Proper Dress and Behavior for Catholic Men

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Good Holy Saturday folks…
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     I agree for the most part with those who know what's proper !!  It is food for thought about WHAT WOULD YOU WEAR IF YOU KNEW OUR LORD AND SAVIOR WOULD BE VISITING YOUR CHURCH ????  

     But then again.... We have different generations here to discuss what the Appropriate Dress is.  Thursday night I wore black jeans, a polo shirt, and closed toe sandels, and last night for Good Friday Mass I wore black jeans, a long sleeved 3 button collared shirt, and tonight for Confirmation I will wear a white long sleeved dress shirt, navy blue tie, black shoes and a pin stripped suit.   So being raised the way I was, to me appropriate dress for services is of no question.  

 I do highly agree that shorts , mini skirts, low cut V-neck blouses , flip-flops and tee shirts have no place in church.  BUT, then again... I, personally, have my standards, standards set for me by my parents !!  

  Well everyone, continue have a wonderful and BLESSED EASTER !!
 
If the Lord comes tomorrow, He will find me in a pair of Jeans, Polo shirt and my Nikes. I doubt He will condemn me for what I wear while I am Worshiping Him and Listening to His Word. I remember a story of the Hippies where some of our denominational churches would not let in because of the way they looked and dressed. Who do you think God will condemn those who tried to know about God or those who kept them out because of the way they were dressed? Thank God for Calvary Chapel who ministered to these Kids who had a hunger to know about God. Many of them have become great men of God. May we find our churches open to those who thirst and hunger for the Lord, No matter what they are wearing.
 
You know, I do sympathize with those who point out that Jesus would rather have us actually at Mass rather than critique our dress, but I just got dressed for Easter Vigil, and I find myself in a long pretty dress and a set of pearl jewelry and hair done up.

I’m usually in a simple, casual-ish long dress or skirt because that’s my taste, but tonight? Tonight I meet my Bridegroom who gave His very life for me.

I’m dressed to the nines 🙂
 
ppasa316:

Truly curious here… really… why do you as a Protestant come to a Catholic forum and discuss what Catholic men should or should not wear to Mass? Do you attend Mass? Since you are listed as protestant, I’m guessing no but perhaps I’m way off and missed something along the lines. I certainly can’t keep up with everyone’s background. Honestly, I’m not trying to be sarcastic, mean, etc. or even say that you aren’t welcome. My question is along the lines of… what drew you to a Catholic forum in the first place? You are protestant and praise protestant churches, so what draws you here? I’ve no desire to lurk on protestant boards, so your choice has me curious.

Just wondering… I won’t be entering into arguments or anything, and if you don’t want to answer that’s fine.
ppasa316 said:
If the Lord comes tomorrow, He will find me in a pair of Jeans, Polo shirt and my Nikes. I doubt He will condemn me for what I wear while I am Worshiping Him and Listening to His Word. I remember a story of the Hippies where some of our denominational churches would not let in because of the way they looked and dressed. Who do you think God will condemn those who tried to know about God or those who kept them out because of the way they were dressed? Thank God for Calvary Chapel who ministered to these Kids who had a hunger to know about God. Many of them have become great men of God. May we find our churches open to those who thirst and hunger for the Lord, No matter what they are wearing.
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Love_the_Lorax said:
ppasa316:

Truly curious here… really… why do you as a Protestant come to a Catholic forum and discuss what Catholic men should or should not wear to Mass? Do you attend Mass? Since you are listed as protestant, I’m guessing no but perhaps I’m way off and missed something along the lines. I certainly can’t keep up with everyone’s background. Honestly, I’m not trying to be sarcastic, mean, etc. or even say that you aren’t welcome. My question is along the lines of… what drew you to a Catholic forum in the first place? You are protestant and praise protestant churches, so what draws you here? I’ve no desire to lurk on protestant boards, so your choice has me curious.

Just wondering… I won’t be entering into arguments or anything, and if you don’t want to answer that’s fine.
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You must be new because this forum isn’t just for Catholics. Another i never did talk about what a catholic man should dress like did I. If I did it was not intended for only catholics but to anyone who down people because of what they wear. Another is that I was a catholic for many years. Hope this answers your questions.
👍
 
ppasa316 said:
If the Lord comes tomorrow, He will find me in a pair of Jeans, Polo shirt and my Nikes. I doubt He will condemn me for what I wear while I am Worshiping Him and Listening to His Word. I remember a story of the Hippies where some of our denominational churches would not let in because of the way they looked and dressed. Who do you think God will condemn those who tried to know about God or those who kept them out because of the way they were dressed? Thank God for Calvary Chapel who ministered to these Kids who had a hunger to know about God. Many of them have become great men of God. May we find our churches open to those who thirst and hunger for the Lord, No matter what they are wearing.
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It’s not so much as the clothes people put on themselves as the amount of respect they have for the Lord for wanting to put on those clothes. It’s in the heart, not the dress, however 9 times out of 10 the person’s dress reflects the heart.
 
