Summer attire at Mass

[irishpatrick]

Have you ever checked out Goodwill, savers, or other thrift stores? I try to dress to the nines every Sunday, and everything I wear costed less than $20 total.

It has little to do with not being able to wear better clothing–it is a personal choice to dress down in many situations, including Mass. The fact is most people on this board are paying fees for internet access, or at least someone around them likely is doing so…

 

[irishpatrick]

Is it even more than about the clothes your neighbor is wearing? Not at CAF!

The more you speak of is God!

 

[irishpatrick]

I am guessing (correct me if I am wrong), that all of the people who think clothing does not matter, would feel the same way if:

• Catholic school kids no longer wore uniforms
• Nuns stopped wearing habits (ooops, that has largely happened).
• Deacons, Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and the Pope walked around in cutoff shorts while saying Mass.
• And if people came to graduations, baptisms, confirmations, formal dinners, dressed in cutoff shorts and dirty tank tops.

I also suspect you would feel that sports teams should not have to wear uniforms, or police and firemen should wear whatever they want, etc.

After all, what we wear doesn’t mean a thing.

If, however, you think maintaining proper clothing for those things is important, than please re-think your position regarding Mass–please.

 

[Rejoice_Always]

I am guessing (correct me if I am wrong), that all of the people who think clothing does not matter, would feel the same if Catholic school kids no longer wore uniforms, or if Nuns stopped wearing habits (ooops, that has largely happened), or if Deacons, Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and the Pope walked around in cutoff shorts while saying Mass, and if people came to graduations, baptisms, confirmations, formal dinners, dressed in cutoff shorts and dirty tank tops.

I also suspect you would feel that sports teams should not have to wear uniforms, or police and firemen should wear whatever they want, etc.

After all, what we wear doesn’t mean a thing.

You know what they say about when you assume?

 

[irishpatrick]

You know what they say about when you assume?

Well, if people think those clothing rituals should remain, then they are saying they will honor people at higher level than they will honor God.

 

[MissRose73]

I am guessing (correct me if I am wrong), that all of the people who think clothing does not matter, would feel the same way if:

• Catholic school kids no longer wore uniforms
• Nuns stopped wearing habits (ooops, that has largely happened).
• Deacons, Priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and the Pope walked around in cutoff shorts while saying Mass.
• And if people came to graduations, baptisms, confirmations, formal dinners, dressed in cutoff shorts and dirty tank tops.

I also suspect you would feel that sports teams should not have to wear uniforms, or police and firemen should wear whatever they want, etc.

After all, what we wear doesn’t mean a thing.

If, however, you think maintaining proper clothing for those things is important, than please re-think your position regarding Mass–please.

I was lucky enough to be raised and also influenced by people that made sure I was aware of what to wear for certain occasions and places. At least I’ve made sure as an adult, that a good part of my wardrobe I would not be ashamed to wear to Holy Mass and/or to the office to work. I do own some casual and athletic wear but I would not wear those items to Mass. I do own things more appropriate for the beach, pool, club and/or pub that are modest yet fit those locations only. By dressing a certain way for the location and the occasion, I am showing respect for myself, the location and the occasion.

 

[irishpatrick]

I was lucky enough to be raised and also influenced by people that made sure I was aware of what to wear for certain occasions and places. At least I’ve made sure as an adult, that a good part of my wardrobe I would not be ashamed to wear to Holy Mass and/or to the office to work. I do own some casual and athletic wear but I would not wear those items to Mass. I do own things more appropriate for the beach, pool, club and/or pub that are modest yet fit those locations only. By dressing a certain way for the location and the occasion, I am showing respect for myself, the location and the occasion.

Yes, well said. And, you are showing respect for the people around you–which seems lost today.

 

[Rejoice_Always]

Well, if people think those clothing rituals should remain, then they are saying they will honor people at higher level than they will honor God.

