Wearing workout clothes to weekday mass?

[DebChris]

I see. I was not aware that it was ever taught in the Catholic church not to wear pants. I imagine pants were not always popular with women, but I cannot imagine a rule about them.

So your parish does not allow women to wear pants? Would a woman be turned away from worshipping or receving the sacraments if she wore pants at your parish?

There was a time when a woman did not go anywhere unless she was wearing a skirt, hat, and white gloves. But that time ended with the 1960s. Girls have been allowed to wear slacks to school since the 1970s. It is now acceptable for women to wear nice pantsuits to job interviews.
What is frowned on when it comes to worship is immodest wear. The only thing I have heard mentioned from the pulpit regarding dress has to do with making sure that skirts do not have overly revealing slits. My daughter’s parochial school had a dress code that required blouses cover shoulders.
My parish does have a dress code when it comes to wedding gowns. No bare backs . Shoulders and knees covered, etc.

 

[pianistclare]

:clapping:

This may be a little sidetracked but this thread reminded me of the barefoot bum that I spotted across the street from the church and standing at the coffee drive through. At second glance, I recognized him as Fr. John, our visiting priest, a discalced Carmelite who was wearing his brown clerical garb and I think he may have been wearing sandles.
To the OP, you seem like a sensible person who knows to dress properly for Church. And we know that people go to daily Mass dressed in their work clothes and those work clothes are not always dress clothes. I think this is one of those times when you have to ask yourself, what is the better thing to do- go to Mass or don’t go at all. I would say that as long as your workout clothes are decent then stay for Mass. My opinion.

:clapping:

 

[TimothyH]

And if there is no bathroom in which to change, would you recommend that the OP skip the daily Mass?

A Church without a bathroom?

Really?

-Tim-

 

[Mike30]

I’m sad to hear that you believe this. My family and I always dress nicely for Sunday Mass, as do most people in my (non-FSSP) parish.

I have no doubt that you as well as others do just that. But, I have been to Mass at probably fifty or so Parishes in the past three years and trust me. You and maybe your whole parish is most definitely in the minority nationwide.

Ps. I’m sorry that I believe it too. Bit when you see it repeatedly with your own eyes all across the country< well that really cannot be denied.

By the way, I notice that you say you are Byzantine. Do you attend the Roman Rite as well?

 

[babochka]

I have no doubt that you as well as others do just that. But, I have been to Mass at probably fifty or so Parishes in the past three years and trust me. You and maybe your whole parish is most definitely in the minority nationwide.

Ps. I’m sorry that I believe it too. Bit when you see it repeatedly with your own eyes all across the country< well that really cannot be denied.

By the way, I notice that you say you are Byzantine. Do you attend the Roman Rite as well?

I attend daily Mass at a Latin-rite parish, but we usually go to Divine Liturgy at the Byzantine parish. It is quite a trek to get there, though, so sometimes we go to Mass locally.

 

[babochka]

Bit when you see it repeatedly with your own eyes all across the country< well that really cannot be denied.

Maybe I just don’t notice it, as I’m usually too busy trying to wrangle my kids to pay attention to what others are wearing. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure I’d notice if someone came to church in a sports bra.

 

[VivienneJ]

If you are female you shouldn’t wear pants of any type to church unless your church allows that. I was born and raised Roman Catholic and the women are not allowed to wear pants to Mass and we have to have our heads covered. Not sure if this is the case at your church. I would wear the proper clothes just out of respect.

That’s just how I was raised. Your church may be different. They have changed a lot in the Catholic church, but we go by the old way.

The above may be the norm in your church (as we have no idea where in the world you are there is no geographical context to your reply). I have been to Sunday Mass in three different countries in the world (The Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa) where devout Catholic women are wearing pants and have uncovered heads but are in very proper clothes.

However the OP was asking about weekday Mass, that is a little different as many (most?) attendees are likely to be on their way to work, or on their way home from work.

 

[turtle18]

The Mass you go to on weekdays is the same Mass you go to on Sundays. Workout clothes are not good because they can be either too sloppy and/or too tight/immodest.

Bring a change of clothes and sacrifice five minutes off your workout time. You will be greatly rewarded. There is nothing better you can do with your time than go to Mass so if you are going to give up something here, just cut down on your workout time a bit.

 

[johnmann]

I can’t do anything after working out except take a shower. If I went to Mass, all I’d be thinking about was taking a shower. I might go to Mass before working out.

Personally, I think a more relaxed dress code is acceptable for daily Mass. It should be modest if you’re going to make a habit of it. Otherwise, I’d stay in the back and not receive Communion so as to not be a distraction.

On Sundays, you should be scheduling your work out around Mass, not the other way around.

 

[DebChris]

I am no longer allowed to run. However when I did run, it was easy for me to sing praises to God, to think about a song related to God’s creation. It was easy for me to realize how small I was in regard to God’s vast creation. Other people even manage to pray the rosary while running. We are called to worship with our bodies, and not just our mind. Attending Mass after a workout can be actually be a culmination of spiritual beginning to a day’s beginning.
When it comes to daily Mass, come as you are. If you are in shorts, naturally you are not in a position to lector or act as EMCH, but that does not mean you cannot continue to praise God. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Faith. Don’t be afraid to receive simply because your attire does not meet somebody else’s code.
Obviously, when it comes to workout clothes, we are talking about wearing a T-shirt and modest shorts, or leggings. As long as your attire is modest, don’t sweat the small stuff. If necessary, you can use your T-shirt or paper towel from the bathroom to wipe off any sweat from your face, and wash your hands allowing you to receive communion.
Any questions, talk to your parish priest. Odds are he would be happy to see you at Mass before or after a workout.

