Proper Dress and Behavior for Catholic Men

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cbrownell said:
Perhaps for an older bachelor, it is easy to dismiss convenience and comfort.
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Who? Me? I’m married with four young kids. I know all about scrambling to get to Mass on time. 😉
cbrownell said:
As I have said, try stepping into my (low-heeled, rubber-soled) shoes before you make a decision about who should and should not be allowed in the door of the universal Church.
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None of this discussion has been about barring the doors of the Church; you’re being too defensive. I know that it gets overwhelming in today’s hectic life to think about adding one more thing to one’s routine. But if it’s deemed important, then a little prior planning tends to take the edge off and the whole family can dress up for the important things in life. It teaches the children something valuable, I think.
 
DavidPalm said:
Who? Me? I’m married with four young kids. I know all about scrambling to get to Mass on time. 😉

None of this discussion has been about barring the doors of the Church; you’re being too defensive. I know that it gets overwhelming in today’s hectic life to think about adding one more thing to one’s routine. But if it’s deemed important, then a little prior planning tends to take the edge off and the whole family can dress up for the important things in life. It teaches the children something valuable, I think.
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I agree. God comes first.
 
Agripa said:
not for us to judge. . .
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That’s not what The Lord says, He says we are to.

The attire of the body and the laughter of the teeth and the gait of the man show what he is.

Ecclesiasticus 19:27

"The outward appearance is often a sign of the conscience and the unspoken words of the mind.”

St. Ambrose

What does what you wear say about the state of your soul? 🙂

‘In like manner, women also in decent apparel: adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire: But, as it becometh women professing godliness, with good works.’

1 Timothy 2:9

Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered disgraceth his head. . . The man indeed ought not to cover his head: because he is the image and glory of God.

1 Corinthians 11:4,7

Any man who wears a hat throughout mass ought to be kicked out! And that is for God’s sake. It is for respect! 🙂

The Lord has says He cares about your clothing, and that it be modest and respectful. Who will show little or no respect, who will not care, who will tell others not to care? Who will contradict Him? 🙂
 
cbrownell said:
I couldn’t disagree more. When it come to matters of doctrine, you’re not going to find any one more traditional than me. To me, it is a generation gap. Some people are more accustomed to seeing people more dressed up while others aren’t. I’ve searched my Catechism, and I can’t find anything that says that I am required to dress up in order to pay respect to the Lord.
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Let me probe this a little bit. It would seem, then, following this same line of thinking, that all of the wreckovation that took place in the silly '60s was okay. We were told that the quality of Church art and liturgical music, church architecture, priestly vestments, etc. were all just generational things.

So Gather Us In or Tantum Ergo, felt banners or rich tapestry, polyester versus richly brocaded vestments, banjos versus pipe organ, Gothic architecture versus churches that look like the interior of a Ponderosa Steakhouse…are all of these things equal? Just a matter of personal taste or a generational thing?

If these things are not all equal, then perhaps the idea of the laity dressing up for Mass versus showing up in jeans and t-shirt isn’t either.
 
damooster said:
My friend, I did answer your question after you pointed out that I did not. Please scroll above, and you’ll see that I said:

Perhaps you missed it the first time. No problem, it happens :).
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You are right, I did mis it and I apologize. It is nice to know that you always dress your best when attending Mass. I am happy that you do.👍
 
mhshaffer said:
I will answer the question with a question. What was Jesus wearing during “THE LAST SUPPER”?
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I don’t have a clue. I wasn’t there. I somehow doubt that you know either since I don’t think that you were there either.

However, the Passover Meal was not an everyday occurance. Not by a long shot. You didn’t just grab whatever was there and throw it together on the spot. Nope, it wasn’t done that way. In fact, if I remember correctly, Jesus sent some of the Apostles ahead to make the preparations fo the meal, which were, to be honest more than a little complex. This curious idea we have that they just grabbed some handy bread and wine and ate is pure fantasy. There was and is a lot more to a Passover meal than that.

