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

  • Thread starter Thread starter ElToro
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
formerlysure said:
My view on this is like most things regarding manners and decorum - we should hold ourselves to a high standard and hold our children to a high standard. And we should have the class to let it go when others do not share our standard.

I had a dear family friend who was a marathon runner and attended daily mass. He ran to church - attended mass - then ran home, every day. This was his recovery plan spiritually and physically from a life of addiction. I can imagine someone might see him, looking like he just mowed his lawn, and judge him badly for attending mass in his running clotehs. But his faith was pure and real and he was there with the right intentions. I think it was fine.
Click to expand...
I sometimes run to Mass. When I run I wear wear shorts, a t-shirt, a ball cap and jogging shoes. I also have a knapsack with a comb, a piece of paper towel and a pair of clean coveralls in it.

I get to church, wipe my face with the paper towel, take my hat off and put it in the knapsack, take out the coveralls and put them on and comb my hair – possibly 2-3 minutes?

It doesn’t take a lot of effort…

http://www.bestbuyuniforms.com/images/products/Medium/fisher_stripe_coverall_lg.jpg
 
ElToro said:
Spin it any way you want but if you didn’t have a few minutes to wash-up and change clothes then you’re not giving the Mass much importance in your life.
Click to expand...
Is it your suggestion that if I’m running late just to avoid the Mass?

If you’re looking at me, deciding whether I’m dressed appropriately, shouldn’t your focus be on the Mass? Which is more important?

You fail to see my reasoning, or what’s in my heart for that matter, because you depend on your eye to see spiritual things.
 
ConstantineTG said:
I come from a 3rd world country where 60% of the people are below the poverty line (they live on about $2-5 per day) where they don’t always have access to clean running water to wash themselves, and its a tropical country where its 30-degrees celcius or more average daily temperature for 10 out of 12 months and humidity is over 90%. So people sweat a lot. You’ll get used to it.

We are talking about people’s clothing here. You’re taking the conversation off the tracks.
Click to expand...
Why isn’t it OK to smoke during Mass? After all we should not judge others. Maybe they really crave a smoke? At least they are at Mass, right?
 
Prodigal_Son1 said:
Is it your suggestion that if I’m running late just to avoid the Mass?

If you’re looking at me, deciding whether I’m dressed appropriately, shouldn’t your focus be on the Mass? Which is more important?

You fail to see my reasoning, or what’s in my heart for that matter, because you depend on your eye to see spiritual things.
Click to expand...
Please stop trying to put words in my mouth. This is the 3rd or 4th time you have tried.

I’m looking at your silly hypotheticals and wish you were more focused on preparing for the Mass (including what you wear) and not preparing excuses…
 
ElToro said:
Why isn’t it OK to smoke during Mass? After all we should not judge others. Maybe they really crave a smoke? At least they are at Mass, right?
Click to expand...
You’re right! Why isn’t it OK to smoke in an enclosed space full of children, babies, and non-smoking adults?

Not to mention illegal in the UK…
 
LemonAndLime said:
You’re right! Why isn’t it OK to smoke in an enclosed space full of children, babies, and non-smoking adults?

Not to mention illegal in the UK…
Click to expand...
So it was OK to smoke at Mass before it was banned? I am sure some here wouldn’t care if they smoked during Mass. After all “at least they are at Mass”, right?
 
ElToro said:
So it was OK to smoke at Mass before it was banned? I am sure some here wouldn’t care if they smoked during Mass. After all “at least they are at Mass”, right?
Click to expand...
I am sure we will soon be inundated with posts whrere people ask is it okay to have sex during mass, or okay to beat your spouse during mass or okay to chop people up with an ax during mass because is a lot easier to engage in this silliness than to discuss whether we need to berate somebody because they came to Mass in shorts.
 
ElToro said:
Are you against incense too?
Click to expand...
To answer that question I’ll ask you one - when’s the last time you heard of someone dying or becoming ill because of a disease related to incense?
 
ElToro said:
Please stop trying to put words in my mouth. This is the 3rd or 4th time you have tried.

I’m looking at your silly hypotheticals and wish you were more focused on preparing for the Mass (including what you wear) and not preparing excuses…
Click to expand...
Well then simply answer the question. If I were running late and didn’t have time to dress to your satisfaction, should I just not go to Mass that day? It’s a question, your answer comes from your mouth. :rolleyes:

You wish I were more focused on preparing for the Mass and not preparing excuses? How do you know I do not focus on preparing for the Mass? How can you say that? You don’t know me, but are ready to cast a judgment through a forum…
 
estesbob said:
Not as absurd as you might think:

independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/health-risk-of-burning-incense-to-be-investigated-by-irelands-catholic-church-536682.html
Click to expand...
Article from 2003. Also, the concern was raised not by a doctor, or a scientist, but a politician.

