Shorts at Mass??

[Redratfish]

I guess I am from the old school, while just being Catholic for 22 months. My wife will only wear a dress or skirt and blouse to mass… I will only wear a suit or coat & tie with appropriate trousers. >> I never say anything to those around me in shorts, soccer uniforms… Or young girls in ultra mini skirts and spaghetti strap tops… But, I pray for them.

Nothing wrong with that

I often ask myself… “If these same folks who wear shorts to mass were invited to the White House for dinner, would they wear shorts?” How is it that they are invited each Sunday to share in the Body and Blood of the King of Heaven and Earth and will not wear their best.

The President is a man, judging on human appearances God created us how we are, in the nude. He didn’t even make clothes. The Old Testament even says to not judge on appearances but on the heart. (God to Samuel when annointing David) In this day and age should we really be arguing about clothes? Or the fact that most people don’t even attend Mass? Which is more important.

I have hear arguments that God accepts us just the way we are… True, but He doesn’t want us to stay the way we are, He wants us to change.

** Our clothes is how God wants us to change? Really? I thought God wanted us to follow him in faith, and live our lives for him.**

I have hear it said that “As long and I attend mass, it doesn’t matter what I wear.” I question that statement… Where is the heart of the person making that claim.

**Where is the heart and mind of those judging those around them at Mass because of there dress? Surely not on the Mass itself. **

If you are poor and can’t afford a suit or a dress, then find the best you have in your closet and wear it to mass…

**Sorry, it is over 100 degrees where I live in Texas, in a Church that only has natural air for air conditioning. I think i look worse sweating in a suit than I do in a pair of shorts and a nice shirt. **

It’s like the widow’s mite… That’s all she had and she gave it… If all you have are a pair of shorts, then by all means wear them… But, I have seen folks making over $100,000 a year come to mass dressed like they were attending a beach party.

**I don’t see your point. Unless you spend your life savings on clothes for Church you have no room to talk, because Jesus himself said that many people gave a lot of what they had. **

 

[I_Thirst]

I can’t but help think of Jesus Christ’s words on this in Matthew 6 …

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

28 Why are you anxious about clothes? …]

Whom shall I follow? The arbitrary and era-bound castigations of Clothing Crusaders or the eternal wisdom and love of Jesus Christ?

And on that note, pax Christi!

 

[Redratfish]

There is no, absolutely no, excuse for women (or men) wearing shorts at Holy Mass. Not only is it disrespectful, it is an occasion of sin to others. Regardless of what people think nowadays, they do not have the “right” to wear what they want where they want.

We need to bring back some semblance of dignity. We hear so much of that word today, but truly, I’ve never encountered less of it in people.

Come down to Texas in 100+ degree heat and say that. If its all about appearance, I think I look better in tan shorts and a collared shirt and a man sweating like he just walked in the rain in a suit.

Should people wear bikinis? No, should people dress trashy? No. But A suit and tie is NOT the only way to go to Mass

 

[buffalo]

Come down to Texas in 100+ degree heat and say that. If its all about appearance, I think I look better in tan shorts and a collared shirt and a man sweating like he just walked in the rain in a suit.

Should people wear bikinis? No, should people dress trashy? No. But A suit and tie is NOT the only way to go to Mass

Back in the day men wore suits and woman layers and there was no A/C. How did they do it? We are wimps I think.

 

[Lormar]

Come down to Texas in 100+ degree heat and say that. If its all about appearance, I think I look better in tan shorts and a collared shirt and a man sweating like he just walked in the rain in a suit.

I am well acquainted with high heat and humidity. It’s no excuse.

You’re just a product of your generation and the slovenly culture.

 

[Lormar]

Back in the day men wore suits and woman layers and there was no A/C. How did they do it? We are wimps I think.

You’ve got that right.

 

[TrueLight]

I can’t but help think of Jesus Christ’s words on this in Matthew 6 …

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?

27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

28 Why are you anxious about clothes? …]

Whom shall I follow? The arbitrary and era-bound castigations of Clothing Crusaders or the eternal wisdom and love of Jesus Christ?

And on that note, pax Christi!

Talk about misapplication of a passage.

Those verses are telling us not to worry about how we will feed ourselves or how we will get clothing that we need because God will take care of all our needs. This has nothing to do with the choice of clothing.

 

[Bearontherun]

It is unfortunate indeed that Saint Faustina was not able to attend mass every week due to her financial situation as she was growing up. Her family did not have the money to afford Sunday dresses for each daughter so they had to take turns wearing the good dress and attending mass on alternate weeks. I suppose fellow parishners would not have appreciated her attending in anything that looked impoverished. If they only knew…

 

[mini_me640]

There is no, absolutely no, excuse for women (or men) wearing shorts at Holy Mass. **Not only is it disrespectful, it is an occasion of sin to others. **Regardless of what people think nowadays, they do not have the “right” to wear what they want where they want.

We need to bring back some semblance of dignity. We hear so much of that word today, but truly, I’ve never encountered less of it in people.

Please explain how a knee length pair of shorts causes an occasion of sin for others. How does clothing = dignity? I know a rabid pro-life activist who wears jeans and a pro-life T shirt to Mass every week. I see various liberal political leaders who identify as Catholics who I see pictured in suits and ties and Mass. Who do you think God is more pleased with?

 

[Lormar]

Please explain how a knee length pair of shorts causes an occasion of sin for others. How does clothing = dignity? I know a rabid pro-life activist who wears jeans and a pro-life T shirt to Mass every week. I see various liberal political leaders who identify as Catholics who I see pictured in suits and ties and Mass. Who do you think God is more pleased with?

