Dressed up for Mass today

[Magnum_V8]

Okay, so I added a pocket square to my regular attire of suit and tie, sometimes shirt and tie. The point is I try to dress the best I can for the Lord, better than I would going out to dinner or whatever. I added the pocket square for Father’s day.

My 6 year old son dressed in a suit today, also. He’s usually in a shirt and tie, throwing in a vest every once in while. Nobody else at our parish really “dresses up.”

After Mass, we were walking down the main isle, ready to greet Father, and a nice gentleman comes up to us, remarks on how nice we look, how nice it is to see father and son dressed nicely together. Then he adds the following:

“You must be going somewhere special after here.” :banghead:

I didn’t say anything, just smiled.

I don’t see this guy too often at Sunday Mass. Maybe he goes to the Saturday vigil regularly, in which case he wouldn’t know my regular attire. But to say that there is something more special after Mass is just another piece of blatant evidence that the way the Novus Ordo is conducted has lead to the decline of the liturgy. The Novus Ordo can be reverent, but it needs some work.

Well, I’m getting ready again for Mass today; the Tridentine at noon.

 

[mommyof4]

I’m glad you and your son dressed up for mass. It sets a good example for people.

Just please don’t turn this into a NO bashing thread. There are enough of them on this forum.

 

[Jenny_Z]

I wouldn’t say that this has anything to do with the NO, and frankly, I’m tired of hearing people knock it. It has EVERYTHING to do with teaching people properly.

My RCIA instructor was thorough in teaching us and incredibly reverent of the Church and the Eucharist, and consequently, so am I. I’ve seen people visiting these forums and others who’ve gone all the way through RCIA and not know that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ. It’s all about teaching.

Same goes with those who teach our little ones.

The NO Mass is still a Mass, and should be given the respect it deserves, in action and in word.

 

[BlyssfulDreamer]

“You must be going somewhere special after here.” :banghead:

I didn’t say anything, just smiled.

You handled that well. Sometimes the things people say amaze me and then sometimes they don’t:shrug:

God Bless…
:heart:Blyss

 

[Teakafrog]

My husband insists that our son wear his suit every mass too. They look so cute, their suits match. He does it for the same reason, to teach respect for the Lord. And you’re right, not many people dress up for mass any more.

 

[Magnum_V8]

I’m glad you and your son dressed up for mass. It sets a good example for people.

Just please don’t turn this into a NO bashing thread. There are enough of them on this forum.

No, no, no…you’re misunderstanding me. Read what I said,

the way the Novus Ordo is conducted has lead to the decline of the liturgy. The Novus Ordo can be reverent, but it needs some work.

I’ve read a lot of people’s comments that the way the Novus Ordo is today was not the way it was designed. That’s all I’m saying.

I totally feel the Novus Ordo is valid, and could be as reverent as the TLM, with the added bonus of more involvement of the laity in responses.

 

[Magnum_V8]

I wouldn’t say that this has anything to do with the NO, and frankly, I’m tired of hearing people knock it. It has EVERYTHING to do with teaching people properly.

The NO Mass is still a Mass, and should be given the respect it deserves, in action and in word.

I would say it has much to do with the way the Novus Ordo is prayed in my parish. Without getting into the ugly details, I’ll just say that in comparison to the Novus Ordo I grew up in, and the Novus Ordo that I sometimes attend elsewhere, the people in my parish are reflecting the spirit of the liturgy of our parish, or, rather, lack thereof.

Let me clearly say it…I’m not bashing the Novus Ordo.

I will agree with you, Jenny, that teaching is the epitome of getting things right. But the Novus Ordo could be a teacher in some aspects when absolutely no other kind of instruction is available.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

That’s good.

I usually dress above my usual dress for church (polo/khakis). Though if I am not helping out with EM or sacristan duties I have worn jeans every so often.

It is a personal preference to dress up for mass. During the years of Jesus’ ministry he worked with and ministered with were in all forms of dress. Even the Last Supper the Apostles were dressed in their everyday dress and not anything extremely nice for the era.

I am just happy to see more people in the pews week to week, my mass estimates drop by 50-100 people/week during the summer months at my church.

 

[Genesis315]

People used to wear the same thing to Mass as a ballgame–a suit. Now men sometimes go shirtless to ballgames–I’m just glad they wear them to Mass!

Seriously though, Sunday best is a good thing, but (general warning, not directed at anyone in particular), we need to make sure not to make rash judgments as to why someone is dressed the way they are or to puff ourselves up because we dress better than others. The Epistle of St. James, chapter 2 deals with this. Our Lord spoke of this too (Matt. 23).

 

[johannahw]

Thank you Genesis for pointing this out. I usually wear jeans and a nice top to Mass when I go (transportation problems) because the one dress I own doesn’t fit me anymore. I just can’t afford to buy new clothes.
Also I am a catholic convert and still don’t know very much. Could someone please tell me what a “novus ordo” Mass is? I’ve never heard that word before.
Thanks.
JOhannah

 

[puzzleannie]

sounds very spiffy
it never ceases to amaze me that people will spend big bucks for the 1st communion or confirmation suit or dress, and never wear it again. In my day (okay, kiddies groan at granny) we wore those things until they fell apart.

