How would you feel if priests wore jeans & t-shirts to celebrate Mass in church?

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Very simply it is because Jesus knows us in our hearts and souls. He cares about how much we love Him and our brothers and sisters.
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You’re right. He does know what’s in our hearts and souls. He knows when we go out of our way and he knows when we are apathetic.
He would care if we dressed in a way to intentionally show disrespect, but I doubt he is bothered more by the people dressed modestly but casually for Mass than He is by those who intentionally show disrespect towards Him and His flock in so many other ways
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The key word in your quote is more. “At least I’m not as bad as them” might not be the way to go.
When we dress “up” for weddings, funerals, jobs, parties etc, where is our focus? We are trying to impress our fellow humans. Sometimes we are competing with them. Sometimes we are following orders (like at work) and sometimes we are showing off. Most of the time it has nothing to do with reverence or respect.
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This might be your focus by my focus is showing respect for the special sacrament the married couple is receiving. Yes, while there are some that are probably going for that, I think the majority of people dress up to show respect for the couple’s special day.
I don’t know about you, but when I am around people who I am truly comfortable with (like family) it doesn’t matter if I wear jeans or a fancy dress. They love me for me, not what I appear to be. Why shouldn’t it be the same with Jesus who knows us and loves us even more
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Let’s use a little hyperbole here. Your friends love you but they probably wouldn’t be happy if you came to Christmas dinner falling down drunk, right? They love you but they may not be happy if you burped jingle bells at the dinner table (although some families migh :eek:).

Sure, God loves you but he may not always be happy with our actions or inactions for that matter. God wants more from us than what we give to everyone else.
 
Netmil(name removed by moderator)-
Sorry for saying practically the same thing. I think we were typing at the same time. 👍
 
netmil(name removed by moderator):
If you went to see the Pope would you feel the same way?
You are making assumptions about Jesus.
The King of Kings wants and deserves the best we have. If it’s jeans, He knows it. If it’s that itchy dress that you hate to wear, He knows that too.

That is the point.
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**If I went for a private meeting with the Pope where I was not concerned with how others would view me? Yes, I would feel the same way. **

I am so sick and tired of this issue. If I wear what I feel is appropriate (let’s say nice jeans with a modest shirt or sweater) why is it anyone else’s business???

** I do not look down on those people who dress “up” for Mass. Why do they look down on me? I could go on and on about the people I know who dress up out of vanity rather than reverence, but why would I? It’s not my place. God Knows our hearts, let Him judge.**
And I think it matters where you are and what your parish is like. If everyone in the parish dresses very dressy, then you will stick out and draw unwanted attention or be a distraction if you don’t conform. If everyone is casual, it will be the opposite if you dress up.
Even this year at Christmas Mass there were people dressed casually. Some were dressed like slobs and others were probably wearing the best they could. You know what? Who cares! I am not attending Mass in the role of fashion police. I am there to worship our Lord and give thanks for all He has gifted to me. Maybe we should all concentrate just a little more on why we are even noticing what others are wearing and why it matters to us.
By the way, I don’t recall anything in the bible about people rushing home to change when they had an opportunity to hear Jesus preach. I think their focus was on far more important things than fashion.
Malia
 
Feanaro's Wife:
I am so sick and tired of this issue. If I wear what I feel is appropriate (let’s say nice jeans with a modest shirt or sweater) why is it anyone else’s business???
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I think it’s an issue because people have gotten carried away with dressing too casual, too sexy and sometimes just plain disrespectful.

It’s amost as if people are saying with their attire "Mass isn’t so special, I’ll dress however I want"

If children are raised to wear whatever they want to Sunday Mass then by the time their teenagers it’s not just t-shirts and jeans it becomes hip huggers (low rise) jeans barely above their pubic bone with their midrift and thong underwear showing. I see it all the time in the churches around here. The parents never say anything, how can they they’re wearing shorts and flip flops.