The Passover was the high point of the religious and cultural Jewish year and was treated accordingly. The presider at these meals wore distinctive clothing which would set him apart from the other members. The entire affair was very stylized and ritualized. All of the ritual foods were blessed and eaten, in a specific way, in a specic order and consisted of more than just bread and wine. While true that Jesus gave new meaning to the bread and wine there is nothing anywhere to indicate that he deviated from the meal in any fashion. We know that Jesus was a highly devout Jew and considered to be a great Rabbi and teacher by his followers. I somehow doubt that he would have deviated from the normal procedures at the Passover.

I mean He could have, but I sincerely doubt it.
 
The photo Agripa posted looks fine to me. I appreciate it when people dress up, especially when it’s just once a week and they are coming from home, but that isn’t really for me to be judging. Modesty, however, is awfully important, because a lack of it can cause a weaker brother to stumble.

Personally, I will always wear a dress, even to daily Mass, except when I am doing something right beforehand where a dress would not be appropriate and I wouldn’t have the time to go home and change. So I have to extend the same flexibility to others–I don’t know where they’ve been or what they’ve been up to, and I’m so glad they can make it to daily Mass!

I would like to hear some mention of basic standards either from the pulpit, in the bulletin, or in religious ed classes. I think the biggest problem is that kids of both genders just don’t know that there is even an issue.
 
EvelynEVF said:
Modesty, however, is awfully important, because a lack of it can cause a weaker brother to stumble.
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Thank you for saying this. Sometimes I find it difficult to concentrate when the women around me are not dressed modestly. I’m not a perv, but it’s hard to focus when the woman to your right looks like she’s going to a bar after Mass, and the one on your left looks like she’s trying to break the Guiness record for showing the most cleavage. I don’t mean to be disrespectfull, but that’s the impression I sometimes get.

And it’s not women’s fault for me being weak, but it certainly does not help. Sometimes I find myself staring at the floor so that I can focus on God and not the people around me.
 
Hey, it cuts both ways 🙂 When a guy slouches in to Mass in shorts and a torn t-shirt, I have no temptation to lust, but it sure is distracting!
 
I believe that all Catholic men should comport themselves as gentlemen. When attending Mass they should be encouraged ( by their pastor ) to wear a coat and tie. I feel this establishes the kind of dignity and respect that’s needed in a place of worship. Most women dress well for Mass ( and if they don’t they should be reminded ) , I think it’s time for men to step up to the plate. However, those who don’t wish to comply should not be made to feel unwelcome. I’ve been wearing a suit and tie to Mass for nearly 20 years and will continue to encourage other Catholic men to do the same…I’ve had some success!
 
I believe that all Catholic men should comport themselves as gentlemen. When attending Mass they should be encouraged ( by their pastor ) to wear a coat and tie. I feel this establishes the kind of dignity and respect that’s needed in a place of worship. Most women dress well for Mass ( and if they don’t they should be reminded ) , I think it’s time for men to step up to the plate. However, those who don’t wish to comply should not be made to feel unwelcome. I’ve been wearing a suit and tie to Mass for nearly 20 years and will continue to encourage other Catholic men to do the same…I’ve had some success!
 
I have been pondering this whilst looking at the attire of those at my church. Most dress casually, and not as though in the company of the king of kings.

However, the risk of setting standards for dress is that you end up with a fashion show, which is a much more dangerous sin, since it has pride at its heart.
 
Lucas3 said:
I have been pondering this whilst looking at the attire of those at my church. Most dress casually, and not as though in the company of the king of kings.

However, the risk of setting standards for dress is that you end up with a fashion show, which is a much more dangerous sin, since it has pride at its heart.
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I tend to agree with that point . . . and moreover, I think its a point to distinguish whether its important to dress for others approval in the physical church, versus dressing “for God” per se - I am not sure its relevant to God how one dresses, though it may be entirely relevant to others how one dresses and that we all be “seen” giving respect to the God figure. 😉
 
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