. Nor do dresses that come to the knee.

The problem is when the dresses or tops are totally sleeveless (think tube top.) And when the length is very short.

Why do I come to that conclusion? Because a couple of years ago, we had a visitor. The archbishop came to our late morning Mass. He didn’t announce it early enough for our pastor to tell people the weekend before. So it was quite the shock to many.

As these young women were walking into the building, they would see him and start pulling up their shirt to cover more and pulling down on their skirt, for the same reason. A few, grabbed a jacket from a man that might be wearing one, or even left and grabbed something from their car. THEY knew that they were not dressed for Mass. They felt uncomfortable. And yes, they were dressed much like the woman on the left, in your picture.

People know what they should be wearing. You can tell because when they realize there is someone special at church, they become uncomfortable.

To bad they don’t realize that Jesus is at every Mass and he is the special one.

Also to note, if when you bend over, I can tell what color underwear you are wearing, your skirt is too short.

 

[Divine3]

https://biblestudyforcatholics.com/thinking-shame-modesty-catholic/
Wojtyla writes: “What is shameless in dress is that which clearly contributes to a deliberate obscuring of the most essential value of the person by the sexual values”—that is, when someone deliberately seeks to accentuate their sexual values in a way that overshadows their true dignity as persons.

In terms of concrete specifics, Wojtyla points to the consideration of function for an outfit, for example, “during physical labor in hot weather, while bathing, or at the doctor.” If the clothing essentially serves the function, then it’s not immodest: “When a person uses dress like that within the framework of its objective function, then we cannot see shamelessness in this.”

 

[DarkLight]

I feel I should mention that modesty and formality aren’t the same. They tend to get confused a lot on these sorts of threads.

 

[Lea101]

We don’t talk about men’s bodies the way we do for women, and a man wearing full coverage isn’t going to be seen as dressing weirdly or be unable to wear many normal men’s outfits. So men don’t really get how women are just tired of our bodies being such a focus.

This basically sums up how i feel about this whole topic.

I don’t think many people in churches understand how exhausting it is to be constantly aware that your body is always some sort of occasion of sin. That if a dress hugs you, somehow your natural shape/outline of your body may be a problem. Or your shoulders. Or your legs. Or anything anyone says.

It’s tiring! Constantly bombarded with how men are going to look at you a certain way, and then you come online and see yet another thread about a newcomer’s struggle with lust/porn. Then a new thread about modesty and the cycle repeats.

It does feel slightly dehumanising after a while. I’m not even inclined to show off any sex appeal. Sometimes I just don’t want to think about creeps for a change. But newsflash: there are always going to be people who will find something to lust over if they’re attracted to you.

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

However, I do know that Our Lady of Fatima warned that God was becoming most offended by the lowering of modesty standards (and this was the 1918)

You mean the certain fashions were offending God?

You mean sartorially or philosophically speaking?

I think Our Lady meant philosophy not fashion as in clothes. A lot of people have used this quote to say women wearing pants were offensive to God.

This was during the dawn of the age of nihilism and existentialism, a more or fashion of thinking which seems to eradicate God from society.

1st - I want to be clear about something… THERE IS NOTHING OBJECTIVELY WRONG WITH WOMEN WEARING PANTS.

2nd - I think Our Lady meant everything. She was talking to children, she wasn’t being cryptic or lofty. How we dress is an outward projection of ourselves and/or society.

When you wear a particular article of clothing (esp designer) you communicating the message and philosophies of the fashion designer (not just yourself).

So, let’s look a sleeveless dress for example (because they have been addressed multiple times here today).

• If a woman wearing one doesn’t feel it’s sexy and feels it is totally modest & professional, however, the fashion designer purposefully designed it to have subtle sex appeal, then the wearer is unwittingly promoting the fashion designer’s philosophy.

The clothing we choose to wear is not just a reflection of ourselves, but also a reflection of the fashion designer who created it.

 

[MagdalenaRita]

I think you are partly correct because Our Lady of Fatima said to men: Let men avoid greed, lies, envy, blasphemy, impurity

but she also said to women:

Woe to women lacking in modesty.”

Pope Benedict XV spoke out strongly against immodest fashions: “One cannot sufficiently deplore the blindness of so many women of every age and station. Made foolish by a desire to please, they do not see to what degree the indecency of their clothing shocks every honest man and offends God. Most of them would formerly have blushed for such apparel as for a grave fault against Christian modesty.”

Over the years we have just become desensitized to what is modest and what is not. Maybe as women we compare our fashions to men’s too much. Kind of thinking if there are complaints against women’s fashions there should be complaints against men’s fashions but it just can’t work that way.

 

[Divine3]

Modest Dress in the Modern World

Recently I attended a wedding and the bride wore a gown with her shoulders bare and a good bit of her back and front exposed. When I was growing up, such dress would not be allowed in Church. Are t…

www.catholiceducation.org

“Finally, modesty in dress and general behavior is governed by the principle of not offending others and not being an occasion of sin for others. St. Augustine said, “In all your movements, let nothing be evident that would offend the eyes of another.””