Malia, How do you dress when you go to a wedding, funeral or baptism? Do you dress in jeans an a modest shirt or do dress up for these occasions? If the jeans and modest shirt is what you consider to be your best for our Lord then by all means wear that to church too. I can’t remember who’s post it was but it’s true you never hear people offering it up anymore.
 
I don’t think this thread is really all the proper in its attempt at an analogy. All this really is is a veiled attack on those lay people who don’t meet a certain, artificial, standard of dress at Mass.

If a priest wore jeans and a t-shirt to celebrate the Mass without the proper vestments over them, then he would be willfully disobediant of the laws of the Church that he is bound by the vows he made at ordination to obey.

If a lay person wears jeans and a t-shirt to Mass, they are not in a state of disobediance, as the Church has no laws regarding the dress of lay people.

There is a larger problem here… a lot of people have posted in this thread and in others, about the old days of attending Mass with their families… Saturdays were spent polishing shoes and ironing shirts… the entire family went together. I don’t remember the extremes of dress, but growing up, my grandparents came to get us promptly 30 minutes before Mass began and all of us went together. My father is now an usher, my mother a reader, and my sister and I have moved away. My poor grandmother often sits by herself at Mass. At least my grandmother is lucky that my sister and I still attend Mass, even if it’s in the towns we live in now – lots of people my age have completely lapsed from the faith.

The erosion of the family model is why we have people wearing less-than-desirable dress to Mass on Sunday. We must work to making the attendance of Holy Mass a “family event” again. Then you will see the dress improve.
 
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GloriaPatri4:
I think it’s an issue because people have gotten carried away with dressing too casual, too sexy and sometimes just plain disrespectful.
To me those are 2 different issues. There is a difference between semi-casual attire and immodest or disrespectful attire.

It’s amost as if people are saying with their attire "Mass isn’t so special, I’ll dress however I want"
Again, not the way I view it. To me, Mass is a part of my life and I dress how I judge to be appropriately, not apathetically.

If children are raised to wear whatever they want to Sunday Mass then by the time their teenagers it’s not just t-shirts and jeans it becomes hip huggers (low rise) jeans barely above their pubic bone with their midrift and thong underwear showing. I see it all the time in the churches around here. The parents never say anything, how can they they’re wearing shorts and flip flops.
Again, your issue seems to focus on immodesty and disrespect, not simple casual attire. And, as a soon to be parent, I most certainly would not let my child/children dress in a way that, as a family, we deem to be disrespectful.

Malia, How do you dress when you go to a wedding, funeral or baptism?
Honestly, the occasions don’t come up very often, but when they do I’m running around like a chicken without a head trying to find something new that fits into our very tight budget, lol. When I used to work I had some dressy clothes, now I don’t. And, if other people were wearing casual attire to any of those functions, so would I. I believe we show respect and reverence in far more ways than just how we dress. But that’s just my opinion. I hope you can see where I’m coming from.
 
MusicMan said:
I don’t think this thread is really all the proper in its attempt at an analogy. All this really is is a veiled attack on those lay people who don’t meet a certain, artificial, standard of dress at Mass.
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Then, obviously you are missing the point.
If a lay person wears jeans and a t-shirt to Mass, they are not in a state of disobediance, as the Church has no laws regarding the dress of lay people.
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If you had read the original thread and many of the ones here, you would see that this is not about denim!!! :banghead: This is about wearing the best you’ve got, if possible, in the presence of our Lord’s Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. For some that may mean jeans. Heck, for myself it has meant jeans from time to time. It’s simply not possible for everyone all of the time to be in their “Sunday best”. That said, is it really not worth making the effort?