 

[Genesis315]

Thank you Genesis for pointing this out. I usually wear jeans and a nice top to Mass when I go (transportation problems) because the one dress I own doesn’t fit me anymore. I just can’t afford to buy new clothes.
Also I am a catholic convert and still don’t know very much. Could someone please tell me what a “novus ordo” Mass is? I’ve never heard that word before.
Thanks.
JOhannah

Novus Ordo is Latin for “new order.” The order of the Mass is the prayers prayed every Sunday. In 1969 the order was revised and so is called “Novus Ordo” to distinguish it from the previous order which also can still be used with the bishop’s permission. I hope that helps!

 

[BobP123]

It is a personal preference to dress up for mass. During the years of Jesus’ ministry he worked with and ministered with were in all forms of dress. Even the Last Supper the Apostles were dressed in their everyday dress and not anything extremely nice for the era.

We do have to remember, though, that Christ did crack whips on those who didn’t hold the utmost respect toward God the Father in His House of Prayer as well.

 

[orgel_maestro]

I wouldn’t say that this has anything to do with the NO, and frankly, I’m tired of hearing people knock it. It has EVERYTHING to do with teaching people properly.

My RCIA instructor was thorough in teaching us and incredibly reverent of the Church and the Eucharist, and consequently, so am I. I’ve seen people visiting these forums and others who’ve gone all the way through RCIA and not know that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ. It’s all about teaching.

Same goes with those who teach our little ones.

The NO Mass is still a Mass, and should be given the respect it deserves, in action and in word.

I totally agree with you, I think we should be evaluating our RCIA instructors to make sure that every catechism teacher and RCIA instructors properly teach orthodox catholic doctrine. I think that the RCIA candidates should have to take an exam a basic catechism test, this will ensure proper catechism as well as evaluate catehcsim/RCIA teachers.

 

[KofC660]

As an anecdote, there are still a few elderly men left in the world that have worn some sort of necktie EVERY SINGLE DAY of their life since the age of 18. I know one such gentleman, a Dutch Catholic, who, even when repairing a brick wall on the side of his house, would wear a necktie. He couldn’t even fathom going to the Mass without a jacket and necktie. Also, his wife has never worn pants…EVER.

As someone stated above, people used to wear suits to such places as a baseball park. Our society has degenerated to the point where you’re glad the fat guy in front of you is wearing a shirt even.

When my daughter was born a few months ago I wore a suit to the hospital for the delivery. People were perplexed that I would wear a suit, but, really, the birth of your daughter is an important event in your life, and you should dress appropriately!

 

[BobP123]

I’ve seen people visiting these forums and others who’ve gone all the way through RCIA and not know that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ. It’s all about teaching.

Same goes with those who teach our little ones.

The NO Mass is still a Mass, and should be given the respect it deserves, in action and in word.

Of course.

I don’t think you’ll agree but most trads say that the TLM is a great teacher of the Catholic doctrine.

 

[burnside]

Of course.

I don’t think you’ll agree but most trads say that the TLM is a great teacher of the Catholic doctrine.

I don’t have a problem with the Latin Mass myself,but my parents did buy me a missal which had Latin on one page and English on the opposite.What i did find was that there were too many in the
Latin Mass days who kind of stared into space,had no missal and
hadn’t much idea what was going on.We were poor,so how come
my parents could afford to buy me a missal?I think it was because
my parents only bought alcohol at certain times,like Christmas.
It seems to me that those who prefer the Latin Mass have more of a problem with the New Order of Mass than the rest of us have with the Latin Mass.
I do agree that we should dress up for God,but i won’t be late for Mass because of my Designer Stubble.

 

[LilyM]

We do have to remember, though, that Christ did crack whips on those who didn’t hold the utmost respect toward God the Father in His House of Prayer as well.

No, he specifically cracked whips on those who were making a ‘den of thieves’ out of it - indulging in (exploitative) commercial activity. Nothing to do with their attire.

 

[BobP123]

No, he specifically cracked whips on those who were making a ‘den of thieves’ out of it - indulging in (exploitative) commercial activity. Nothing to do with their attire.

At least that’s all that’s written. Point is, though, that Christ took worshipping in church seriously, yes?

 

[Cat]

KoC660,

OT, but I’m curious.

Did you go into the delivery room with your suit? I doubt it. Scrubs are required for safety reasons. Personally, I don’t consider a suit to be “appropriate” attire for delivering a baby in a hospital. JMO, of course, and if you were not in the delivery room, then it didn’t matter.

(I work in a hospital, BTW.)​

Back OT–I think those who pay attention to the dress and appearance of others are walking dangerously close to a precipice. I try very hard to ignore what someone is wearing or not wearing, and remember that the Lord is looking at their heart. The Holy Spirit is perfectly capable of convicting someone about their outward appearance. I don’t need to help Him out.

I’ve known beautifully-dressed up people who come to church and are far from God in their hearts.

And the more I think about what I or someone else is wearing, the less I think about God.