Padre Pio's Standards for Clothing

[mommyof4]

If he had been my confessor or spiritual advisor, I would have probably followed his standards if he had directed me to.

However, I believe it is important to note that the Church has never imposed those same standards on women. And while St. Pio is obviously a saint whom we can learn much from, we also have another saint who died around the same time - St. Gianna, who died in 1962 - who wore pants, short sleeves, nylons, and dresses shorter than what St. Pio demanded. In other words, she wore the fashions of her time.

Our Catholic faith demands modesty in dress, but as the CCC states, if varies in form from one culture to another. It has also taken different forms throughout the ages. If you believe that dressing according to the standards that St. Pio advocated helps you in your spiritual life then follow them - but don’t insist that others do so.

Excellent post.

 

[Biblioassistant]

Our Catholic faith demands modesty in dress, but as the CCC states, if varies in form from one culture to another. It has also taken different forms throughout the ages. If you believe that dressing according to the standards that St. Pio advocated helps you in your spiritual life then follow them - but don’t insist that others do so.

My father once told me about going to Mass on one of the islands in the South Pacific (this was while WWII was going on). There was a missionary priest who had a small church and school there and many of the people were Catholic. The women there never wore any clothing above the waist, but they did wear a knee length wrap skirt. That was (for them) modest clothing and that’s what they wore to church.

 

[CrypticWritings]

What do you think of Padre Pio’s standards for clothing (no nude colored stockings, skirts and dresses at least eight inches below the knee, long sleeves, no pants for women, long pants for men)?

I think Padre Pio was right on.
Women just may never fully understand why that is, but men realize why it is this way.
While Catholic men around them on a day to day basis may be better, if women new the way worldly men truly thought, they would be afraid to go out in public.
Men are moved to the sins of lust by sight (as a general rule) more than women.
Padre Pio understood this and was being loving by telling women such things.

Also, since your forum name is taken from Saint Gemma Galgani, you can read in her biography the things that Christ told her on how to dress and not to adorn herself with fine things etc.

 

[tcraig]

While Catholic men around them on a day to day basis may be better, if women new the way worldly men truly thought, they would be afraid to go out in public.
Men are moved to the sins of lust by sight (as a general rule) more than women.
Padre Pio understood this and was being loving by telling women such things.

So, according to you, women are partially responsible (by the way they dress) for men’s sins of lust?

Of course, we must also believe that while (St.) Padre Pio understood this, there were apparently other Catholics who lived/interacted with another saint (St. Gianna) who didn’t find it necessary to make women’s clothing such an issue that they were “afraid to go out in public” in clothing that didn’t folow St. Pios’ extremely strict standards?

 

[WillieManillie]

I agree with the intent, but that is a bit extreme. This is unless you want to be classified as an Amish Catholic.

 

[Anacharius]

Quote: However, I believe it is important to note that the Church has never imposed those same standards on women. And while St. Pio is obviously a saint whom we can learn much from, we also have another saint who died around the same time - St. Gianna, who died in 1962 - who wore pants, short sleeves, nylons, and dresses shorter than what St. Pio demanded. In other words, she wore the fashions of her time.

 

[WillieManillie]

Great perspective and nicely worded.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Quote: However, I believe it is important to note that the Church has never imposed those same standards on women. And while St. Pio is obviously a saint whom we can learn much from, we also have another saint who died around the same time - St. Gianna, who died in 1962 - who wore pants, short sleeves, nylons, and dresses shorter than what St. Pio demanded. In other words, she wore the fashions of her time.

Padre Pio’s ability to act as a priest (confect the Holy Sacrifice and declare absolution) has nothing whatsoever to do his prudential wisdom (which is what he employed in giving directions on women were to wear), nor is it clear that St. Gianna’s ONLY way to Heaven, demanded by God’s Perfect Justice, was the sacrifice of her life in the way it WAS patricularly sacrificed (none of us are worthy of salvation, the Church teaches it is an utterly gratuitous act on God’s part). This is seeking to peer into another person’s soul.

Padre Pio wasn’t wrong because it’s a morally neutral question (modesty is some cultures has meant and still means veiling the face). And if a woman today dresses modestly (ie, not provacatively and not to draw attention to herself), then she fufills the INTENT of Padre Pio’s strictures: she’s a modest, Christian woman, whether she wears flesh colored nylons or no (as an example).

 

[Sure]

If I remember correctly, the guidelines of Padre Pio were for women meeting with him for spiritual direction. It is not as though he published a book demanding this of all women.

As we know, Padre Pio was tempted greatly by the devil, perhaps he was particularly tempted by women (I seem to remember reading this in his biography) and recognized that FOR HIM he needed to be very careful around the opposite sex. Perhaps he knew what tempted him most and sought to avoid such temptation.

 

[CrypticWritings]

So, according to you, women are partially responsible (by the way they dress) for men’s sins of lust?

Yes, partly.
The one person is wrong for allowing his/herself to look at/focus upon the person in such a way that could be lustful.
The other is guilty of dressing in a way that is conducive to that sort of look/lust.
Women/men should not dress to be “attractive”, but to be modest and presentable (professional for lack of a better term).
Many fashion styles are designed to attract attention to the body, some unbenownst to the wearer. In some cases the culpability of the wearer is lessened or none at all.

Keep in mind also that most people are having this dicussion as Americans and the US does not have a good standard for proper clothing. Apart from modesty, US fashion and how most people dress on a regular basis is slop, rather sore on the old eyes indeed.