Let’s look at the catechism one more time.
1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church.220 Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest
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How many of us say “I really want to show my respect for the Real Presence. I’m going to throw on a t-shirt, flip-flops and some board shorts.”(beach attire just for you caelicola)? Now we might say “I won’t be able to make it to Mass if I go home and change. This is all I can afford.” etc., etc., etc. Some of us really don’t put much thought into it at all and some people just don’t care.
There is a larger problem here… a lot of people have posted in this thread and in others, about the old days of attending Mass with their families… Saturdays were spent polishing shoes and ironing shirts… the entire family went together. I don’t remember the extremes of dress, but growing up, my grandparents came to get us promptly 30 minutes before Mass began and all of us went together. My father is now an usher, my mother a reader, and my sister and I have moved away. My poor grandmother often sits by herself at Mass. At least my grandmother is lucky that my sister and I still attend Mass, even if it’s in the towns we live in now – lots of people my age have completely lapsed from the faith.
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She’s lucky you stil attend. It would seem like it’s more your luck, my friend. 👍
The erosion of the family model is why we have people wearing less-than-desirable dress to Mass on Sunday. We must work to making the attendance of Holy Mass a “family event” again. Then you will see the dress improve.
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Hey, I hope you’re right.
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I have witnessed the subject of this thread. My college chaplin would sometimes wear to Mass: sneakers, jeans, and a t-shirt; under his vestments. One time he wore windpants…
 
Wow! Does this mean you should dress up for Daily Mass as well? Or is it just for Sunday Mass? The same Jesus is present daily, not just on Sunday. I think the same people that “dress” on Sunday try to make Mass during the week. Do you dress up as well?
 
I know of several priests that wear jeans and shirt under their vestments. It isn’t a big deal. I also wear jeans to church, as I was once told by a priest that as long as you are coming and not wearing ripped, disrespectful clothing, low cut tops, mini skirts, offensive messages, it really doesn’t matter you are in the church. Easter and Christmas are the exception because of the time of year.

scared
 
I tried to post this article previously but somehow the beginning of the article was missing. I thought I had posted it again last night but could not find it this morning when I was scrolling through. Please try and read the article in its entirety.
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From article
When we go to Mass we should dress in a respectful,****
perhaps even slightly subdued
manner, wearing the best we have for God.****
Dress at Mass
By Jonathan S. Toborowsky

A small pamphlet spells out a golf course’s dress code clearly. On the course, “Men must wear shirts with a collar or turtleneck shirts,” “All shirts must be tucked in,” “All hats must be worn peak forward and outdoors only.” In the country club dining room, “Jacket and tie are required for gentlemen aged 17 and over at all times,” “Ladies must wear a dress, skirt, or slacks,” and no matter where you are, “Jeans, denim, and sweat clothes are not tolerated anywhere on the property.” Does this seem harsh? Do we look down on the country club’s rules? Do we worry about the need for the members and their guests to be comfortable whether on the course or sitting at table? Should the club’s owner just be happy that people are coming? Probably not; most likely people appreciate the atmosphere that is created when people are dressed up. They might even look forward to dressing up for dinner at the country club, as a fancy night out.

Can you imagine what would happen if we printed a similar card with guidelines of how to dress for Mass on Sunday? What if ushers enforced this “dress code” as diligently as the country club enforces their rules for dress? What sort of letters would we receive at the parish office? How many telephone calls would the Bishop’s office receive? What happens to our desire to dress up when it comes to Sunday Mass? Why is it that the only times we will dress a little nicer when going to church is for a baptism, a wedding, or a funeral? Sadly, it seems that the reasons people find to dress up on the Lord’s Day have more to do with where we are going after Mass than our attendance at the Mass itself. Perhaps our understanding of what truly takes place at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has diminished in past years. So like any good gardener, rather than simply pulling the weed out, let’s attack the root.

So just what happens at Mass? Suppose an alien were to land on the church’s front lawn on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning and wander into the building to look around. In making his report home, he would perhaps think this gathering an opportunity to come together to exchange local gossip, read funny stories, and be entertained for forty-five minutes (less if you arrive late and leave early, but that’s a whole other article). Whole books have been written on the topic of understanding the Mass, so how can we keep it “short and sweet”? The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives a simple yet profoundly deep description in paragraph 1382:

The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord’s body and blood. But the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion. To receive communion is to receive Christ himself who offered himself for us.

