Perpetual Adoration, shorts, miniskirts, flipflops

[kkollwitz]

My wife & I have tag-teamed an adoration slot for about 15 years. I believe that it’s ok to dress more casually for adoration. The Mass is a public, formal, liturgical event with set times, etc. I think of adoration as I do dropping in to pray at church when Mass is not on: passing by church on the way back from buying a new mower blade and you’re in a tee, shorts and flops? Sure, come in and pray anyway.

 

[PazzoGrande]

Don’t be so sure people are texting.

True. For Corpus Christi, they were handing out leaflets to follow the liturgy along and I didn’t get one, had to use my iPhone for the lyrics to Pange Lingua.

 

[TimothyH]

I take my shoes off sometimes. It helps me to relax and to pray.

Miniskirts would distract me, but a pretty woman wearing a potatoe sack would probably distract me. In fact, there is a particularly pretty dominican sister who distracts me at Mass. It is hard to hide beauty.

What is a man to do? Pray for strength, I guess.

St. Rose of Lima, pray for us!
St. Augustine, pray for us!

-Tim-

 

[PazzoGrande]

Folks, is this now considered acceptable?

Six other people attended with me. Three men were wearing shorts, one woman a miniskirt, and two other women wore shorts. In other words, every single person I met at Perpetual Adoration, wore shorts or miniskirt. Guys also typically wear flipflops and remove those flipflops while sitting inside the chapel.

Does the Church approve of this?

I agree with your criticism but this isn’t universal. Much of it depends which part of the world you’re in. I studied etiquette books, and they say that the further south or west you get in the United States, the more informality is acceptable. I’m from Hawaii and I can tell you from experience that in most cases, you’d look weird in a suit here.

I’ve also been in the Philippines where it’s hot and poverty is rampant. There, then, nobody frowns down on people going inside Adoration chapels wearing flip flops or shorts (as long as they’re not short shorts – God may have created your body but we don’t need to see all of it, missy). Seriously, this is a country where I got invited to go to weddings but my dad told me to change my clothes because I’d be dressed better than the groom, even if I’m just in a tie. So if a guy in shorts, flip flops and a tank top goes to Adoration, you just feel happy that he’s going and don’t care about how he’s dressed. But that’s for that part of the world.

 

[barb_finnegan]

Bravo to Father Dominic of EWTN and his ‘no nonsense’ sermon! He is absolutely one of the most ‘straight-talkin’, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners’ guys of all the priests down there! If I had been at that Mass, I would have given him a little ‘thumbs-up’ and gone into the sacristy afterwards to give him a big ‘THANK YOU’!

I’m also glad that the FSSP parish had guidelines for what to wear (and what NOT to wear) at Mass for the summer months! Bravo to them, too!

I go to an Adoration chapel, and I know that a few times there was either a sign posted on the door or on the bulletin board (it’s inside the parish rectory) requesting that adorers dress appropriately while before Our Lord’s presence. But many a time there are people who ‘pop in’ for a brief visit while going about their daily routines, and are not dressed appropriately.

I certainly won’t give anyone the ‘evil eye’ if that happens. But I know a few times I have leaned over to whisper to the ‘offender’ that they shouldn’t dress the way they are if they’re going to be in the chapel.

The chapel I go to for the TLM has a dress code posted on the doors facing the vestibule. And I know there that I’ve seen some of the parishioners wearing slacks (one woman) and blue jeans (one man does that when there’s a Holy Day Mass). But it’s up to the priest, I think, to let everyone know (even if privately) what’s appropriate for Mass.

But A HUGE ‘BRAVISSIMO’ to no-nonsense Father Dominic! Amen to what he said!

 

[Pilgrim1701]

I do not agree about taking shoes off in the chapel. I do it all the time when I go to Adoration. God said to Moses, “remove your sandals for the ground you stand on is holy.” I take my shoes off as an act of piety. I see other in my parish who do the same. I was watching a film on Mother Teresa’s nuns and they were barefoot adoring the Eucharist.

I think objecting to drinking water is a bit harsh. A few months ago I was quite sick, but not sick enough to excuse not going to Mass. I had to take a bottle of water with me because otherwise I would have spent the whole time coughing my lungs up and distracting those around me. Drinking water is much easier to do subtly and is less disturbing to others than coughing. It may well be an act of charity to the others in Adoration.