aball1035 said:
It’s not so much as the clothes people put on themselves as the amount of respect they have for the Lord for wanting to put on those clothes. It’s in the heart, not the dress, however 9 times out of 10 the person’s dress reflects the heart.
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I disagree. Just because I wear jeans and nikes doesn’t mean my heart of worship is anymore or less that someone else’s. I also disagree with your 9 times out of 10 reflects one heart. That is so crazy. I bet there are people who’s heart is more sincere than someone who might go to church in a suit and tie. But that is between them and the Lord. All I know is that I had a blessed day today with the Lord in my jeans, polo shirt and nikes. If someone says that my heart reflects the way I dress are completly wrong. Have A Blessed Resurrection Day to anyone who comes on this forum

God Bless:)
 
Apparantly THOSE who rebel against PROPER ATTIRE as far as I am concerned, were rebellous in their growing up years. Would you rebel against the church if everyone was required to wear robes and head covering as in the ancient days of our beloved church ???
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 To me , also, how one dresses tells me they have respect in themselves , and confidences in their faith.  If you believe, how you are attired for Mass does not have effect on others , then go ahead and dress like you are still a teenager at a high school dance !!   :twocents::bible1::knight1::gopray2:
Have a wonderful Easter Sunday !!
 
JohnTrueHeart said:
Apparantly THOSE who rebel against PROPER ATTIRE as far as I am concerned, were rebellous in their growing up years.
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I was rebellious in my growing up years. But, it was 1968 and the whole country was rebellious.
JohnTrueHeart said:
If you believe, how you are attired for Mass does not have effect on others , then go ahead and dress like you are still a teenager at a high school dance !!
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Ties and jackets were required for my high school dances. Which is one of the reasons folks were rebellious during my ‘growing up years’.
 
Shirt and Tie on Sundays and big feasts, weekdays can be as bad as t-shirt, shorts and sandals(which pains me to do), because it is generally crammed in between classes, and I don’t get much time to change.

I would consider wearing a suit, except for, a) I dont have one, and b) I serve almost every Sunday Mass I go to, so it would be pointless
 
No, I’m not new, just way too busy with life to post often. I’m well aware that this forum isn’t just for Catholics, I’ve read plenty of posts with Muslims, agnostics, etc. posting. It is simply interesting when people who are not Catholic choose to come here, on a forum on Catholic Answers, since many will not only tell you they aren’t looking for answers about the Catholic faith but in fact will argue against the Catholic faith. That is what I find to be intriguing…and no, I don’t proclaim that there is one pat reason that fits everyone.

Glad you had a wonderful Easter!
ppasa316 said:
You must be new because this forum isn’t just for Catholics. Another i never did talk about what a catholic man should dress like did I. If I did it was not intended for only catholics but to anyone who down people because of what they wear. Another is that I was a catholic for many years. Hope this answers your questions.
👍
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Why would you disagree with that statement? Of course people will dress in a certain manner to give a specific impression to those around them - a job interview just as an obvious example. I’ve read study after study about how what people wears influences how they act and how others view them. Not just in church, but in society in general. The idea that how one dresses will impact other’s perceptions is simply a fact. Now, people may loudly proclaim that to be unfair, that no one knows their heart by their dress, but it is true that others DO judge you by clothing. Even companies that employ people that work from home have sometimes insisted that they “dress” for the day because it gets in them in the mindset that they are working, not just home to take it easy.

Honestly, I do get your point that someone can be at church in jeans and truly have their mind on what’s going on and be focused on worship. No one can make a blanket statement otherwise. Some on this thread have commented about people being prideful (I forget the exact words, but something to that effect) about having outfits that are so fashionable, more than others in the congregation, etc. Sure that happens, absolutely no doubt about that.

However, in reading some of the posts on this thread and others like it, and listening to others in real life - and I’m not pointing fingers at any one person because I don’t go back and keep track of who said exactly what - I’ve gotten the distinct impression that there are some who are prideful about not dressing up for church. A kind of “Hey, I can wear what I want and who are YOU to judge me for it! You can’t know what is in my heart, only God does!” Well, of course, only God does know a man’s heart. The tone that has been used implies a lot more than a spirit of worship and awe. The tone is definitely one of “No one will tell ME what to wear!” and seems to convey an attitude of being proud to not be held to some old-fashioned dress code, and in fact looking with contempt at the whole idea of some standard of dress at church. (And again, I’m actually thinking of a conversation I overheard in real life with that particular statement.)

I dare say the vast majority of readers here would agree that there is a point at which something is not appropriate for church, and that can vary depending on where you live. Jeans and a polo shirt- while a bit casual for my PERSONAL perference - would be a HUGE improvement over some of the things I’ve seen men show up wearing to church.

