Church attire (all kinds)

[Denise1957]

If this is the Catholic Church’s mindset, I guess I just don’t understand why if Christ walked the earth in sandals that He would have a problem with us visiting His house in casual attire. I sorta like in contrast to your archdiocese’s puiblishings, what an Episcopal church near me publishes for one of their services about it, “Jeans, flip-flops, open-hearts and questioning minds are encouraged here.” God bless and peace.

If the Episcopalian church near you encourages jeans and flip-flops, that’s their business. But I would hope, too, that non-Catholics will try to be open-minded about why it is that Catholics believe that this sort of attire is not appropriate wear for Mass.

Our Lord did wear sandals, but there’s no indication that He wore any sort of hip or immodest clothing for the times that He lived.

Catholics (and especially traditional Catholics) believe that we should dress nicely and modestly out of our great respect and love for Our Lord, and out of respect for others, and ourselves, too.

If we were to meet the Pope, for example, would we wear jeans and flip-flops? Or if we were to meet the Queen of England, or the president of the United States? Actually, the Vatican has strict rules about what to wear when meeting the Pope.

And isn’t our Lord even more worthy of our respect than, say, presidents or monarchy?

 

[PatriceA]

If the Episcopalian church near you encourages jeans and flip-flops, that’s their business. But I would hope, too, that non-Catholics will try to be open-minded about why it is that Catholics believe that this sort of attire is not appropriate wear for Mass.

Our Lord did wear sandals, but there’s no indication that He wore any sort of hip or immodest clothing for the times that He lived.

Catholics (and especially traditional Catholics) believe that we should dress nicely and modestly out of our great respect and love for Our Lord, and out of respect for others, and ourselves, too.

If we were to meet the Pope, for example, would we wear jeans and flip-flops? Or if we were to meet the Queen of England, or the president of the United States? Actually, the Vatican has strict rules about what to wear when meeting the Pope.

And isn’t our Lord even more worthy of our respect than, say, presidents or monarchy?

Somebody always has to use the old what-would-you-wear-if-you-were-meeting-so-and-so line to justify that we are required to dress up for ALL occasions. I would bet any of the young people that meet the Pope at WYD next month won’t be dressed up at all. In fact they’ll be wearing shorts and flip flops or some other casual shoe wear and attire. Some parishes are just more casual in the attire the parishoners choose to wear. Dress modestly, always, but one doesn’t have to don their finest dress every single time they step into a Church to be appropriately dressed for mass. If one chooses to dress up, that’s their taste, but not everyone has the same taste or even desire to dress up more than a clean top and a pair of pants. Not every Mass has to be like attending a black tie affair at the White House.

 

[CMatt25]

If the Episcopalian church near you encourages jeans and flip-flops, that’s their business. But I would hope, too, that non-Catholics will try to be open-minded about why it is that Catholics believe that this sort of attire is not appropriate wear for Mass.

Our Lord did wear sandals, but there’s no indication that He wore any sort of hip or immodest clothing for the times that He lived.

Catholics (and especially traditional Catholics) believe that we should dress nicely and modestly out of our great respect and love for Our Lord, and out of respect for others, and ourselves, too.

If we were to meet the Pope, for example, would we wear jeans and flip-flops? Or if we were to meet the Queen of England, or the president of the United States? Actually, the Vatican has strict rules about what to wear when meeting the Pope.

And isn’t our Lord even more worthy of our respect than, say, presidents or monarchy?

Denise, I understand the mindset. I just don’t agree with it. I don’t even begin to compare our Lord God with secular mindsets regarding Queens or Presidents. I just don’t believe it matters to Him whether I revere Him in nice clean cargos and tennis shoes or long sleeves and a tie for instance. But you’re free to believe differently. Peace.

 

[CMatt25]

Somebody always has to use the old what-would-you-wear-if-you-were-meeting-so-and-so line to justify that we are required to dress up for ALL occasions. I would bet any of the young people that meet the Pope at WYD next month won’t be dressed up at all. In fact they’ll be wearing shorts and flip flops or some other casual shoe wear and attire. Some parishes are just more casual in the attire the parishoners choose to wear. Dress modestly, always, but one doesn’t have to don their finest dress every single time they step into a Church to be appropriately dressed for mass. If one chooses to dress up, that’s their taste, but not everyone has the same taste or even desire to dress up more than a clean top and a pair of pants. Not every Mass has to be like attending a black tie affair at the White House.