However…
Wikipedia:
A survey of risk factors for lung cancer, also conducted in Taiwan, noted an inverse association between incense burning and adenocarcinoma of the lung, though the finding was not deemed significant.[26]

In contrast, a study by several Asian Cancer Research Centers showed: “No association was found between exposure to incense burning and respiratory symptoms like chronic cough, chronic sputum, chronic bronchitis, runny nose, wheezing, asthma, allergic rhinitis, or pneumonia among the three populations studied: i.e. primary school children, their non-smoking mothers, or a group of older non-smoking female controls. Incense burning did not affect lung cancer risk among non-smokers, but it significantly reduced risk among smokers, even after adjusting for lifetime smoking amount.” However, the researchers qualified the findings by noting that incense burning in the studied population was associated with certain low-cancer-risk dietary habits, and concluded that “diet can be a significant confounder of epidemiological studies on air pollution and respiratory health.”[27]
Click to expand...
 
Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church. Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.

Now…I must note that there is much that is cultural that figures into what is clothing that is respectful etc…
and the argument that says “what would you wear to a job interview or to visit the President? …you should do the same for Jesus at Mass” is I think is not a good way to think…not a good argument (though some may choose the same things for Mass)…for we are not talking about such particular events with their particular human protocol…needing to be set aside like its brother “would you do that if Jesus was sitting in the room with you? would you watch that movie?” etc…for there is a great deal of things which are very good and virtuous that I would not be doing if Jesus was sitting with me…I would be listening to him…loving him…looking at him…talking with him…

Now…one need not wear a suit or a tux …I do not wear ties…or jackets usually ever…I did not even wear them for my wedding…I wore a very fine vest made for my by my mother in law to be…and a collarless shirt…(such is me) so I do not mean to say that one must greatly “dress up” in some particular fashion necessarily but one should be dressed reasonable and respectful.

Each person has their own style and culture…but certain places should not be gone…like PJ’s…
 
**Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful should observe the fast required in their Church. Bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.**

I never knew of this passage til recently. I have read the Catechism but not thoroughly. I think that priests need to bring this up more often.

I can give a pass to someone who may come in every once in a while looking disheveled as they may have had a late night at work, were up with a sick child or spouse or parent, etc. Those people deserve our prayers and help.

But I don’t give the pass mentally to those who openly admit they just rather show up looking like they are ready to work in the yard, play sports, and/or go swimming after Mass as examples. They can make the effort but do not wish to do so.

I do not ask that people show up wearing nice/expensive clothes that are often in newspaper ads or magazines. I am sure if you came to Mass in a conservative outfit even if it was your only Sunday outfit you owned because you cannot afford anything better, its okay as you have made a genuine effort.

I make sure that most of my clothes are suitable for both Mass (for God) and the business casual office place (my managers I work for) I work in. I do own some more dressy outfits for special occasions and the like. None of them are overly expensive pieces that are in my closet to be worn for Mass and work but they are modest and appropriate.
 
Maybe this sounds strange, but I personally like it when people come to Mass in their “working clothes,” whether those are scrubs, coveralls, soccer uniform, or whatever.

It helps me to think of these people as individuals, with lives and interests. If everyone just dresses up, I see a huge group of non-entities.

We live in a city where a lot of national soccer tourneys are held throughout the season. Our parish is right in the middle of many of the soccer fields, and we almost always have several families at our Masses, often wearing soccer gear, including the kneepads. It is obvious from their sweaty appearance and red faces that they have literally run off the field, jumped into their car, and driven like crazy to make it to Mass. I say, “GOOD FOR THEM!”

I know some of you would say that they shouldn’t be playing soccer at all if it makes them have to wear soccer uniforms to Mass. Well, I don’t know how to answer that. I think it demonstrates a rigidity that is not required by Holy Mother Church.

Have any of you who are critical of the “come as you are” crowd actually spoken to anyone, ever, after Mass, about their dress? I’m curious to know how your admonition was received? Were they grateful?

Or have any of you ever spoken to Father about dress after Mass? What did he say? Did it make a difference?
 
ElToro said:
Spin it any way you want but if you didn’t have a few minutes to wash-up and change clothes then you’re not giving the Mass much importance in your life.
Click to expand...
No, this is not true. This is an opinion and as such we can use our own opinions as a measure by which we judge others. This evening I will not have time to wash-up or change clothes before Mass, yet I consider Mass to be the summit of my faith. Therefore, your statement is false based on the only real data I have.
 
ConstantineTG said:
In one of the two EF Masses I attended in my entire life, one woman was in her jogging attire. I didn’t see the priest or anyone make any fuss about it nor was she spoken to by the priest after Mass. It was an FSSP parish.
Click to expand...
I see people inappropriately attired at traditional Masses all the time. What I never see is someone coming to Mass inappropriately attired week after week. By their third or fourth time in attendance, their attire is appropriate. I have no problem with this.
 
estesbob said:
I am sure we will soon be inundated with posts whrere people ask is it okay to have sex during mass, or okay to beat your spouse during mass or okay to chop people up with an ax during mass because is a lot easier to engage in this silliness than to discuss whether we need to berate somebody because they came to Mass in shorts.
Click to expand...
Good for you. The ego-driven judgementalism and self-righteousness in this thread is outrageous, and completely un-Christian. Literally.

As Cat (Hi, Cat, I’m another “Cat”!) stated so beautifully, we are all on the road to God. The important thing is that we come to Him–as we are, wherever we are. These dress police are self-appointed Pharisees, and deserve the same scorn Jesus gave them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top