Do you wear jeans to Mass?

[CarolAnnSFO]

Do any of you see how absurd this discussion is? or is this post falling on slack loving/ denim hating deaf ears.

LOL! The folks who think you should be going to Mass in a three-piece wool suit probably don’t think cotton is suitable in any of its forms. Oops, I’m in big trouble; I wear many cotton items even in the winter (in heavier knits). My coldest weather slacks are knit corduroy. Hmmm, I wonder if they are more or less suitable than woven corduroy. If the corduroy is so fine-waled that it resembles velvet, does it then become more appropriate? Even if it is dyed denim-blue color?

on the downside, they sweated, weren’t familiar with deodorant and smelled like a good day at the docks. i’d rather move past those olden days if possible.

I’ve always wanted to respond like that when anyone mentions how people tolerated the heat while wearing 12 pounds of woolen clothing each, in the olden days. Add all that wool to “no deodorant” plus “bathing probably only once a week” plus “washing the wool clothing even less often” plus “hot weather” and you sure would have a “good day at the docks” or “stink like a polecat” or .

To answer the original question, I don’t wear jeans to Mass, but I never wear jeans anywhere else, either. Come to think of it, nobody in my family wears jeans. I don’t wear dresses or skirts, either. I wear slacks, a nice top, and a jacket-substitute, the exact nature of which depends on the weather. I don’t wear tailored clothing, ever. It doesn’t fit my body type, no matter what size I buy.

 

[fantrl]

I understand your reasoning behind wearing jeans, I really do.
However, I am curious…many people have written that they wear jeans to daily mass and not to Sunday mass.
Question: How is daily mass any less special than sunday mass? I do not view the mass to be more important on sundays due to the fact that more people are there, there is a choir, it is in the “big” church vs. the chapel, etc…(Nor am I saying that any of you feel that way, again, this is my view.)

To me, the importance of mass lies in the Eucharist and the celebration of Christ freely giving himself to suffer and die for our sins. This rite is celebrated at every mass, be it daily or a Sunday mass. Therefore, I view every mass as important as the next. Thus, in feeling this way, I will always wear clothing that I feels reflects this. In my mind, jeans are not on that list.

I only have one set of nice clothing, so it would be ridiculous to wear it every day.

 

[DiscerningDave]

I only have one set of nice clothing, so it would be ridiculous to wear it every day.

Never said you had to. I have been very careful in stating that this is just my opinion.

 

[brotherhrolf]

Your post gets me thinking. Since A/C did not exist 100 or so years ago, how did our ancestors handle it for 1900 years? There are definitely hotter places than LA in the world.

Very simple answer. A hundred years ago churches were not built using the standards of today. A hundred years ago, the stained glass windows opened at the bottom into the church. A hundred years ago, the clerestory windows had chains attached to them and could also be opened. A hundred years ago many churches had false ceilings and ornate iron mesh screens which could be opened to vents which would assist cross ventilation. A hundred years ago in the cities, many had electricity and early oscilating fans. St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans is a perfect example of this. Unfortunately when they renovated my cathedral parish, the stained glass window panels which opened at the bottom were welded shut and exterior sealed acrylic panels were placed over them for protection. The ventilation shaft and false ceiling was removed as part of the renovation - hey we’ve got central a/c until the a/c breaks down which it has on numerous occasions since the plant is now well over 40 years old and is scheduled to be replaced.

Lastly, our ancestors living in hot climates had less red blood cells which aids in being able to control heat. My family did not get a/c until I was 13 in 1964. I went all the way through a Catholic high school in the French Quarter in New Orleans in a school without a/c. But the transom windows opened from top and bottom in each classroom and each classroom had 14’ high ceilings. I didn’t feel the heat because I was used to it and, most importantly, the buildings were designed with the heat in mind. We are not building for the heat here anymore. My family and I had to abandon our ranch style home after Hurricane Andrew came through in '92 and sleep in a tent for two weeks because it was 110 inside the house with all windows open. I learned my lesson and got a generator for Katrina and Rita. Yep, as Gerard M. Hopkins says “Hold them cheap may who ne’er hung here”.

The converse of this for you folks up north is that you have more red cells which aid you in retaining heat in the cold. You can always put more clothes on to stay warm but the converse here is not true.

Let me and my fellow Louisianans here give you our firm assurance. 98 degrees with 80% humidity in August is every bit as hot as Manila or Managua and I daresay you won’t see them running around in suits or anyone in the Amazon basin or in central Africa, etc.

 

[DiscerningDave]

Very simple answer. A hundred years ago churches were not built using the standards of today. A hundred years ago, the stained glass windows opened at the bottom into the church. A hundred years ago, the clerestory windows had chains attached to them and could also be opened. A hundred years ago many churches had false ceilings and ornate iron mesh screens which could be opened to vents which would assist cross ventilation. A hundred years ago in the cities, many had electricity and early oscilating fans. St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans is a perfect example of this. Unfortunately when they renovated my cathedral parish, the stained glass window panels which opened at the bottom were welded shut and exterior sealed acrylic panels were placed over them for protection. The ventilation shaft and false ceiling was removed as part of the renovation - hey we’ve got central a/c until the a/c breaks down which it has on numerous occasions since the plant is now well over 40 years old and is scheduled to be replaced.

