The picking-up some Pampers or a gallon of milk Mass?

[ElToro]

I think one of the biggest reasons that so many Catholic Masses are in the shape they are today is because of the apathy shown by quite a few on this thread.

Let the other guy deal with it.

At least they are at Mass.

There was no time.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

I’ve told about my wife and I attending Mass after work, what I haven’t mentioned is sometimes I talk my ‘partner’ into letting me attend Mass while working. (So far they’ve all opted to wait in the ambulance, but one called trying to get me to come in one Sunday and said he’d go in with me if I did. ) My wife has taken her ‘lunch’ break early to attend Mass on Sunday morning, if we missed the Saturday vigil.

When I’m working, I tell the priest beforehand that I will be sitting close to the door with my radio down as low as it will go, ready to turn it down if the alarms sounds, and will have to leave if called. I also have all the medical gear I carry on my body with me. I’ve had two priests say it was fine and they understood. Luckily I’ve only had to respond once while attending Mass, and it was when the priest said, ‘The Mass ended, go in peace.’

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Let the other guy deal with it.

As long as the other guy is Christ, how can we go wrong? I don’t know of anywhere He asked anyone to ‘defend’ Him. He could ask the Father for 12 legions of angels if He needed to.

 

[ElToro]

You may not make comments about the dress of others at Mass, but it is obvious that you have mulled over this issue and stewed over it in your mind, and allowed it to fester and your soul to become twisted.

Now you are saying my soul is “twisted?” What a horribly ugly and nasty accusation to make.

You obviously harbor unpleasant thoughts about others at Mass who are not up to your personal code.

What makes you say that? Because I lament outside of Mass just how piggish some people behave and/or dress?

Yes, the Catechism makes a comment (just ONE comment) about dress at Mass which is quoted over and over again in this thread, so you are correct to point out that the Church does have something to say about dress at Mass.

It’s wonderful that someone brought that to our attention.

But the comment is very general, not specific. There is plenty of room in that comment for people to dress in casual attire or in work attire. The Catechism doesn’t “forbid” any kind of attire other than those outfits that are immodest.

Sorry. That guy was not getting inside church without removing, covering or inside-outing that horrid Deicide shirt. Get over that already. It just wasn’t going to happen. The fact that it does happen in some parishes is an abomination.

You don’t seem to recognize the harshness and rigidity of your stance on this issue. That’s what concerns me and others–you are hurting yourself and your soul by taking such a harsh stand and mulling over it.

Have you considered the status of your own soul when you judge others to be “twisted?” Have you considered the harshness and rigidity of your judgement of me or is it meant to be a parody?

This is the kind of burden that you should release.

Yes and one way to do that is by discussing it with others. Not people who judge others to be “twisted” but others than can comiserate and offer constructive (name removed by moderator)ut other than "at least they are at Mass.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide people in their choice of dress at Mass, and then forget about it. The Holy Spirit will prompt the priest, His ordained servant, to speak up if dress at Mass becomes an issue that offends the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and impedes the spiritual growth of the congregation. We are not the priests, and we shouldn’t be trying to be “Father” to others.

What makes you think I don’t already do both? It was my duty to deal with that guy in the horrid t-shirt if that’s what you’re talking about. Your comment “The Holy Spirit will prompt the priest” sounds absolutely wonderful but it’s malarkey to think that prayer alone is going to clean-up parish churches.

Let the Holy Spirit do this work of convicting fellow Christians about dress. This is a trivial issue (only one paragraph in the Catechism), and there is so much genuine work to do in the Church and so little time. Why waste your mind and soul on this issue? Find another task to occupy your mind and your soul.

You’re terribly wrong. It’s not a trivial issue. MILLIONS have left the Church over the past several decades. I think this is in large part about how cavalierely the Mass is outwardly taken by so many. Does attire play a part in that? Yes it does.

Trivial issue? No way.

 

[pnewton]

There is a dress code for the Pope’s Masses at his catedral and at St. Pete’s no matter how you try to spin it.

No spin. I think you have me confused. I was not trying to apply this to any other situation. That was you. I just do not believe your particular spin because the Catholic Church does not teach that, nor does she operate that way. The Church does the opposite and allow decisions like dress to be made by those who are proximate to the parish and diocese to make decisions that are discretionary.

I find it interesting how people struggle here to sell the notion that one cannot object to obnoxious surroundings and worship God at the same time. That’s absurd.

Who is more obnoxious, the one who dresses below one’s standard or the one who verbally criticizes the one who dresses below their personal standard? It is a matter of perspective. We can only judge ourselves, not others.

I think one of the biggest reasons that so many Catholic Masses are in the shape they are today is because of the apathy shown by quite a few on this thread.

Disagreeing with your opinion is not an indication of apathy. Our opinions should never be so dear to us that we use them to judge the spiritual state of others. Perhaps this is the root problem that many of us have. Likewise, my opinion is not valid enough to judge you by. You do not know me or my situation, so I understand that you may not be able to understand how I can go straight to Mass without changing clothes and getting cleaned up.

 

[estesbob]

There is a dress code for the Pope’s Masses at his catedral and at St. Pete’s no matter how you try to spin it.

You Mean like this one?

View attachment 11102

 

[heathernoel]

I mean what I say. If I were to know that the way I dress is of huge concern to not one, but some, people who represent the Catholic church, I might not have ever tried the church. Absolutely.

For a while, I had nothing better to go to church in than a pair of jeans and a black shirt. My best shoes were flip flops because I could get them cheap.

I’m the kind of person talked about on the board. By all means, I’d have been sneered at in God’s house by those whom I would admire because they know so much about it.

 

[MissRose73]

I will not judge you harshly since you say that is the only nice thing you had for Mass.

Sometimes, it comes down to the fact if the clothes are clean, neat and modest which I presume your clothing in your post was. Yes, some people cannot afford 1 nice shirt and a pair of pants/slacks/trousers with a decent pair of shoes for Mass. Most can, and should take the effort to look decent and modest even on a budget.

Yes, I do have a good job but I do buy most of my clothes for work, Mass etc from thrift stores, consignment shops and even the clearance racks of various stores. No one knows any better and most do not even ask me.

BTW, congratulations on your Confirmation.

I mean what I say. If I were to know that the way I dress is of huge concern to not one, but some, people who represent the Catholic church, I might not have ever tried the church. Absolutely.

For a while, I had nothing better to go to church in than a pair of jeans and a black shirt. My best shoes were flip flops because I could get them cheap.

I’m the kind of person talked about on the board. By all means, I’d have been sneered at in God’s house by those whom I would admire because they know so much about it.