My money is on you winning this internet debate! Or at least battling till there’s a draw (locked thread). I admire your sartorial stick-to-it-iveness, soldier! :tiphat:

 

[Rejoice_Always]

I was lucky enough to be raised and also influenced by people that made sure I was aware of what to wear for certain occasions and places. At least I’ve made sure as an adult, that a good part of my wardrobe I would not be ashamed to wear to Holy Mass and/or to the office to work. I do own some casual and athletic wear but I would not wear those items to Mass. I do own things more appropriate for the beach, pool, club and/or pub that are modest yet fit those locations only. By dressing a certain way for the location and the occasion, I am showing respect for myself, the location and the occasion.

[x] CAF Approved
] Not CAF Approved

 

[irishpatrick]

My money is on you winning this internet debate! Or at least battling till there’s a draw (locked thread). I admire your sartorial stick-to-it-iveness, soldier! :tiphat:

LOL, thank you. Though, honestly, I am not trying to win anything. I am just confused how this can even be a debate. Seems like basic stuff to me.

Our culture desperately needs to bring back reverence, with the state and disposition of our hearts meaning the most (obviously). The world ooozes disrespect for nearly everything.

 

[Rejoice_Always]

LOL, thank you. Though, honestly, I am not trying to win anything. I am just confused how this can even be a debate. Seems like basic stuff to me.

True enough, but season after season of these clothing threads shows that basic stuff isn’t so basic!

 

[irishpatrick]

True enough, but season after season of these clothing threads shows that basic stuff isn’t so basic!

Well, imo, it is quite basic, yet people want to do things their own way, so it becomes larger than the basic issue it should be. People also want comfort, so wearing very casual clothing fits their desires.

I really don’t believe there is a person on this thread that would not try to dress well for a private audience with the Pope, but they will fight like crazy to wear their cutoff shorts and tank top to Mass where they receive Jesus, God over all!

 

[johnnyjones]

You just proved my point… I don’t think a short sleeve blouse is immodest…even a sleeveless blouse in my mind isn’t as long as it covers the bra and all necessary areas…I never wear them because I can’t find any that cover the bra under my arm…

But seriously just because it doesn’t reach my elbow it’s immodest?

See…everyone has a different idea…

No, I’m not writting about going all the way to the elbow. I was creating a standard, like the Vatican does (for a reason). The Vatican sign has some amount of coverage on the womens arms. That is why I brought up “some amount of coverage” on the arm, not because it will turn someone on.

 

[Mary_Fleurdelis]

It has nothing to do with judging holiness–it is just common decency and respect to dress at least reasonably. When we go to Mass, we are going to be with the Lord–I cannot imagine people not getting at least reasonbly dressed to see the Pope privately.

Well, for you and me, perhaps. (In fact, why do we dress up so much for our First Communion? Should we dress up like that for every Mass? ) However, some people don’t dress up or don’t own dress clothes, so it’s hardly fair to say every casually dressed person is not making an effort.

Perhaps everyone should dress as if they are going out to a nice family meal. Because…well…they are. For some, this would be dressier than others. I still say casual is preferable to tight dresses, mostly because as a young woman, I find it very difficult to find halfway modest dress clothes.

The majority don’t believe Christ is truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. If God isn’t there, why bother.

Where are you getting that? Because that’s awful if it’s true. At the last FOCUS conference I went to, it said out of the 80 million Catholics in the US, only 60 million believed in the true presence. (And then it goes waaay down for weekly Mass attendance.)

 

[bmadamsberry]

Well, for you and me, perhaps. (In fact, why do we dress up so much for our First Communion? Should we dress up like that for every Mass? ) However, some people don’t dress up or don’t own dress clothes, so it’s hardly fair to say every casually dressed person is not making an effort.

Perhaps everyone should dress as if they are going out to a nice family meal. Because…well…they are. For some, this would be dressier than others. I still say casual is preferable to tight dresses, mostly because as a young woman, I find it very difficult to find halfway modest dress clothes.