 

[zab]

I am no longer allowed to run. However when I did run, it was easy for me to sing praises to God, to think about a song related to God’s creation. It was easy for me to realize how small I was in regard to God’s vast creation. Other people even manage to pray the rosary while running. We are called to worship with our bodies, and not just our mind. Attending Mass after a workout can be actually be a culmination of spiritual beginning to a day’s beginning.
When it comes to daily Mass, come as you are. If you are in shorts, naturally you are not in a position to lector or act as EMCH, but that does not mean you cannot continue to praise God. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Faith. Don’t be afraid to receive simply because your attire does not meet somebody else’s code.
Obviously, when it comes to workout clothes, we are talking about wearing a T-shirt and modest shorts, or leggings. As long as your attire is modest, don’t sweat the small stuff. If necessary, you can use your T-shirt or paper towel from the bathroom to wipe off any sweat from your face, and wash your hands allowing you to receive communion.
Any questions, talk to your parish priest. Odds are he would be happy to see you at Mass before or after a workout.

When we were on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, our priests carried scrubs with them to put over their shorts when entering churches. The scrubs were easy to pack and served the purpose of covering their legs. I think this is a good solution.

 

[pianistclare]

I can’t do anything after working out except take a shower. If I went to Mass, all I’d be thinking about was taking a shower. I might go to Mass before working out.

Personally, I think a more relaxed dress code is acceptable for daily Mass. It should be modest if you’re going to make a habit of it.** Otherwise, I’d stay in the back and not receive Communion so as to not be a distraction.**
On Sundays, you should be scheduling your work out around Mass, not the other way around.

If I thought a person was staying away from Christ in the Eucharist because they were afraid to offend ME???

I’d probably cry.

I’m not there to pick apart what you’re wearing. Generally I have my head bowed in prayer. I can’t worry about other people’s situations or motives. Wear your sweats and praise God for your health and the gift of the Mass.

 

[oldcatholicguy]

For some reason this whole thread reminds me of that joke about smoking while praying vs. praying while smoking.

 

[graceandglory]

A Church without a bathroom?

Really?

-Tim-

You know, I was in this position just a few weeks ago. I realized that I could make it to a daily Mass during the Christmas season, when I can never make it during the school year. I was in my workout clothes, and rather than go home I went straight to Mass.

Would you suggest that someone skip Mass if they are not dressed to standard?

 

[Havard]

For some reason this whole thread reminds me of that joke about smoking while praying vs. praying while smoking.

Don’t leave us hanging!

 

[Sarabande]

I’m just curious of others’ opinions on this matter. I am going for a run after work today and then I am going to Confession. There is a Mass right after Confession that I would like to stay for but I will be in workout clothing and will not have time to go home and change. How terrible would it be to attend Mass in workout clothing? My family and I dress for Sunday Mass (when I say dress I mean no jeans and the boys wear shirts with collars) so I am having trouble with this. Any thoughts?

To me, as long as you are dressed modestly, there really isn’t a problem.

 

[Sarabande]

A Church without a bathroom?

Really?

-Tim-

I have been in churches without a bathroom. One of the parishes my family and I attended frequently was built in the 1800s and had no bathroom, except for an old-fashioned outhouse which was pretty much out of service by the time our family was attending mass there.

Another problem: many of the older churches which only have a bathroom in the sacristy. A lot of people feel very uncomfortable using them.

 

[Sarabande]

You know, I was in this position just a few weeks ago. I realized that I could make it to a daily Mass during the Christmas season, when I can never make it during the school year. I was in my workout clothes, and rather than go home I went straight to Mass.

Would you suggest that someone skip Mass if they are not dressed to standard?

I understand how people would suggest bringing a change of clothes, but depending on how one gets to the church, the person may not be able to even bring clothes with them. It would be pretty difficult to carry a duffel bag with you while you are out on a 5 mile jog, for instance. I guess it would be different if you drove to the church after the run, but I’d feel really grimy and gross to wear church clothes after sweating profusely.

When the parish was still open, I’d go for a two hour hike through our family’s forest and fields and then make my way up to the parish to pray on my way back home. On a hot summer’s day, I’m sure I was pretty ripe after a two hour hike. This was also the same parish which had no bathroom. You entered through a tiny vestibule and right into the church.

 

[oldcatholicguy]

Don’t leave us hanging!

Sorry-

A Franciscan and a Jesuit were friends. They were both smokers who found it difficult to pray for a long period of time without having a cigarette. They decided to go to their superiors and ask permission to smoke. When they met again, the Franciscan was downcast. “I asked my superior if I could smoke while I pray and he said ‘no,’” he said. The Jesuit smiled. “I asked I could pray while I smoke. He said ‘of course.’” - See more at: ignatianspirituality.com/dotmagis-blog/more-jesuit-jokes/#sthash.tj7bxVvF.dpuf

 

[esieffe]

I have often seen people at Mass in hospital scrubs. I see nothing wrong wit it at a weekday Mass.