The Protestants sure beat the tar out of us on this

[Isidore_AK]

I have to disagree with Dum on this one. While I do not like to see immodesty at Mass, some of us just don’t have the clothing required to dress as you would suggest.

I, for instance, do not own a suit. The closest I come is a dress shirt and tie worn with blue jeans. I will wear my best pair, but I don’t even own slacks.

Many people dress the best they can. I wear whatever I have thats clean & in good repair. I can’t afford to have a set of ‘Church’ clothes.

FYI> If you invite me to a wedding, I’ll be wearing a T-Shirt & Blue Jeans, sorry if that offends anyone.

 

[Greyhawk]

Oy, please don’t judge Protestants or Protestantism by what you see on those networks

I dont, sorry if that was implied. I tried to caution my thought beforehand:

You know,** I’m really tempted **to say Protestants have to make up for what they’re missing with fancy clothes, music, etc.

And I thought I made it clear at the end:

I’m sure there are some who genuinely dress to show their respect for the Lord

Sorry for any confusion. It was not to bash Protestant dress code, just a thought that I had concerning their attire on the networks.

Dei gratia,
Greyhawk

 

[TNT]

snowman10:

I’d rather have the fullness of truth than some Armani suit anyday, thank you very much!

DU

Either/OR is a Protestant legacy of argumentation.
I get suits from 89.00 to 250.00/ from discount outlets.
After all, how many suits does a man need, maybe 3 or 4 if he only uses them for formal occasions and Mass. They last for decades if the moths don’t find them.

Part of the fullness of truth is proper attire in the presence His Majesty. I believe that is why a priest dresses the way he does for Mass…weekday or Sunday.

It seems a little unbelieveable that all the TLM attendees can find a suit in their budget (many with 5+ kids), but NOM average Joe, just has no $ left when it comes to “Church” clothes… even when he’s single.

 

[djrakowski]

Greyhawk:

Sorry for any confusion. It was not to bash Protestant dress code, just a thought that I had concerning their attire on the networks.

Sorry for my misunderstanding, too… most evangelicals (at least, in the types of churches I’ve attended) would probably share your opinion of the TBN fakes. I’m also interested to note that in both Catholic and evangelical churches, there’s a problem with immodesty. Basically, what affects the rest of the culture will also affect our churches, sad to say.

 

[ElizaE]

As a medical student, I don’t always have time to dress up in a dress for church. I will wear clean jeans and a blouse and if I have a T-shirt, I will put on a coat over it to hide it. With tests on Monday, I figure the most important thing is for me to get to church on time and get my husband there as well.

However, I would rather see people in a pair of jeans rather than in a skirt so short that you can almost see someone’s underwear and 3 inch stilleto heals on a 16 year old. The church I attend, seems to have a large amount of young women that look like they could not make it home from the club to change for Sunday Mass. But, on the positive side, they are there every Sunday, tight pants and all.

 

[dirtydog]

What is all this talk of reverence shown through clothing? There is nothing inherently less “reverential” in a pair of jeans than in a “nice” suit. Last time I checked, beauty was in the eye of the beholder, and I never noticed Christ mentioning in Scripture anything about how good X disciple looked compared to disciple Y. I can certainly agree with those of you who have trouble with some of the revealing clothing, but beyond that, I don’t care. If you bother to put on something clean and don’t stink up the place, that’s all I ask. To me, true reverence is shown through your actions - being quite before Mass, genuflecting, bowing when you’re supposed to, kneeling even if you don’t have kneelers, kneeling while waiting for your turn to receive the Eucharist, actually participating in the Mass instead of just showing up to 'do your time for the week." I’ve seen far too many wealthy and “well” dressed folks who don’t show reverence at all as I define it and just as many “underdressed” college kids who showed it very much so.

 

[DavidFilmer]

I will admit to being conflicted about this. It seems that one ought to dress - at least - “above average” for Mass.

But, isn’t the Mass prefigured by the Passover? And didn’t the Lord command the Jews to wear their “traveling clothes” for this particular feast?

 

[Huiou_Theou]

DavidFilmer:

I will admit to being conflicted about this. It seems that one ought to dress - at least - “above average” for Mass.

But, isn’t the Mass prefigured by the Passover? And didn’t the Lord command the Jews to wear their “traveling clothes” for this particular feast?

Yes he did, for they were to relive the Exodus experience. Joshua (Jesus) would ultimately lead them into the promised land.
They were looking forward to entering heaven, symolically by entering the promised land.
Jesus leads us into the true promised land, heaven.
The travelling clothes today is the baptismal Garment – pure white and spotless. I don’t know that Jeans are meant since these words are not a figure a actual clothes anymore for Joshua has been relplaced by Jesus who is the way and the life and heaven.