 

[Denise1957]

Somebody always has to use the old what-would-you-wear-if-you-were-meeting-so-and-so line to justify that we are required to dress up for ALL occasions. I would bet any of the young people that meet the Pope at WYD next month won’t be dressed up at all. In fact they’ll be wearing shorts and flip flops or some other casual shoe wear and attire. Some parishes are just more casual in the attire the parishoners choose to wear. Dress modestly, always, but one doesn’t have to don their finest dress every single time they step into a Church to be appropriately dressed for mass. If one chooses to dress up, that’s their taste, but not everyone has the same taste or even desire to dress up more than a clean top and a pair of pants. Not every Mass has to be like attending a black tie affair at the White House.

Except that I’m not saying at all that we must dress nicely and for ALL occasions. Mass isn’t just any ol’ occasion. Our Lord is there; we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. It’s not on the same level as going out to McDonald’s for a meal, or to a barbeque.

Yes, parishes can differ as to what sort of dress code they have. Since this is the trad subforum, most of the trads here are going to go with believing that nice and modest clothing is the proper way to dress at Mass. I understand that others believe differently, but trads aren’t going to change their views.

 

[Ruth_Catherine]

Except that I’m not saying at all that we must dress nicely and for ALL occasions. Mass isn’t just any ol’ occasion. Our Lord is there; we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. It’s not on the same level as going out to McDonald’s for a meal, or to a barbeque.

Yes, parishes can differ as to what sort of dress code they have. Since this is the trad subforum, most of the trads here are going to go with believing that nice and modest clothing is the proper way to dress at Mass. I understand that others believe differently, but trads aren’t going to change their views.

You’re right.

 

[Walking_Home]

PatriceA:

Somebody always has to use the old what-would-you-wear-if-you-were-meeting-so-and-so line to justify that we are required to dress up for ALL occasions. I would bet any of the young people that meet the Pope at WYD next month won’t be dressed up at all. In fact they’ll be wearing shorts and flip flops or some other casual shoe wear and attire. Some parishes are just more casual in the attire the parishoners choose to wear. Dress modestly, always, but one doesn’t have to don their finest dress every single time they step into a Church to be appropriately dressed for mass. If one chooses to dress up, that’s their taste, but not everyone has the same taste or even desire to dress up more than a clean top and a pair of pants. Not every Mass has to be like attending a black tie affair at the White House.

---

Yup. I’ve been thinking —maybe what people don’t realized is-- what can be diminished/lost in this drive for “modesty” and/or “Traditionalism”-----the burying under of the Christ like (Christian) attitude towards one another.

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II
TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Madison Square Garden, New York
Wednesday, 3 October 1979

Dear young people,

I am happy to be with you in Madison Square Garden. Today this is a garden of life, where young people are alive: alive with hope and love, alive with the life of Christ. And it is in the name of Christ that I greet each one of you today.

I have been told that most of you come from Catholic high schools. For this reason I would like to say something about Catholic education, to tell you why the Church considers it so important and expends so much energy in order to provide you and millions of other young people with a Catholic education. The answer can be summarized in one word, in one person, Jesus Christ. The Church wants to communicate Christ to you.

1. This is what education is all about, this is the meaning of life: to know Christ. To know Christ as a friend: as someone who cares about you and the person next to you, and all the people here and everywhere—no matter what language they speak, or what clothes they wear, or what color their skin is.

And so the purpose of Catholic education is to communicate Christ to you, so that your attitude toward others will be that of Christ. You are approaching that stage in your life when you must take personal responsibility for your own destiny. Soon you will be making major decisions which will affect the whole course of your life.** If these decisions reflect Christ’s attitude, then your education will be a success.** We have to learn to meet challenges and even crises in the light of Christ’s Cross and Resurrection. Part of our Catholic education is to learn to see the needs of others, to have the courage to practice what we believe in. With the support of a Catholic education we try to meet every circumstance of life with the attitude of Christ. Yes, the Church wants to communicate Christ to you so that you will come to full maturity in him who is the perfect human being, and, at the same time, the Son of God.

vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1979/october/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19791003_ny-madison-square-garden_en.html

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I posted pictures taken from Lane Bryant - a self described plus-sized clothing store. The models are plus sized as per their job description, not according to my opinion!

I did not ask which one would be more tempting - just simply, which looks nicer and which conceals the private areas of the body? And I’m sorry to say, most plus sized women, most women actually, do not dress in a way that takes that into account. That is a picture of pants that fit, that’s what your rear looks like in pants that fit, i.e. unless you’re wearing a tunic length top, I can see your thighs and bumm in an unflattering way!
.