Eurpoeans have a lot of other problems, but at least the people tend to dress better than just t-shirt and jeans casual on a regular basis.

I would like to see a “makeover” of the fashion industry. Why is it that just about every bride has a strapless dress where the fabric stops just above the breasts. That is rediculous for one, and not original. Whoever designed that probably wrapped a towel around themselves after they showered and said “hey, I’ll make a dress like this!”

 

[Tommy_Joe]

So, according to you, women are partially responsible (by the way they dress) for men’s sins of lust?

Would I be committing a sin if I sat down in front of my recovering alcoholic friend and proceded to simply enjoy a glass of good Scotch? Should I feel bad about tempting him?

 

[tcraig]

Would I be committing a sin if I sat down in front of my recovering alcoholic friend and proceded to simply enjoy a glass of good Scotch? Should I feel bad about tempting him?

We are talking here specifically about Padre Pio’s standards of dress - which go much farther than what most of today and even fifty years ago considered necessary.

If I am modestly dressed in a knee-length skirt with a short-sleeved blouse and am wearing my pantyhose (all things St. Pio frowned upon), I would hardly be concerned about tempting someone else to the sin of lust. That would be a problem they would have to deal with, and I shouldn’t have to walk around feeling like I need to wear a burka or dress like an “Amish Catholic” in order to keep my brother in Christ from sinning.

 

[Tommy_Joe]

I’m sure you look very respectable. I would hope that very few would have a problem with the way you dress.

My brief response was in regard to the portion of your previous post in which you, (forgive me for assuming), sarcasticly doubted the fact that the manner in which women dress could influence the lust in men.

When I read your remark, I couldn’t help but think of the woman I saw not too long ago at Mass who had a on a very thin, (“T-back” showing though), low cut, knee length dress, with hose and high heals. When the lovely lady took a pew in front of me, I had to remind myself that I was at Mass.

Am I a dog?
Yeah,…that’s why I go to Mass so often,…I’m working on it.

As for Padre Pio’s opinion,…I disagree with it.

 

[bpbasilphx]

<<St. Gianna had to sacrifice her life in a Martyrdom to prove She was worthy of salvation, ONLY WAY for Her to get to Heaven. >>

• W * R * O * N * G * !!!

Sorry. There’s only ONE Sacrifice that gets us into heaven.

And NOBODY is “worthy” of salvation. That’s why there’s Jesus to start with.

 

[mtr01]

Would I be committing a sin if I sat down in front of my recovering alcoholic friend and proceded to simply enjoy a glass of good Scotch? Should I feel bad about tempting him?

Short answer. Yes.

 

[CrypticWritings]

We are talking here specifically about Padre Pio’s standards of dress - which go much farther than what most of today and even fifty years ago considered necessary.

If I am modestly dressed in a knee-length skirt with a short-sleeved blouse and am wearing my pantyhose (all things St. Pio frowned upon), I would hardly be concerned about tempting someone else to the sin of lust. That would be a problem they would have to deal with, and I shouldn’t have to walk around feeling like I need to wear a burka or dress like an “Amish Catholic” in order to keep my brother in Christ from sinning.

Many look at modesty the wrong way in regards to lust. It is not just their fault. Catholics need to take the initiative to help each other on the way to salvation…not develop the attitude of “it’s not my problem”…

 

[tcraig]

My brief response was in regard to the portion of your previous post in which you, (forgive me for assuming), sarcasticly doubted the fact that the manner in which women dress could influence the lust in men.

Okay, I see that now. I was speaking in terms of being modestly dressed but not according to St. Pio’s standards. The problem I have with all these modesty threads is that so many people go to the extremes when it comes to dressing.

Yes, as Catholics we all agree that modesty is a virtue and we must practice it. But that doesn’t mean that Catholic women must follow St. Pio’s standards, or a “dresses only” standard, or a “Marylike Modesty” standard, etc. The Church simply doesn’t require that of us, and other Catholics shouldn’t try to lay the burden of “inciting their brothers into lust” onto women who dress in modern, modest clothing.

Cultures are different. Fashions change. I think I’d like to start a thread “Should Catholic men wear codpieces?” That would at least get the focus off of the women for a change.

 

[tcraig]

Okay, I see that now. I was speaking in terms of being modestly dressed but not according to St. Pio’s standards. The problem I have with all these modesty threads is that so many people go to the extremes when it comes to dressing.

Yes, as Catholics we all agree that modesty is a virtue and we must practice it. But that doesn’t mean that Catholic women must follow St. Pio’s standards, or a “dresses only” standard, or a “Marylike Modesty” standard, etc., unless they want to. The Church simply doesn’t require that of us, and other Catholics shouldn’t try to lay the burden of “inciting their brothers into lust” onto women who dress in modern, modest clothing.

Cultures are different. Fashions change. I think I’d like to start a thread “Should Catholic men wear codpieces?” That would at least get the focus off of the women for a change.

 

[Tommy_Joe]

Thanks,…and I agree with you.

 

[St_Gabriel]

What do you think of Padre Pio’s standards for clothing (no nude colored stockings, skirts and dresses at least eight inches below the knee, long sleeves, no pants for women, long pants for men)?

I think St Pio lived in a time when pants on a women meant the liberal feminist movement. Women trying to be men. I don’t think that that idea applies today. I prefer to wear dress pants so that men don’t gauk at my legs.