Lastly, our ancestors living in hot climates had less red blood cells which aids in being able to control heat. My family did not get a/c until I was 13 in 1964. I went all the way through a Catholic high school in the French Quarter in New Orleans in a school without a/c. But the transom windows opened from top and bottom in each classroom and each classroom had 14’ high ceilings. I didn’t feel the heat because I was used to it and, most importantly, the buildings were designed with the heat in mind. We are not building for the heat here anymore. My family and I had to abandon our ranch style home after Hurricane Andrew came through in '92 and sleep in a tent for two weeks because it was 110 inside the house with all windows open. I learned my lesson and got a generator for Katrina and Rita. Yep, as Gerard M. Hopkins says “Hold them cheap may who ne’er hung here”.

The converse of this for you folks up north is that you have more red cells which aid you in retaining heat in the cold. You can always put more clothes on to stay warm but the converse here is not true.

Let me and my fellow Louisianans here give you our firm assurance. 98 degrees with 80% humidity in August is every bit as hot as Manila or Managua and I daresay you won’t see them running around in suits or anyone in the Amazon basin or in central Africa, etc.

Wow, red cells help you retain heat, really? I am not being synical. I work in a specialized field of Cardiac surgery and I have never heard that. I puposefully induce hypothermia in my patient’s and have to rewarm them. We have always associated heat retention with BMI(Body mass index), metabolism, and fat content. Everyone know fat retains heat. Red cells??? Red cells function in the aspect of oxygen/co2 exchange. I am gonna have to research this one.
Thought I would tell you something interesting I saw on a hiking trip through the mountains of China I took a few years ago. 400 years ago, they had AC. They would build small channels under the floor of their stone dwellings. These channels would allow water from a nearby stream to flow under the houses. When they wanted AC, they would remove a small stone lid on the floor and cool air would flow into the house. Ingenious!!!
Peace

 

[brotherhrolf]

Dave, I have a BA and an MA in Anthropology. Please don’t make me go look up the requisite documentation. It isn’t going to be on the internet and after being flammed by someone else because I couldn’t prove it on the internet, I’m not going to go there. I’m fairly certain the article came from “Scientific American” back in the 70
s and was definitely in the anthropological realm rather than medical. You know Yananamo blood vs. Inuit. If you really want to pursue it, pm me. To do otherwise would hijack the thread.

 

[Sean.McKenzie]

I went in Tennis Shoes last Sunday, first time ever! I’ll work on the jeans. I think it is a good thing, but it is hard to break training. The boobs practically hanging out and skirts so short - I do not care for.

Try not to be so vivid in your descriptions, not too good for some of us who are trying to be gentlemen, we don’t need those kind of images in our minds.
Thanks for your post

 

[Sean.McKenzie]

Personally I never wear jeans to Mass. But Jeans or no jeans may not be the real issue.

The important thing is our attitude of participating Mass.
One can wear suits but treat Mass just as a formality, not pay any attention during Mass. One can wear jeans but fully participate every detail of the Mass. Or vice versa.

God looks into our hearts. If our hearts tell us to dress up to show respect, then do so. If we care less about exterior, as long as we have true respect and adoration in our hearts, jeans are no problem, either.

Mass is truly Heaven on earth. Pay the most respect and get the most out of it, jeans or not. God bless!

God looks into our hearts. If our hearts tell us to dress up to show respect, then do so. If we care less about exterior, as long as we have true respect and adoration in our hearts, jeans are no problem, either

I don’t know about this logic, it bespeeks a little of a moral relativistic view. Try not to “throw the baby out with the bath water” on this one.

I get your point, we must be properly disposed in with our interior disposition, but also, you should reflect that exteriorly as well, so that you may set an example, and not only that, that you do not scandalize a person with what you are wearing as well. You may hae the most pure heart, but do not have a keen understanding on how your outward appearnce will effect others. Equally, one should pass judgement on another by their exterior. This is a fine line we are dealing with

 

[Sean.McKenzie]

sorry about the spelling errors above

 

[cjelinek]

I think we need to keep in mind what we are attending. We are in Mass to worship God and receive His Presence. Lets say you were going to have an audience with the President in front of the whole country on television. Would you wear shorts and a t-shirt? No? If not, why would you feel comfortable going in front of God himself dressed this way? Do you think the viewers on TV would find it distracting and distasteful for you to show up for an audience dressed like you were going to the park? Now what about your fellow parishioners? Is it acceptable to distract and offend them with sloppy, overly casual dress? Or what if you brought your family and your daughter was wearing her cheerleading uniform (which I have seen in Mass many times). Do you think that would be appropriate?