Ummm…well Lane Bryant is doing a lousy job of marketing because in no way do those pants fit properly…and most people do NOT wear their pants like that…

I do have a question on the dress…ummm…how are you supposed to wear a bra? Therefore the dress would be less modest on me…

Seriously…I just don’t see what the big deal is about women wearing pants…

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

Not less Catholic. Just less reverent, or at least, that’s the message you send to the rest of the congregation (none of us know what is in your heart). However, I do observe in my own parishes that the men who wear shorts tend to be the men who either do not believe in or do not understand the Real Presence, which makes sense: if Jesus isn’t truly there, then there’s no need to put on a more reverent tone than you would elsewhere in your daily life. I am not saying that’s the case with you specifically, as I have gathered from your comments that you do believe in the Real Presence. It’s just my general observation of most shorts-wearers I encounter in church.
.

So…you know what is in the heart of short wearers to Mass??? From general observations? And you can tell this from their attire??? Sorry…but to me that is no different then saying a women that veils is only doing it to be holier then thou…we can’t know their hearts…

I’d be really careful with those comments…my husband wears shorts to Mass…even though I don’t…(although…there are very few times I would wear shorts anywhere!)…and he MOST definetly gets the Real Presence.

 

[CMatt25]

Since this is the trad subforum, most of the trads here are going to go with believing that nice and modest clothing is the proper way to dress at Mass. I understand that others believe differently, but trads aren’t going to change their views.

God and faith I don’t believe is about Latin or the vernacular, organ or guitar, dresses 8 inches below the knee as was mentioned earlier, or pants. Long sleeves or short. The length of veiling. Dress pants or nice shorts.

So I guess as long as the “traditionalists” don’t expect all reverent Catholics and others to follow them. then :thumbsup and a :grouphug: God bless all who walk in faith and peace be with His people on earth.

 

[kozlosap]

God and faith I don’t believe is about Latin or the vernacular, organ or guitar, dresses 8 inches below the knee as was mentioned earlier, or pants. Long sleeves or short. The length of veiling. Dress pants or nice shorts.

So I guess as long as the “traditionalists” don’t expect all reverent Catholics and others to follow them. then :thumbsup and a :grouphug: God bless all who walk in faith and peace be with His people on earth.

:thumbsup:Guess what??? We are all Catholic. There is no such denomination as Trad Catholic or Orthodox Catholic as well as Cafeteria Catholic or liberal Catholic. We are CATHOLIC! Our various personal beliefs on how we dress when we attend mass differ, but that has nothing to do with what we feel in our hearts

 

[LilyM]

I’m sorry but looking at that picture of the woman in pants I do not know ANY woman of that size who would wear pants that tight unless she were being paid as the model doubtless was. I would go so far as to say I cannot recall in my life having seen a woman that size wearing pants that tight in the real world.

They are so tight that a woman probably wouldn’t be able
to sit, which is something women in the real world have to do.

So regardless of what you or Lane Bryant might say, those pants do NOT fit properly, and are thus an unfair comparison.

 

[PatriceA]

Except that I’m not saying at all that we must dress nicely and for ALL occasions. Mass isn’t just any ol’ occasion. Our Lord is there; we receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. It’s not on the same level as going out to McDonald’s for a meal, or to a barbeque.

Yes, parishes can differ as to what sort of dress code they have. Since this is the trad subforum, most of the trads here are going to go with believing that nice and modest clothing is the proper way to dress at Mass. I understand that others believe differently, but trads aren’t going to change their views.

Guess what, some Trads don’t care as much as most CAF seem to be about what people are wearing at Mass. Me being one of them.

The Church is for the sinners, not the people that feel somehow they are a better Catholic if they wear better clothing than others for Mass.

I wish members here at CAF spent just as much time on if their soul is in a state of grace to receive Jesus in the Eucharist as they do worrying about what the person next to them in the pew is wearing at mass.

 

[ElisabethM]

It’s about modesty and respect. Modesty does not draw attention to oneself; respect dresses for the occasion and the guest of honor. How we dress at Mass in not about US, but about Him.

These are the questions to ask when dressing for Mass:

1. Will my manner of dress honor my King whose throne I approach today? In other words, is this the BEST I can dress in approaching the God of the universe?
2. Will my dress draw anyone’s eyes to me and away from my King whom we are here to worship? Or does my manner of dress make me invisible, so others will see my King and not me?

The Mass is is not about me or you or anyone one else! It is about our God, and Him alone!

I believe it does matter to God whether or not we pay attention to the way we dress and offer our gifts at Mass, just as it matters to me if my child shows me respect in our home. Respect shows love; absence of respect is just plain self-centeredness.

It is a tragedy and a travesty that people dress like they’ve just come from or are going to the beach at Mass. God is worth my dressing in a SPECIAL way for this most SPECIAL event on earth when He comes to me with his own Body and Blood. How dare I approach His altar in anything less than my best!

em

 

[Fan_of_Francis]

I usually wear a cassock and surplice at Mass. Problem solved.