 

[TheGarg]

dumspirospero:

Is dressing appropriately for Mass a thing of the past? I go to two Churches…one of them is the Parish Cathedral and the other is St. Agnes where I go to enjoy the TLM. At the Cathedral, I see people dressed better than at any of the other parishes in my diocese, except for St. Agnes…however, I would say only 10% of them dress reverently at The Cathedral. I could be wrong, but in my opinion, I consider dressing reverently to be the following: Men–1)suit or some close variation such as a dress shirt, tie, and slacks. Women–A nice, but modest dress (mantilla’s optional).

At St. Agnes, I would venture to say that probably 90-95% of the people dress reverently…but that is one parish out of I don’t know how many…which is very sad…What is happening to us people??? Why do we not pay God the proper respect and dress appropriately anymore??? People stare at me when I go to Mass at other parishes and I am wearing a suit…like I am doing something wrong. Outside of St. Agnes, I see people wearing rock n roll shirts, shorts, very short dresses, very tight clothes, t-shirts, wallets with chains, disgusting piercings, etc…It really disgusts me.

Now on the other hand, I own a restraunt, so I get to see a large array of protestants come in and eat on Sunday evening and on Wednesday evenings…They are all dressed impeccably. The guys are all wearing suits or some type of dress shirt with slacks and the women are all dressed modestly in dresses or some other modest attire. I hate to say it, but this is one category where protestants are kicking our butts.

At protestant churches i have seen the top of a girls T-bar sticking out of the back of her pants, not really covering the top of her A$$-crack…

I have NEVER seen anything like that at ANY cahtolic mass i have EVER attended…i wouldn’t worry to much.

MHO

 

[STIOFAN]

Well Mass isn’t a fancy dress parade, as long as were respectable and the ladies aren’t scantly clad, (hot pants) etc; then I’m sure it’s what’s in our hearts that count.

Although I don’t like wearing jeans if I can help it, sometimes in a hurry I’ll put them on, but I suppose we have to put our own house in order before others.

Well at a local Baptist church I see all kinds of fashion going through that door, some of those ladies hats are so big, they would need planning permission to wear them.

And we believe Jesus remains with us night and day in the Tabernacle, and thats more important to me than worrying if my tie matches my socks.

 

[wcknight]

I wear a jacket and tie, but mainly because I usher. I think wearing casual clothing is fine. It is kinda cute to see the little kids get all dressed up.

Shorts or sandals may be too casual but even then, if the weather is really hot and oppressive as it sometimes gets in the DC area I don’t see a problem with this either.

What is not appropriate is something provocative. Swimwear would be way out of line (unless are having mass on a beach), and revealing halters or plunging neckline dresses would be immodest.

Some folks look like they are going to nightclub. Normally I don’t like to wear a tie or jacket. I don’t wear these to work so I don’t own many suits or jackets. If I’m not ushering, I would wear casual trousers and sport shirt, comfortable shoes (sometimes even sneakers :bigyikes: ).

Jesus says don’t worry about how you dress, the birds in the sky are dressed finer that most anything else. That is not to say you should come to mass au naturale :whacky:

 

[cecelia]

We should dress up for Mass regardless of our income level because we’re showing our best for God. Dressing up in “Our Sunday Best” doesn’t have to be expensive and all of us regardless of income level have our Sunday best. To say that poor people don’t have the money to dress is a little patronizing because it doesn’t recognize the pride of that person. A poor person may not have money for a Ralph Lauren outfit, but that person can give God his best. The cost of the clothes is not the issue, it’s the best that we give God. Many come to Mass in shorts or blue jeans. Is that the best they can give God? For the cost of those jeans or the cost of those shorts, one can buy a comparable outfit which would show God the proper respect. To say that a person’s intent should not be inferred from his clothes, also suggests that that person does not have the ability to discern that he should give God his best. Of course he does. He should know this. The lack of our best dress whatever that dress may be shows a casualness towards God, which is all too prevalent in this secular age. If we’re entering the house of God, shouldn’t we do so reverently in manner and dress? If our Sunday best is a modest cotton dress, than so be it. If our Sunday best is a silk suit, then so be it. If our Sunday best is pair of cotton pants and shirt,then so be it. But we have to give to God our first fruits, and our casualness towards Him at Mass is not doing so. Instead, it shows that we’re treating God like an afterthought.

 

[waffler]

as a protestant i can say yes we are better dressed, but perhaps that is because we are lacking in the fullness of the service/mass, no real presence at communion etc, ok to abort, stop looking your shoulder at us and just concentrate on the fullness of the mass that we don’t have, i am trying to get to grips with catholiscism hoping to convert someday, i’m sure god would rather we honoured him in jeans than not honour him at all

 

[dlloyd]

While it’s a bit rambling (at least in the translation I have), 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 is pretty clear on the question of modesty in worship. However, expecting people to wear a suit is a bit much, I feel. No doubt I’d be considered a bit scruffy by most but I wouldn’t have expected Christians to disapprove of me attending their church… it kind of goes against the message in James 2:1-4, at least as I understand it. Perhaps I read it incorrectly?