The quote from Exodus is outside the Adoration Chapel of my parish in the Middle East. The parish recently held a 33 days of Adoration in which the monstrance from moved to a different location. The sign outside the door said, “Kindly remove shoes.”
From the first time I came across these words while reading Scripture, it has been my habit to remove shoes while praying. It is indeed an act of piety and humility. I am much more open to the Spirit speaking to me with my shoes off than with my shoes on.

As others have also stated, while I take time to dress in my Sunday best for an Obligation Mass, I don’t worry about what I am wearing should I drop into a church for daily Mass or Adoration. Of course, modesty should dictate what we wear any day of the week.

Don’t be so sure people are texting.

My android phone has a ton of Catholic content on it, including the Divine Office, three bibles, readings of the day, rosaries, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and prayers in both Latin and English.

I take my phone to adoration. Using it is a lot quieter and less distracting than rustling through prayer books. Unless people are looking at me during adoration thinking, “He’s texting!” But that’s their issue not mine.

I too take my iPhone to Adoration with me. I have the Breviary on my phone because I’m too poor to spend the $300+ for the new Latin/English Baronius Press Breviary. I try to hide it in my Missal, but sometimes it slides out. It’s kind of annoying carrying around a purse of church books for those spontaneous drop-ins to Church. I have everything on my iPhone, but I think someone would throw a nutty if they saw me whip out my iPhone during Mass to follow along.

Agree with the above, and amazed at how people go out of their way to be offended.
So focused on Christ at Adoration they have the time and inclination to observe what others are ‘up to’ and pass judgement. Different parts of the world have different cultural norms, and America I would argue is probably as culturally diverse as it comes. I think its a safe bet that people who take the bother to call into a church and pray during adoration do not have causing offence as their motivation.

 

[White_Peony]

depends…it does seem scandalous.

 

[LightBound]

Agree with the above, and amazed at how people go out of their way to be offended.
So focused on Christ at Adoration they have the time and inclination to observe what others are ‘up to’ and pass judgement. Different parts of the world have different cultural norms, and America I would argue is probably as culturally diverse as it comes. I think its a safe bet that people who take the bother to call into a church and pray during adoration do not have causing offence as their motivation.

You know, I think some people just lie in wait for ways to be offended and scandalized…just so they have something to gripe and moan about. I have found that there are actually some folks out there who aren’t happy unless they have something or someone to complain about and stir up trouble.

 

[triumphguy]

True. For Corpus Christi, they were handing out leaflets to follow the liturgy along and I didn’t get one, had to use my iPhone for the lyrics to Pange Lingua.

Same here!

Adoration is where I get real with God.

Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I sleep. I do a lot of listening. And a lot of praying. I take my shoes off too sometimes!

I also try VERY hard NOT to look at other people.

A trick I’ve had to use if someone annoys me (because I can be judgmental) is to pray for the person (not, “Dear God make them change to conform to my image of a good Catholic”) and their intentions and their loved ones.

 

[TimothyH]

Bravo to Father Dominic of EWTN and his ‘no nonsense’ sermon! He is absolutely one of the most ‘straight-talkin’, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners’ guys of all the priests down there! If I had been at that Mass, I would have given him a little ‘thumbs-up’ and gone into the sacristy afterwards to give him a big ‘THANK YOU’!

I’m also glad that the FSSP parish had guidelines for what to wear (and what NOT to wear) at Mass for the summer months! Bravo to them, too!

I go to an Adoration chapel, and I know that a few times there was either a sign posted on the door or on the bulletin board (it’s inside the parish rectory) requesting that adorers dress appropriately while before Our Lord’s presence. But many a time there are people who ‘pop in’ for a brief visit while going about their daily routines, and are not dressed appropriately.

I certainly won’t give anyone the ‘evil eye’ if that happens. But I know a few times I have leaned over to whisper to the ‘offender’ that they shouldn’t dress the way they are if they’re going to be in the chapel.

The chapel I go to for the TLM has a dress code posted on the doors facing the vestibule. And I know there that I’ve seen some of the parishioners wearing slacks (one woman) and blue jeans (one man does that when there’s a Holy Day Mass). But it’s up to the priest, I think, to let everyone know (even if privately) what’s appropriate for Mass.

But A HUGE ‘BRAVISSIMO’ to no-nonsense Father Dominic! Amen to what he said!

I hope I never worship at a parish like you describe.