I get a seat with a cushion too.

And I get to recieve right from the hands of the priest, right after the priest recieves.

And I get to ring the bells.

Does this make me look fat?

http://timhollingworth.webs.com/img/altar.server.3.jpg

Just felt like saying that.

-Tim-

Now thats funny, Thanks for the laugh

 

[Denise1957]

Guess what, some Trads don’t care as much as most CAF seem to be about what people are wearing at Mass. Me being one of them.

The Church is for the sinners, not the people that feel somehow they are a better Catholic if they wear better clothing than others for Mass.

I wish members here at CAF spent just as much time on if their soul is in a state of grace to receive Jesus in the Eucharist as they do worrying about what the person next to them in the pew is wearing at mass.

I don’t spend time worrying about what others are wearing to Mass. I have enough trouble just making sure that my own clothing is in satisfactory condition. You’re trying to make it out that trads are so very judgemental, and that we judge what everyone is wearing, but this is unfair. We are used to being accused of being judgemental - about a lot of things - not just how we should dress at Mass. It goes with the territory of our belief that we should show the utmost respect for our Redeemer.

There’s a dress code at the TLM parish that I’m registered at. If you don’t like that there’s a dress code, you’ll have to take it up with the priests. They are the ones who remind us about what is appropriate to wear at Mass. Perhaps you believe that the priests are wrong to insist on a dress code. They don’t, however, that I am aware of, come down hard on anyone who doesn’t comply; they just give a reminder at the homily, or in the bulletin, especially during the Summer months.

 

[FloridaJoan]

A great homily on dressing appropriately by Fr John Trigilio. His speech makes us realize that it’s not what we want, not even the Church law, but what God himself wants.:yup:
youtube.com/watch?v=8G_ePdvRsA4&feature=feedf

This morning at the 11AM youth mass a very young couple came in and sat next to me. The young lady had on a pair of skin-tight denim short shorts. I was totally in shock but prayed for her. I am deeply disappointed and saddened that decorum has fallen by the wayside. Our church is air-conditioned, and I’m certain that she must have had more appropraite clothing to wear to Mass. What are some people thinking about when they dress for Mass ?

 

[Walking_Home]

It’s about modesty and respect. Modesty does not draw attention to oneself; respect dresses for the occasion and the guest of honor. How we dress at Mass in not about US, but about Him.

These are the questions to ask when dressing for Mass:

1. Will my manner of dress honor my King whose throne I approach today? In other words, is this the BEST I can dress in approaching the God of the universe?
2. Will my dress draw anyone’s eyes to me and away from my King whom we are here to worship? Or does my manner of dress make me invisible, so others will see my King and not me?

The Mass is is not about me or you or anyone one else! It is about our God, and Him alone!

I believe it does matter to God whether or not we pay attention to the way we dress and offer our gifts at Mass, just as it matters to me if my child shows me respect in our home. Respect shows love; absence of respect is just plain self-centeredness.

It is a tragedy and a travesty that people dress like they’ve just come from or are going to the beach at Mass. God is worth my dressing in a SPECIAL way for this most SPECIAL event on earth when He comes to me with his own Body and Blood.** How dare I approach His altar in anything less than my best!**

em

---

How about approaching His Altar with a Christ like attitude. Dressing modestly/the very best–but what does that do --if we go about putting down/thinking less of those who dress different.

See post #87.

 

[BlyssfulDreamer]

I couldn’t resist posting on yet another “dress” thread. I attend an FSSP parish and have for over 4 years. I have worn pants every time I attend any liturgy there. Before I started attending there I spoke with the priest to ask if this would be ok and was told that it would be fine to wear pants. Members seem to have no problem with me. I am 63 y/o don’t walk very well and am just thankful to God that I am able to attend.

If any church would forbid me to wear pants, I would gladly find another church. Don’t we have “real” problems out there without conjuring up unnecessary ones?

 

[CMatt25]

I couldn’t resist posting on yet another “dress” thread. I attend an FSSP parish and have for over 4 years. I have worn pants every time I attend any liturgy there. Before I started attending there I spoke with the priest to ask if this would be ok and was told that it would be fine to wear pants. Members seem to have no problem with me. I am 63 y/o don’t walk very well and am just thankful to God that I am able to attend.

If any church would forbid me to wear pants, I would gladly find another church. Don’t we have “real” problems out there without conjuring up unnecessary ones?

I’m sure God was glad to see you there. I would feel the same way about finding another church. Peace.