Here’s the issue with saying things like “how would you dress to see the President” or “how would you dress to see the Pope.” Both of these people are humans. G-d is more than all of that.

How did Adam and Eve dress before the L-rd? They were created naked, and only resorted to clothes when they sinned. If G-d was coming over to my house, I don’t know how I would dress, mainly because nothing I could ever wear is worthy enough. There is no clothing that even nears “appropriate” if G-d was coming over to my house.

 

[irishpatrick]

Well, for you and me, perhaps. (In fact, why do we dress up so much for our First Communion? Should we dress up like that for every Mass? ) However, some people don’t dress up or don’t own dress clothes, so it’s hardly fair to say every casually dressed person is not making an effort.

Perhaps everyone should dress as if they are going out to a nice family meal. Because…well…they are. For some, this would be dressier than others. I still say casual is preferable to tight dresses, mostly because as a young woman, I find it very difficult to find halfway modest dress clothes.

Where are you getting that? Because that’s awful if it’s true. At the last FOCUS conference I went to, it said out of the 80 million Catholics in the US, only 60 million believed in the true presence. (And then it goes waaay down for weekly Mass attendance.)

My points are general in nature–there are always exceptions.

Your First Communion point helps to make my point. We dress very well to First Communion as a way to show the young Communicant that it is a truly special day–one of the most amazing days of their lives actually. So, you see my point, how we dress does matter–in those cases we are showing the Communicant how important we view Communion.

Likewise, we owe a debt to those around during Mass. We should be honoring God, and those around us.

It has to be quite confusing for some Communicants to see people in suits and dresses one day, than a week later the same people are in shorts and a tank. Same Church, same Jesus in the Eucharist, same people–but the dress is much less and that simply tells our young that we do not care as much about Mass, as we do about them.

 

[johnnyjones]

I hear a lot of “people want this, and people want that.” Yes, especially for women clothes can be cumbersome but is this our greatest problem when worshipping the Lord ONE HOUR a Sunday? People, what have we come to?

As I early on first suggested, follow at mimimum what the Vatican does since there is no official document on proper attire at mass that I’m aware of. Some things NEVER go out of style, and reverence is one of them.

 

[irishpatrick]

Here’s the issue with saying things like “how would you dress to see the President” or “how would you dress to see the Pope.” Both of these people are humans. G-d is more than all of that.

How did Adam and Eve dress before the L-rd? They were created naked, and only resorted to clothes when they sinned. If G-d was coming over to my house, I don’t know how I would dress, mainly because nothing I could ever wear is worthy enough. There is no clothing that even nears “appropriate” if G-d was coming over to my house.

I have said this before, we do not dress ONLY for the Lord. We Christians do hold a debt to those around us–we are supposed to be a visible example of our Christianity. By dressing down, we are giving the implication (whether true or not) that we do not take Mass as seriously as do other activities. God reads our hearts, yet those around us cannot do that, so they will discern our dispositions by how we act and how we dress (perhaps they shouldn’t, but that is human nature). If we dress for the beach, we are making an external statement that the Mass does not mean much to us (even if our internal disposition is the opposite).

 

[irishpatrick]

I hear a lot of “people want this, and people want that.” Yes, especially for women clothes can be cumbersome but is this our greatest problem when worshipping the Lord ONE HOUR a Sunday? People, what have we come to?

As I early on first suggested, follow at mimimum what the Vatican does since there is no official document on proper attire at mass that I’m aware of. Some things NEVER go out of style, and reverence is one of them.

But, reverence that can be seen has gone out of style–as proved by this thread.

 

[Mary_Fleurdelis]

It has to be quite confusing for some Communicants to see people in suits and dresses one day, than a week later the same people are in shorts and a tank. Same Church, same Jesus in the Eucharist, same people–but the dress is much less and that simply tells our young that we do not care as much about Mass, as we do about them.

Very good points. I always wondered about that.