My parish has a group of hispanic men who come into the chapel wearing a t-shirts and work boots, covered in paint after painting a house or dirty and sweaty after hammering nails all day into someone’s roof in the hot sun. They come into the chapel to pray the rosary to Our Lady in front of Jesus on their way home to their children.

We have a group of contractors who come to Mass most mornings. They drive vans with ladders on the roof and pickup trucks with air compressors in the back. Real men, tan from working in the sun and three percent body fat from carrying cinder blocks and mixing concrete all day. And they are building a large gazebo in our grotto for a statue of Mary out of their own free time.

You know what? We like them to come to adoration and Mass. We don’t tell them to go home and put on a shirt and tie first.

You can take no prisoners if you want, but I really wonder who you are at war with. Ordinary Christians who stop into the adoration chapel on their way to and from work are not my enemies.

-Tim-

 

[cradlecatholic5]

When my recovering husband was out running & gunning, I’d wake up w/ him not next to me in the middle of the night and I’d head to the 24 hour Adoration Chapel at the parish I belonged to at the time.

oh, how wonderful HE made me feel sitting in HIS presence and talking w/ HIM.

I’m certain I didn’t look nice considering I’d tuck my nightgown in sweatpants and go.

Thankfully HE accepts us anyway.

 

[LightBound]

I hope I never worship at a parish like you describe.

My parish has a group of hispanic men who come into the chapel wearing a t-shirts and work boots, covered in paint after painting a house or dirty and sweaty after hammering nails all day into someone’s roof in the hot sun. They come into the chapel to pray the rosary to Our Lady in front of Jesus on their way home to their children.

We have a group of contractors who come to Mass most mornings. They drive vans with ladders on the roof and pickup trucks with air compressors in the back. Real men, tan from working in the sun and three percent body fat from carrying cinder blocks and mixing concrete all day. And they are building a large gazebo in our grotto for a statue of Mary out of their own free time.

You know what? We like them to come to adoration and Mass. We don’t tell them to go home and put on a shirt and tie first.

You can take no prisoners if you want, but I really wonder who you are at war with. Ordinary Christians who stop into the adoration chapel on their way to and from work are not my enemies.

-Tim-

Not every man out there has the luxury of wearing a suit and sitting behind a desk all day with the ability to come and go as he pleases. Thank God for those devout laborers and tradesmen who have obviously placed the Lord above getting another hour of sleep before they head off to their physically demanding job (those that worship in the morning) or getting home early to crash after putting in a hard day’s work (those that stop in before they head home)!!

 

[cradlecatholic5]

[My android phone has a ton of Catholic content on it, including the Divine Office, three bibles, readings of the day, rosaries, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and prayers in both Latin and English./QUOTE]

I’m right w/ you. I have several prayers on my iphone. I also bring my NOOK w/ me. I have the rosary, Divine Mercy, prayers, GUIDEPOSTs, etc. I’ve found it much easier than bringing a bag of books.

 

[JimG]

I think that appropriate dress is less critical in the adoration chapel than in Mass.

Sometimes people come to our adoration chapel in the middle of the night dressed quite casually. They may look like they just got out of bed because they did just get out of bed!

 

[SMHW]

Folks, is this now considered acceptable?

Six other people attended with me. Three men were wearing shorts, one woman a miniskirt, and two other women wore shorts. In other words, every single person I met at Perpetual Adoration, wore shorts or miniskirt. Guys also typically wear flipflops and remove those flipflops while sitting inside the chapel.

Does the Church approve of this?

As someone mentioned earlier this can be a matter of locale. Flip flops are standard attire in many places in California. Unless someone works in a bank (I personally find the attire worn in many banks to be a means of intimidating the customers) or a place where steel toed shoes are important, people wear flip flops to work even if there is some HR policy that states otherwise. I have sometimes kept a spare pair of cheap sandals (the weren’t technically flip flops; they were swimmer’s sandals) because I hate shoes.

I do think that anyone who goes to adoration on a scheduled basis should dress modestly.

But I also think that people who drop by the parish office to pick up a form or to to order tickets for the parish festival dinner should not be excluded from making a quick visit just because they are casually dressed. One could argue (and I won’t disagree) that some attire is not appropriate enough to step out of the car in the Church parking lot. But if it is good enough to run a business errand then I cannot fault such a person for wanting to stop and say hello to Our Lord.