**please continue reading: **http://www.catholic.net/rcc/Periodi…toborowsky.html

please continue reading: catholic.net/rcc/Periodi…toborowsky.html**
 
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From the Diocese of Lincoln, NE

Our priest told us not to wear halter tops and shorts to Mass on Sunday. Why is this wrong? God knows how we look, since He made us without any clothes at all.
We Americans are extremely informal and casual. However, none of us would attend a white-tie White House dinner dressed immodestly or too casually. Male Congressman are required to wear ties and coats when in Congress. Better restaurants and stores often make certain dress demands not only on their employees but also on their customers. Mass is an encounter with the risen Lord himself. God surely knows how you look with few or no clothes on. But, the people at Mass with you do not know and generally do not care to know. It is distracting and insulting to them, to the priest and to the Lord to be dressed immodestly or improperly for Mass. I am siding with you r priest on this matter. If you do not have any other clothes to wear, it is better to attend Mass with your shorts and halter top than not. However, it is hard to believe that you do not have better clothes. Wear your shorts and halter top at the swimming pool or in your garden. At Mass on Sunday wear your “Sunday best” for the Lord.

Reprinted from July 3, 1998

dioceseoflincoln.org/purple/mass/mass8.htm
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The article below is from Catholic Exchange

Modest Dress at Mass


http://www.catholicexchange.com/ius/vm/spacer.gif About 12 years ago a woman in her early twenties went to Disney World. She loved Mickey Mouse and couldn’t wait to see him in person. She had a youthful love of everything the Magical World of Disney promised.

http://www.catholicexchange.com/ius/vm/ahd_pinline.gifIn This Article…
catholicexchange.com/ius/home_images/arrow_9999CC.gifWhat I Wish I Had Known
catholicexchange.com/ius/home_images/arrow_9999CC.gifA Detraction and Distraction
catholicexchange.com/ius/home_images/arrow_9999CC.gifStop Being So Mousy about It!

http://www.catholicexchange.com/ius...w.catholicexchange.com/ius/vm/ahd_pinline.gifWhat I Wish I Had Known

Unfortunately, she also believed much of what she saw and learned in the “real world.” She thought that to get attention she needed to dress to impress — provocatively. To look good, or what she thought was good then, and to get a tan on her northern Ohio body in April, she entered the children’s fantasy-land in short shorts and a bikini bathing suit top. Thank God for the good sense of the Disney World employee who promptly told this young woman that she needed to wear a real shirt because Disney is a family park. She had a t-shirt and put it on, and felt pretty foolish.

That young woman, now 34-year-old me, grew up to regret the way she used to dress. As a mother of three with a fourth on the way, I now realize that modesty is not just beneficial to the girl or woman wearing the clothes. It benefits everyone who looks at her.

As a cradle Catholic, I experienced a deepening of my faith early in my marriage. I learned a lot that I wish I’d known, or listened to, while I was growing up. One of the most important things I have learned is that as a woman, it is my responsibility to protect myself as well as anyone who looks at me from the near occasion of sin. Many women or girls will say that it’s not their fault if a young man looks at her lustfully when she’s exposing twice as much flesh as she’s covering. St. Maria Goretti, on whose feast day my husband and I celebrate our anniversary, disagreed. When her childhood friend turned lustful and sought to violate her, she chose to die rather than lead Alessandro into sexual sin.

A Detraction and Distraction

The clothing styles available to our young women and teens today aren’t exactly helping us to dress modestly. Even many of the maternity styles are exposing much more chest and midriff than when I was pregnant with my first child. So some might justify what women are wearing these days by saying there aren’t any modest styles available in the department stores. Indeed, it takes a lot longer to shop for modest clothing, but there are some modest styles out there.

continue reading

catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=2&art_id=29420
 
The article below is from Catholic Exchange

Modest Dress at Mass
by Karen Lynn Ford

About 12 years ago a woman in her early twenties went to Disney World. She loved Mickey Mouse and couldn’t wait to see him in person. She had a youthful love of everything the Magical World of Disney promised.