Now certainly the Lord knows that not everyone can afford good clothes. I try to remember this myself. We should be charitable when we see someone in stained jeans and a “KISS” t-shirt attending Mass, because that may be the best cloths they have, and that’s fine. But I think we all need to think twice about our own situation and decide whether we are showing proper respect to God and the other parishioners.

 

[LilyM]

St Francis of Assisi deliberately went and jumped in a pigsty and refused to clean himself up prior to meeting with the Pope. Our Lord appears not to have minded. Occasionally a little scandal of this sort is healthy - people need to be shaken out of their complacency and judgmental attitudes sometimes.

I don’t imagine his attitude to dressing up for Mass was much different. At the same time he showed great respect in every other way for the Church, the Mass and the priests who celebrated it.

 

[DiscerningDave]

St Francis of Assisi deliberately went and jumped in a pigsty and refused to clean himself up prior to meeting with the Pope. Our Lord appears not to have minded. Occasionally a little scandal of this sort is healthy - people need to be shaken out of their complacency and judgmental attitudes sometimes.

I don’t imagine his attitude to dressing up for Mass was much different. At the same time he showed great respect in every other way for the Church, the Mass and the priests who celebrated it.

Actually, St. Francis jumped in the pigsty because the pope told him to do so. He had an audience with him about starting his own order, the pope jestingly said he smelled like a pig so he should live with them. He did as he was commanded for a little while and came back to see the pope. The pope was so moved by his obedience that he granted him his wish.

BrotherRolf, I went to grad school in anthropology. Sent you a pm about red blood cell differences in cultures that live in drastically different altitudes, Yanamamo vs. Inuits.

Peace

 

[chicago]

Do any of you see how absurd this discussion is? or is this post falling on slack loving/ denim hating deaf ears.

That was brilliant!

Of course, one of the things we must also recall is the history of blue jeans. They’ve historically been everything from work clothes to kid’s play clothes, to dress clothes and the height of fashionable sytle. Perhaps these varied prejudices have something to do with the view one takes on wearing them to Mass.

 

[LilyM]

Actually, St. Francis jumped in the pigsty because the pope told him to do so. He had an audience with him about starting his own order, the pope jestingly said he smelled like a pig so he should live with them. He did as he was commanded for a little while and came back to see the pope. The pope was so moved by his obedience that he granted him his wish.

Peace

I stand corrected. The point about the scandal he doubtless caused by so doing remains valid though.

 

[DiscerningDave]

That was brilliant!

Of course, one of the things we must also recall is the history of blue jeans. They’ve historically been everything from work clothes to kid’s play clothes, to dress clothes and the height of fashionable sytle. Perhaps these varied prejudices have something to do with the view one takes on wearing them to Mass.

From following this thread from the beginning I have come to a decision. Everyone on here has there own ideas of what is apporpriate to wear or not. I haven’t yet seen anyone bash anyone for their opinion (that is a good thing).
We all wear different things with the same motive, to worship and glorify God.
Peace

 

[chicago]

I have always been an advocate of casual-dress to church. Pants (not jeans), collared shirt, belt, and no tennis shoes. MHO!!!

I don’t play tennis. But I do frequently wear running shoes to Mass. Why? A couple of reasons. One is that I have a bad back. The “gym shoes” support me better, particularly considering that I am typically doing some walking to get to and from Mass. The other reason is that my “dress shoes” are (like my “gym shoes” quality shoes. But the nature of their materials (all leather) are such that I don’t want to get them wet if at all possible. So if there is the threat of rain or if there is snow on the ground, I’m not wearing them out. Nor am I going to go through the trouble of carrying them with me in a plastic bag or something just to change into and back out of when at Church.

 

[DiscerningDave]

I don’t play tennis. But I do frequently wear running shoes to Mass. Why? A couple of reasons. One is that I have a bad back. The “gym shoes” support me better, particularly considering that I am typically doing some walking to get to and from Mass. The other reason is that my “dress shoes” are (like my “gym shoes” quality shoes. But the nature of their materials (all leather) are such that I don’t want to get them wet if at all possible. So if there is the threat of rain or if there is snow on the ground, I’m not wearing them out. Nor am I going to go through the trouble of carrying them with me in a plastic bag or something just to change into and back out of when at Church.

There are always special coniderations to every situation. Medical problems, obviously, being one of those.

 

[chicago]

There are always special coniderations to every situation. Medical problems, obviously, being one of those.

Not to mention important tennis matches!

Are Keds ok BTW?

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I wasn’t left in the forest to be raised by wolves, or left in the barnyard to entertain myself, if that’s what you mean. I think my upbringing was quite normal; everyone else that I know dresses up on Sundays.

(…)

No, that’s not what I meant. I suggested that you were raised more formally, which is 180 degrees from raised by wolves. Formal is still normal, but different from others including myself.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Sounds like it. Interesting that you didn’t respond to the rest of the post.

What part didn’t I respond to?