May I go to Daily Mass in shorts?

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To those people against shorts. Let me give you this situation.

You are in the middle of the Mojave desert. There is an outdoor mass. Could you wear shorts to the mass?
 
Well, I would say in that case…it is better NOT to go to Mass, then to go in shorts.:rolleyes:
 
I would say that it is ultimately a matter of conscience.

If you can wear long pants, you should. If you have a really good reason to wear shorts, thats ok. What is a really good reason? Well that is up for your conscience to decide. I suppose it is better to attend mass in shorts than miss, if those are the only choices.

I personally try to avoid shorts so I can avoid scandal to all the women out there who might get distracted from mass by my great-looking legs. 😉
 
One Saturday morning I went to confession in shorts. After confession, I went to light a candle for someone. Shortly thereafter Father came out of the confessional wearing a t-shirt and short pants. This priest is over 80 years old. In no way, shape, or form did I think it to be inappropriate. So as far going to daily mass on the spur of a moment, I would vote to go with your shorts…😃
 
we have probably three maybe five people attend daily mass and they are very old (usually brought over from the nursing home) so shorts is not a big deal if they are clean and not short-shorts, our priest is just so thrilled that people show up for weekday mass he said that if men and women left work for a an hour and were dirty from outdoor type jobs he would still want them at daily mass he said all are welcome at the table of the Lord! by the way, not to say you shouldn’t dress up if you can but if you can’t and mass presents itself then you should go for sure.
 
I wore shorts to church once…

It was a very hot day , 95 degrees and my AC died, I had recently lost my job had been widowed a few months earlier and was left w/ very little. I was having very desperate thoughts that scarred me right out of my house and next door to church. Well I frantically threw myself in front of the Tabernacle on my knees…suddenly a ‘nice’ lady w/ a mantilla atop her head, who also had been making a visit, sought to admonish me for my scant attire and said to me,“don’t you realize that you are offending the Blessed Mother”. I just looked at her and cried…she walked away and never even asked why…just more concerned w/ telling me for what!! So who was right and who was wrong? BTW I always dress up for Mass and never left the house dressed that way…considering the circumstances what else was I to do? When we are desparate, sometimes we don’t think… Judge not, lest ye be judged.🙂
 
I’m pretty sure that God is less concerned with what we look like than others are.

Sorry that happened to you Annunciata. 😦
 
I go to daily Mass and quite frankly, I don’t have enough dress-up clothes to wear seven days a week. Sunday Mass I dress up. Daily Mass I wear jeans and a nice top (no shorts), but for confession, considering it’s only on Sat. 4:00-4:30 (and I’m always in the middle of something, which might be gardening, mowing, or cleaning), I occasionally go in shorts (modest shorts).

I don’t see a problem if you’re out in tasteful shorts and have the opportunity to attend daily Mass, why you shouldn’t. But I wouldn’t do it on Sundays. Does that sound hypocritical or irrational? LOL.

Jackie
 
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iguana27:
If I am out and about and have the opportunity to go to daily Mass, should I refrain from going simply because I am wearing shorts?

Does the church have any definitive word on this issue?

Let’s assume for the sake of the discussion that the shorts come to 2 inches above the knee.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut on the issue!
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Don’t know what program it was - one of the programs on the new Catholic radio station, but the lady on there said just make sure your shorts are below where your fingertips naturally fall (this in terms of modesty).

I wear shorts to daily Mass (the local one is 7:30 AM) and do so planning to go like that. Have worn them to Sunday Mass a few times, my shorts are the khaki type things that are not too much above the knee. Probably between 1 to 2 or so inches above the knee.

I’d wear shorts to meet the president if it were summer.
 
Our priest has specifically said we are not to wear shorts to Mass…and told us to basically be modest in our dress and he now and then comments how nice it is to see people ‘dressed up’ for Mass.

SV
 
While I do admit: dress respectfully…think about Who you are visiting in the Blessed Sacrament…
Yet, our loving God want you to visit Him…He knows you…He knows that your dress is not so important as your visit…
But ask yourself…would you visit such important Persons (three) as you are dressed?
Just think of Who you are visiting…
May the Peace that only Jesus can give to you, be with you…
Dave
 
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Benedictus:
Yes.

One should not enter a church wearing shorts, whether it’s for Mass, confession, or simply to pray there. Shorts aren’t appropriate for going into a church.

