Should there be a dress code for EMHCs?

[benedictgal]

The leader of the EM’s was “Captain” at our liturgy last week. She was attired in well worn blue jeans and a shirt. The deacon’s wife was present on the altar. She wore a tank top, a skirt and sandals. The latter is a well endowed woman whose cleavage was very apparent. After the homily, she presented the new Stephen ministers to the congregation and gave them gifts. (This is mentioned only to demonstrate she was not passively seated in her revealing attire)
Other Em’s were wearing capri’s and sleeveless blouses with their sandals.

It was, I’ll grant, very warm, but I promise you, not one of these women would have shown up to meet the Pope in the clothing they felt was sufficient for the Blessed Sacrament.

First of all, let’s get the terminations right. We are not Eucharistic Ministers, we are Extraordinary Mniisters of Holy Communion.

The deacon’s wife should have known better. Furthermore, was the deacon serving?

I’m from South Texas. We hit the 100-degree mark on a daily basis beginning in April and ending in September. Heat is not an excuse for dressing badly. As far as the EMHC “captain” is concerned, that sounds more like a term used by a presidential candidate’s campaign when he refers to precinct “captains”.

I don’t mean to be uncharitable, but, I recall Blessed Jacinta Marto saying that Our Lady of Fatima was offended by immodesty. I realize that we aren’t required to believe private revelation, but, little Jacinta’s observations are true moreso today than they were in 1917. Worse yet, they are committed by those who are serving at the altar and should know better.

 

[Cristiano]

This past Sunday in our parish newsletter there was a full page about Church etiquette.

It started with: Fifty years ago an article like this would have been totally unnecessary…

It included comments on how to dress in God’s House, fast and preparation for communion, turning cell phones off, proper use of the Baptismal font, no chatting before and after Mass, monitoring of the children, proper use of the handicapped pews and parking spaces, no chewing gum under the pews, etc. etc.

 

[maggiemay2u]

First of all, let’s get the terminations right. We are not Eucharistic Ministers, we are Extraordinary Mniisters of Holy Communion.

The deacon’s wife should have known better. Furthermore, was the deacon serving?

I’m from South Texas. We hit the 100-degree mark on a daily basis beginning in April and ending in September. Heat is not an excuse for dressing badly. As far as the EMHC “captain” is concerned, that sounds more like a term used by a presidential candidate’s campaign when he refers to precinct “captains”.

I don’t mean to be uncharitable, but, I recall Blessed Jacinta Marto saying that Our Lady of Fatima was offended by immodesty. I realize that we aren’t required to believe private revelation, but, little Jacinta’s observations are true moreso today than they were in 1917. Worse yet, they are committed by those who are serving at the altar and should know better.

And the unfortunate parish where this type of behavior is commonplace, is in the LA diocese. When visiting my friends in other parts of the country, this factoid is all that is necessary to explain the situation.

 

[Cristiano]

…I’m from South Texas. We hit the 100-degree mark on a daily basis beginning in April and ending in September…

Our 35 year old air conditioner died for good two Sundays ago. ~$250,000 to replace it. Anyone with spare change??

 

[Lepanto]

This past Sunday in our parish newsletter there was a full page about Church etiquette.

It started with: Fifty years ago an article like this would have been totally unnecessary…

It included comments on how to dress in God’s House, fast and preparation for communion, turning cell phones off, proper use of the Baptismal font, no chatting before and after Mass, monitoring of the children, proper use of the handicapped pews and parking spaces, no chewing gum under the pews, etc. etc.

Could you please post the whole article or a link to it? I’d like to show it to my pastor and ask him to do something similar. Thanks!

 

[Cristiano]

Could you please post the whole article or a link to it? I’d like to show it to my pastor and ask him to do something similar. Thanks!

st-louis.org/news.htm

 

[EasterJoy]

And the unfortunate parish where this type of behavior is commonplace, is in the LA diocese. When visiting my friends in other parts of the country, this factoid is all that is necessary to explain the situation.

That is, you come from a place where “formal” means “wear socks”…unless you’ve been nominated for something, and that only makes the cleavage problem worse.

 

[maggiemay2u]

That is, you come from a place where “formal” means “wear socks”…unless you’ve been nominated for something, and that only makes the cleavage problem worse.

It seems more prevalent in LA County than other parts of California, with the notable exception of San Francisco (you want a real culture shock try a day at USF–yipes–Ignatius needs a return trip to reconvert (his) clergy. Even the LA diocese parishes closer to the central coast seem to have dodged much of the lunacy and lack of reverence that envelop the diocese’s home turf.

 

[EasterJoy]

It seems more prevalent in LA County than other parts of California, with the notable exception of San Francisco (you want a real culture shock try a day at USF–yipes–Ignatius needs a return trip to reconvert (his) clergy. Even the LA diocese parishes closer to the central coast seem to have dodged much of the lunacy and lack of reverence that envelop the diocese’s home turf.

I actually thought the interior parts of California were quite conservative for the short time I lived down there. It is almost as if the “no socks” thing comes in on the ocean breezes.

My sampling was small, I’ll admit, but it would explain San Francisco vs. Palo Alto.
(But then, maybe a person can’t spend a summer in Fresno without gaining an appreciation of how bad eternal hell fire would be. )

 

[Rickwood]

I actually thought the interior parts of California were quite conservative for the short time I lived down there. It is almost as if the “no socks” thing comes in on the ocean breezes.