What I Wish I Had Known

Unfortunately, she also believed much of what she saw and learned in the “real world.” She thought that to get attention she needed to dress to impress — provocatively. To look good, or what she thought was good then, and to get a tan on her northern Ohio body in April, she entered the children’s fantasy-land in short shorts and a bikini bathing suit top. Thank God for the good sense of the Disney World employee who promptly told this young woman that she needed to wear a real shirt because Disney is a family park. She had a t-shirt and put it on, and felt pretty foolish.

That young woman, now 34-year-old me, grew up to regret the way she used to dress. As a mother of three with a fourth on the way, I now realize that modesty is not just beneficial to the girl or woman wearing the clothes. It benefits everyone who looks at her.

As a cradle Catholic, I experienced a deepening of my faith early in my marriage. I learned a lot that I wish I’d known, or listened to, while I was growing up. One of the most important things I have learned is that as a woman, it is my responsibility to protect myself as well as anyone who looks at me from the near occasion of sin. Many women or girls will say that it’s not their fault if a young man looks at her lustfully when she’s exposing twice as much flesh as she’s covering. St. Maria Goretti, on whose feast day my husband and I celebrate our anniversary, disagreed. When her childhood friend turned lustful and sought to violate her, she chose to die rather than lead Alessandro into sexual sin.

continue reading

catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=2&art_id=29420
 
Now I’m confused–the last two articles seem off topic. Are blue jeans the issue or is modesty the issue? There’s a huge difference b/t someone wearing nice jeans and a sweater and someone in a halter top and shorts. People should wear their best, whatever that may be.
 
Feanaro’s Wife said:
**If I went for a private meeting with the Pope where I was not concerned with how others would view me? Yes, I would feel the same way. **

I am so sick and tired of this issue. If I wear what I feel is appropriate (let’s say nice jeans with a modest shirt or sweater) why is it anyone else’s business???

** I do not look down on those people who dress “up” for Mass. Why do they look down on me? I could go on and on about the people I know who dress up out of vanity rather than reverence, but why would I? It’s not my place. God Knows our hearts, let Him judge.**

And I think it matters where you are and what your parish is like. If everyone in the parish dresses very dressy, then you will stick out and draw unwanted attention or be a distraction if you don’t conform. If everyone is casual, it will be the opposite if you dress up.

Even this year at Christmas Mass there were people dressed casually. Some were dressed like slobs and others were probably wearing the best they could. You know what? Who cares! I am not attending Mass in the role of fashion police. I am there to worship our Lord and give thanks for all He has gifted to me. Maybe we should all concentrate just a little more on why we are even noticing what others are wearing and why it matters to us.

By the way, I don’t recall anything in the bible about people rushing home to change when they had an opportunity to hear Jesus preach. I think their focus was on far more important things than fashion.

Malia
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As with many other threads on CA, this is to make YOU think, not judge other people.
Do YOU dress your best? Do YOU wear scruffy clothes? No? Then you are showing a good example.
You are personalizing the issue.
And if you dressed in scruffy clothes to see the Pope, you would be asked to change. There is a dress code. As there should be in church.
Businesses began dress casual in the 90’s. Where I worked, that was nice jeans and shirts. When it got to the point of slop, it had to be brought back to the original intent. That’s what this is about.

It’s not about you, it’s about the example that WE as the more informed Catholics show to others.
 
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bear06:
Netmil(name removed by moderator)-
Sorry for saying practically the same thing. I think we were typing at the same time. 👍
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Great minds think alike! 😉
 
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bauerice:
Wow! Does this mean you should dress up for Daily Mass as well? Or is it just for Sunday Mass? The same Jesus is present daily, not just on Sunday. I think the same people that “dress” on Sunday try to make Mass during the week. Do you dress up as well?
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Yes. And it’s a 6am mass.
 
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