The Church doesn’t have an official dress code; although, individual parishes may have adopted some sort of dress code. I can think of a few parishes that I know have dress codes forbidding shorts, tank tops, etc.
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I would suggest to you that if it were not appropriate to wear shorts at Mass, then wearing shorts in public is also prohibited. The reason is because we are suppose to lead a Christ like life at all times. If God accepts you as person who wears shorts on the outside of Church, surely he will accept you as a person who wears shorts in Church.
I personally wouldn’t wear shorts to any form of Church setting if I could help it. However, any opprotunity to become closer to God should be taken, shorts or slacks. God accepts people where they are at and looks at the effort to please him in our attire. If we can’t wear slacks for whatever reason, I think God is understanding enough to know that we are at least trying to please him by taking time out of our day to show him we are greatful.
 
I work in our parish school, and during the summer I go in whenever is convenient for me to get a few things done.

Last year I planned to work Saturday morning and decided to go to Mass before heading into school. I was wearing (modest) shorts and a t-shirt.

After Mass, an elderly woman in our parish pulled me aside and talked with me for about a half an hour about why it’s not appropriate to wear shorts to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I told her I agreed with her and explained I was on my way into work after Mass. She suggested wearing a skirt instead. We had a nice conversation, actually.

Anyway, it gave me pause to think, and I won’t wear shorts to Mass again. Honestly, whether it’s because I’m afraid she’ll scold me again or because it’s not appropriate, I’m not sure. I certainly didn’t feel indecent, and I know Jesus was glad I decided to go to Mass. Hmmmmm
 
I think most of you are focusing on the wrong aspect of this. Jesus will accept us no matter what we wear, this is true.

HOWEVER, we need to be considerate of others in our manner of dress and avoid causing any temptation or scandal.

Mass isn’t just about us as an individual…Mass is a gathering of the members of the Body of Christ…all the angels and saints are present.

SV
 
I think this is really a matter of opinion and personal taste. Our church gets very hot in the summer, and I think shorts that are not too short and a nice top are fine for daily mass. I would never wear shorts to Sunday mass however. 🙂
 
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Sheen:
I work in our parish school, and during the summer I go in whenever is convenient for me to get a few things done.

Last year I planned to work Saturday morning and decided to go to Mass before heading into school. I was wearing (modest) shorts and a t-shirt.

After Mass, an elderly woman in our parish pulled me aside and talked with me for about a half an hour about why it’s not appropriate to wear shorts to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. I told her I agreed with her and explained I was on my way into work after Mass. She suggested wearing a skirt instead. We had a nice conversation, actually.

Anyway, it gave me pause to think, and I won’t wear shorts to Mass again. Honestly, whether it’s because I’m afraid she’ll scold me again or because it’s not appropriate, I’m not sure. I certainly didn’t feel indecent, and I know Jesus was glad I decided to go to Mass. Hmmmmm
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Thanks for sharing that…makes me feel a little better…guess I’ve never let go of that…all the more reason for this forum…THANKS KARL! We can all help each other on this our Pilgrimage…🙂
 
You live in IL and feel the need to wear shorts to Church? Sheesh…come down here where it’s 96 degrees with the heat factor of over 105. THEN you have an excuse to wear shorts. 😛
 
As a rule of thumb, shorts should not be common attire for Mass. For example, sometimes my teenagers will ask if they can where shorts to a weekday Mass. I cannot give in to this because right away they get “soft” and they think it should become a “norm” for them. Wearing shorts to Mass should not be a “norm.”

But on the other hand, if you are only going to be able to get to Mass in shorts for some good reason, I see nothing wrong with it as long as the shorts are modest. It’s better to get to Mass in shorts than not at all. Some styles of shorts are far more modest than the short skirts and tight skirts and pants that are being worn today to Mass.

As far as shorts in the hotter climates, I still find that sort of “wimpy.” Aren’t most churches air-conditioned; they are here even in the “cold tundra” of WI; and there is such a thing as cheerfully putting up with it for an hour, and offer it up as suffering united to the Lord for the salvation of souls. [Of course, unless a person has a health issue.]

One other exception, sometimes people “kill two birds with one stone” and get in their exercise by walking to Mass. In that case I do not see a problem with shorts in Mass, as long as they are again: modest. “Modesty protects purity.”
 
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Annunciata:
Thanks for sharing that…makes me feel a little better
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Oh, I’m so glad. I do hope things are better for you now than they were when that happened to you.

:blessyou:

YSiC,

Susie
 
While God may see all of us naked (that is our souls) we do not see each other that way; ergo, to wear something flagrantly revealing is to disrespect God and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist because of the occasions of sin your clothes may create. If it is your intention to do so–that is, to disrespect God with your clothing and entice others to sin, then I would say you should not wear shorts to mass. However, if you have no intention to disrespect God nor offend and scandalize others (consciously!), then wear what ever you desire to mass that is appropriate as defined by cultural norms.

My yardstick has always been to ask what would I wear to have dinner with the president; I then substitute president for our Lord.

Just my 2 cents worth.
 
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