Off to tackle a very long to-do list. I wish all a Blessed Easter!
ppasa316 said:
I disagree. Just because I wear jeans and nikes doesn’t mean my heart of worship is anymore or less that someone else’s. I also disagree with your 9 times out of 10 reflects one heart. That is so crazy. I bet there are people who’s heart is more sincere than someone who might go to church in a suit and tie. But that is between them and the Lord. All I know is that I had a blessed day today with the Lord in my jeans, polo shirt and nikes. If someone says that my heart reflects the way I dress are completly wrong. Have A Blessed Resurrection Day to anyone who comes on this forum

God Bless:)
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JohnTrueHeart said:
Apparantly THOSE who rebel against PROPER ATTIRE as far as I am concerned, were rebellous in their growing up years. Would you rebel against the church if everyone was required to wear robes and head covering as in the ancient days of our beloved church ???
Code: 
 To me , also, how one dresses tells me they have respect in themselves , and confidences in their faith.  If you believe, how you are attired for Mass does not have effect on others , then go ahead and dress like you are still a teenager at a high school dance !!   :twocents::bible1::knight1::gopray2:
Have a wonderful Easter Sunday !!
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I am so happy that i go to a church that doesn’t have a “Proper Attire” status. Just like Jesus we want all sinners to “Come Just As They Are”. It is very sad to see a church that makes attire their focus instead of bringing sinners to the Lord. What I wear doesn’t express the respect that I have for myself. I lead a ministry in our church and my whole family serves in our church. I respect myself in that regard, not what I wear. I serve in a ministry that keeps me on my feet most of the time and I want to be as comfortable as I can. As a leader it doesn’t bother me what our servants wear unless it makes one stumble then we talk to them in a loving way. If you have a problem with that then you need to take that up with the Lord.
God Bless you my friend.🙂
 
ppasa316 said:
I am so happy that i go to a church that doesn’t have a “Proper Attire” status. Just like Jesus we want all sinners to “Come Just As They Are”. It is very sad to see a church that makes attire their focus instead of bringing sinners to the Lord. What I wear doesn’t express the respect that I have for myself. I lead a ministry in our church and my whole family serves in our church. I respect myself in that regard, not what I wear. I serve in a ministry that keeps me on my feet most of the time and I want to be as comfortable as I can. As a leader it doesn’t bother me what our servants wear unless it makes one stumble then we talk to them in a loving way. If you have a problem with that then you need to take that up with the Lord.
God Bless you my friend.🙂
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I think you need to take this line of reasoning one step further. Yes, our Lord surrounded himself with sinners, WHO IN TURN repented. In their repentance they went on to live holy lives, since they had been touched by the Lord. Now, supposing they returned to see Jesus after being forgiven by Him, do you think they’d wear field clothes?
 
Someone pointed out to me this weekend that, as Catholics, we are not supposed to be selfish. God first, others second, yourself last.

We are also supposed to ‘offer it up’ whenever we move outside our comfort zones.

So, the attitude of, “I’m comfy in jeans and a beer hat” can be seen as selfish, as not giving a flip what others think; and having to make an effort to dress in Sunday best an excellent opportunity for offering it up.

In this light, it is doubly important to dress well for Mass within your means.
 
I think that behaviour is far more important that dress. Once you’ve seen half-naked tribesmen in Papua New Guinea bow to an altar or genuflect before the Tabernacle then you know it’s what’s on the inside that really counts.
 
Ottaviani said:
I think you need to take this line of reasoning one step further. Yes, our Lord surrounded himself with sinners, WHO IN TURN repented. In their repentance they went on to live holy lives, since they had been touched by the Lord. Now, supposing they returned to see Jesus after being forgiven by Him, do you think they’d wear field clothes?
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I guess what your saying is that because of what i wear, i am not living a holy life. Show me in God’s Word where we are supposed to be dressed in a certain way to be saved or lead a holy life. I believe in a Holy God who doesn’t condemn us for what we wear. Get Real 🙂
 
Love_the_Lorax said:
No, I’m not new, just way too busy with life to post often. I’m well aware that this forum isn’t just for Catholics, I’ve read plenty of posts with Muslims, agnostics, etc. posting. It is simply interesting when people who are not Catholic choose to come here, on a forum on Catholic Answers, since many will not only tell you they aren’t looking for answers about the Catholic faith but in fact will argue against the Catholic faith. That is what I find to be intriguing…and no, I don’t proclaim that there is one pat reason that fits everyone.

Glad you had a wonderful Easter!
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As far as i am concerned there is no arguement. If you can provide solid scripture to what one must wear then i will gladly look into the proper wear for church. To be honest i haven’t seen any scripture on what a man must wear. Really it is a waste of time to go back and forth. It would be better if we spent our time bringing sinners to Christ. Have a great day my friend.😉
 
I think we can reach an understanding that dress at Mass is not important when the priest (please, Blessed Mother, do not take this like I mean it) does not clothe himself in his vestments and officiates at Mass in shorts, flip flops, and a beer shirt from spring break.

Eddie Mac
 
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