---

I can’t help but think that while it is true that many people here think shorts, miniskirts, and flip-flops are inappropriate to wear in a Church setting… it is really more the case that people here think such attire is inappropriate in *almost any *setting. If people think this is the case… well, so be it. But then it is not really a Perpetual Adoration matter, it is something way beyond Liturgy and Sacraments.

 

[Veronica7978]

This makes me wonder what Mary Magdalene was wearing when Jesus met her - or any of the sinners he loved. I don’t think Jesus would turn anybody away, and I know he wouldn’t spend time judging them when he could spend that same time loving them. I use a very easy litmus test to figure out right from wrong - love is God and comes from God - hate does not ever come from God and should be rejected. Easier said than done I know - but well worth the effort.

 

[Annabelle_Marie]

I could excuse the flip flops. Personally, I’ve been “sentenced” to flip flops for the last few months because of a toe/foot problem. I can’t wait to wear regular shoes again.

Shorts, miniskirts - and TEXTING (oh my!) - and tank tops, bare midriffs, etc., definitely inexcusable.

Ok…on Monday I was texting…someone who was asked to do a ministry along with me…for Masses…and I was trying to help them and myself discern if it was something God was calling me to. And the people who asked needed a pretty quick answer…

 

[JimG]

My parish has people who are scheduled for the adoration chapel 24 hours a day. Some of them come in the middle of the night and they may be the only person there. Dress is not a critical factor! Presence is.

 

[po18guy]

I think objecting to drinking water is a bit harsh. A few months ago I was quite sick, but not sick enough to excuse not going to Mass. I had to take a bottle of water with me because otherwise I would have spent the whole time coughing my lungs up and distracting those around me. Drinking water is much easier to do subtly and is less disturbing to others than coughing. It may well be an act of charity to the others in Adoration.

A medical condition is in a different universe. I am speaking of every week, all year.

 

[L_piperatus]

With the flipflops, it’s not really the flipflops I noticed, but how people remove them to put up their feet. When a guy sits next to me, in board shorts, feet put up, it’s just too much exposed. And it’s the same thing with women. Good that they came, but I don’t want to see their knees and thighs exposed. For what I gather, the Vatican’s modesty rules aren’t really about looking neat or formal, they are about covering certain areas of the body. As someone put it, you can wear throw-away paper pants and skirts, and they will let you in. They just don’t want you to expose your body, from the shoulders to the knees. “You can come half-nekkid” is definitely not what the Catholic Church teaches, judging by the dress codes enforced throughout Vatican city and in the churches of Rome.

Thus let me re-phrase my question to put the emphasis on the modesty/covering aspect: does the Church allow us to expose parts of our bodies at the Adoration Chapel, that she forbids us from exposing while visiting churches for prayer or Holy Mass?

I know this much: the Pope definitely doesn’t want you to wear shorts, skirts above the knee, or clothes that expose the shoulders, anywhere in the Vatican City or in the churches of Rome which is the Pope’s diocese. So, my question is this: are the rules relaxed at perpetual adoration regarding modesty, regarding being covered from the shoulders to the knees, included? Could it be possible that we can’t expose our shoulders and knees while visiting a Catholic church, even just to pray outside of Mass time, but we are allowed to expose those body parts in the adoration chapel? As I think of it, it doesn’t make sense to me, but that’s just my personal opinion and unfortunately I haven’t seen specific guidance by our bishops and priests.

I’m mostly looking for specific guidance from our clergy, similar to the sermon by Fr. Dominick Mary on EWTN’s televised Mass, see here: youtube.com/watch?v=PZHECJJbzPM

That sermon is very clear: you must cover your shoulders and knees in church. One should not come to church dressed in shorts. I’m looking for similar specific instructions, by our clergy, for the Adoration Chapel. Or, could it be that when they mention “church”, they also include the “adoration chapel” in that definition?

I really do not think that sweatpants, night gowns, or being uncombed are the problem. The problem is exposing body parts that should be covered. The Vatican’s Swiss Guards will not turn you away for wearing sweatpants and being uncombed - they will turn you away if your shoulders and/or knees are exposed (shorts, dresses and skirts above the knee). I suggest we accordingly concentrate on this issue: Does the Catholic Church allow us to expose body parts in the Adoration Chapel, that she otherwise demands that we cover while visiting church buildings either for Holy Mass, or even just for private prayer outside of Mass time?