My sampling was small, I’ll admit, but it would explain San Francisco vs. Palo Alto.
(But then, maybe a person can’t spend a summer in Fresno without gaining an appreciation of how bad eternal hell fire would be. )

The “no socks” thing is actually a quite acceptable option for a gentleman. Not very common here in California – far more common in bigger cities in the Deep South. Skeptical? Google it.

I have been to many, many Masses within the City of Los Angeles were people (except for the tourists) dressed quite well.

 

[maggiemay2u]

I actually thought the interior parts of California were quite conservative for the short time I lived down there. It is almost as if the “no socks” thing comes in on the ocean breezes.

My sampling was small, I’ll admit, but it would explain San Francisco vs. Palo Alto.
(But then, maybe a person can’t spend a summer in Fresno without gaining an appreciation of how bad eternal hell fire would be. )

Perhaps Rick attends the primarilly black churches in LA. The attire there is much more reverent and appropriate then that I have seen in Westwood, Santa Monica, Beverley Hills, Covina, Glendora, Claremont, Pasadena, San Pedro, Hollywood or Redondo. It is in these cities I have seen, as I mentioned in an earlier post, EMHC’s dressed in Capri pants, tank tops, flip flops and shorts on both men and women in the congregation. The more affluent the parish, the more lax the dress.

St Eugene’s in LA is a black parish, along with St Brigid and I believe, Immaculate Conception. In those parishes one can glance back into a time when Catholics dressed as if they were to visit the house of the Lord. Black, white, green or purple, the unspoken dress code is the same for all attendees.

It’s lovely.

 

[Rickwood]

Perhaps Rick attends the primarilly black churches in LA. The attire there is much more reverent and appropriate then that I have seen in Westwood, Santa Monica, Beverley Hills, Covina, Glendora, Claremont, Pasadena, San Pedro, Hollywood or Redondo. It is in these cities I have seen, as I mentioned in an earlier post, EMHC’s dressed in Capri pants, tank tops, flip flops and shorts on both men and women in the congregation. The more affluent the parish, the more lax the dress.

St Eugene’s in LA is a black parish, along with St Brigid and I believe, Immaculate Conception. In those parishes one can glance back into a time when Catholics dressed as if they were to visit the house of the Lord. Black, white, green or purple, the unspoken dress code is the same for all attendees.

It’s lovely.

I typically attend Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral when I am in town. People dress well except the tourists. Blacks – be they Catholic or Protestant seem to dress better across the board for Mass than any other ethnic group.

 

[Aramis]

Blacks – be they Catholic or Protestant seem to dress better across the board for Mass than any other ethnic group.

I’ve found that a truism in Alaska, as well. Both in Roman parishes and the Byzantine parish.

 

[Cordelil]

I typically attend Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral when I am in town. People dress well except the tourists. Blacks – be they Catholic or Protestant seem to dress better across the board for Mass than any other ethnic group.

I live in Los Angeles, too, and concur with the observation that blacks dress better than whites in particular whether it be in Protestant or Catholic churches. They set the standard here.

Perhaps, I am old fashioned even though I was a teenager in the 60’s with frequent forays to San Francico during the hippie era. That said I think the attire at many Catholic churches is too casual and in some instances inappropriate and obscene.

Oh, I answered the general question about dress codes since I didn’t know what the initials or acronym EHMC (or was it EMHC?)meant. I have noticed on the Net that this form of idenitfication is pervasive and should be avoided due to many not know what the letters stand for or mean. I know it takes a little more typing but what is important in communication is clarity.

John

 

[EvelynEVF]

It’s Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. This would be why we abbreviate

I know I’ve seen a thread on these forums somewhere with a mind-bogglingly extensive list of acronyms. Shoot, they abbreviated some things I had never even heard of!

 

[blaskoman]

There was an EMHC yesterday during Mass who was wearing a tee-shirt and shorts:shrug:

 

[Cordelil]

There was an EMHC yesterday during Mass who was wearing a tee-shirt and shorts:shrug:

Inappropriate to put it mildly.

John

 

[vocatio]

There was an EMHC yesterday during Mass who was wearing a tee-shirt and shorts:shrug:

I nearly die when I see this at a local Catholic University. Surely there’s a schedule that tells them…dress up a bit. At least wear pants and an acceptable casual shirt. That should be the minimum. But I’m trying not to judge. Maybe they spent their last dime on the expensive Catholic education.

 

[Pilgrim1701]

Wish this thread would put the issue in more perspective. It seems as if people should be more concerned about whether they’re worthy to receive rather than what their EM’s wear.

+1

Like I said on another thread, and would really appreciate an answer,because I’m assuming there is some definite rule being broken here with all the furore:

Ok. We’ve had the "I think"s, " I would make everyone"s, "It should be"s, all the spectrum of personal opinion. Ones opinion of what was good 50 years ago is no more applicable now than it was 500 years ago. How you dress doesn’t really give you the right to tell someone else how to, or vice versa for that matter.
Is there anything difinitive on a ‘dress code’ for lay minsteries, extending this to EMHCs also, say from the GIRM or Canon Law or whatever? Or is it guidance from particular bishops conferences. Or is it just a case of people wanting to tell other people what to wear?
Was trying to see what the ‘official’ case is in Ireland but end up going around in these kind of circles. As I said, already know what some peoples own opinions are, but whats the official stance of the church?

 

[EasterJoy]

The main rule should be that the women should wear sufficiently high necklines so that if she is 5’2" and the communicant is 6’4", he is still not assaulted with a view of her cleavage. I think a lot of women look in the mirror and believe themselves to be covered, but don’t consider that some people looking at them from close range will see them from a much steeper angle.