Who do you think God is more pleased with?

I don’t know, and neither do you.

Please explain how a knee length pair of shorts causes an occasion of sin for others.

If God has preserved you from certain temptations, thank Him for it, but do not berate others because they have not been as graced as you. Just because you are unable to comprehend something, does not mean it isn’t so.

How does clothing = dignity?

If you have to ask that question, no answer I would give will get it through to you.

I am not here to change your mind. Wear whatever you feel like to the Holy Sacrifice of Mass.

 

[I_Thirst]

Talk about misapplication of a passage.

Those verses are telling us not to worry about how we will feed ourselves or how we will get clothing that we need because God will take care of all our needs. This has nothing to do with the choice of clothing.

The accusation of misapplication usually applies when one disagrees with another’s application.

I’ll grant that on one level you have a point, though that one level doesn’t cover all levels. This thread is about what others wear to Mass, and it appears that there is considerable anxiety about clothing choices. I find that the verse I quoted does speak to this on other levels that go beyond what you mentioned (and I agree with you to a certain extent). Neither one of us is necessarily speaking magisterially on the verse nor on clothing.

 

[Stylites]

Whom shall I follow? The arbitrary and era-bound castigations of Clothing Crusaders or the eternal wisdom and love of Jesus Christ?

If your priest, who is the persona christi, is vocal about immodest dress then follow his words. Some parishes regularly make mention of appropriate attire while others do not. By the way, the words of Saint James in no way applies to immodest attire by the well-to-do.

 

[mush]

I live in Phoenix where it has been over 106 all week. I don’t wear shorts to Mass but I have seen people dressed in shorts with dress shirts who did look respectible. I personally won’t dress in shorts at Mass but I don’t believe that people who dress this way are doing so out of disrespect.

Linda

 

[Stylites]

I’ll grant that on one level you have a point, though that one level doesn’t cover all levels.

That was quite a stretch. Modesty is a virtue; you can even ask the Magisterium if on any level modesty can relate to how one chooses to drape oneself in public.

 

[MtnDwellar]

If your priest, who is the persona christi, is vocal about immodest dress then follow his words. Some parishes regularly make mention of appropriate attire while others do not. By the way, the words of Saint James in no way applies to immodest attire by the well-to-do.

Is this thread about modesty? I thought it was about wearing shorts. Are shorts immodest?

 

[Stylites]

I live in Phoenix where it has been over 106 all week. I don’t wear shorts to Mass but I have seen people dressed in shorts with dress shirts who did look respectible. I personally won’t dress in shorts at Mass but I don’t believe that people who dress this way are doing so out of disrespect.

Linda

Well said, Linda, and my sympathies for the ambient temperature there in the shade! At least you don’t live in Houston where the humidity is 106%.

 

[mini_me640]

I don’t know, and neither do you.

Perhaps not, but I know some of Jesus’ sharpest criticisms were directed at those who claimed and appeared to be very righteous while looking down on others. As in the Pharisee and the tax collector. I’m quite sure God would rather here the honest contrition of someone in shorts than the self-righteous prayer of someone in a suit.

If God has preserved you from certain temptations, thank Him for it, but do not berate others because they have not been as graced as you. Just because you are unable to comprehend something, does not mean it isn’t so.

First, I didn’t berate anyone. I asked a sincere question because I have not known anyone who found knee length shorts on a man or woman particularly enticing. At any rate,guys in military uniforms tend to pique my interest, so does that mean they shouldn’t wear their uniforms? Some men are suckers for high heels. Honestly… What tempts everyone is different, and it is impossible for everyone to accomodate everyone else’s attractions with regard to dress. As long as someone is within normal bounds of modesty, it is unfair to accuse them of causing an occasion of sin for others. If I have a tendency to covet expensive things others have that I can’t afford, is the lady next to me causing an occasion of sin by carrying her Prada purse or wearing her 4 carat diamond engagement ring? If knee length shorts cause an occasion of sin, is the same true of knee length skirts? Honest question, not trying to be snarky.

If you have to ask that question, no answer I would give will get it through to you.

Don’t berate others because they have not been graced with such a knowledge of dignity as you I don’t see how superficial appearances are more important to dignity than interior character.

I am not here to change your mind. Wear whatever you feel like to the Holy Sacrifice of Mass.

I don’t wear shorts to Mass (or ever as I am self-conscious about my legs). I just don’t care what other people wear as long as it’s modest.

 

[Stylites]

Is this thread about modesty? I thought it was about wearing shorts. Are shorts immodest?

Shorts immodest? Not in my estimation. My own parish allows them, but I have visited a parish where it was so considered immodest by the priest. My later responses were in regards to the sidebar discussion on general inappropriate attire, such as teenagers with raunchy logos and words on their t-shirts, or EMHCs with braless blouses.

 

[MtnDwellar]

We’ve seen a few Biblical quotes on this issue in this thread that seem to go against the notion of the idea of “acceptable” or “decent” attire, though I’m sure interprepation and selection could sway it the other way. Has the Vatican issued guidelines for attire at Mass? Is it in the Catechism? Is it in the GIRM? I’m not asking for rhetorical effect; I’d really like to know.

This was post #49. We are now up to #99. No one has provided teaching that shorts are not appropriate at Mass.

I am left to think that all the rhetoric about shorts lacking dignity or showing disrespect for the Mass is personal opinion. All have a right to their own opinion and should dress according his or her own morals and preferences.

One should not place judgements upon, or try to enforce his personal opinion on others.

 

[TrueLight]

Neither one of us is necessarily speaking magisterially on the verse nor on clothing.

I can do nothing but agree with that.