What about dress code

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Springkeeper said:
The most hateful and judgmental people I have ever met are the self-proclaimed tolerant ones. They want everyone else to tolerate whatever they wear (say, do, etc.) but as soon as they encounter someone who does have higher standards of dress or behavior they screech “legalism”, “pharisee”, “taliban”, etc. These are horrifically nasty comments and I have heard and read comments like that and far worse. When I did wear jeans and t-shirts almost exclusively (except at work where I wore camouflage utilities), not a single person said one nasty thing to me about my clothes for 20 years. When I started taking my faith more seriously and dress more conservatively I faced negative comments purely about my type of clothing (and the negative comments were always from women.) What we wear is a reflection of who we are since we as adults choose what we buy and wear (most of the time). The most conformist people of all are the ones who dress just like every teenager at the mall and think “they are so different”.
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Hateful and Judgmental? The last thirty years have taught me to be anything BUT hateful and judgmental - I have taught teenagers with various degrees of disability. At age 25 I was very judgmental but at age 57 I’ve learned (school of hard knocks) to try and accept and find the best in people and their innate goodness and not continually concentrate on what I perceive to be their shortcomings or weaknesses. This could go on forever - I think you are judgmental for complaining about the way people dress and you think I’m hateful and judgmental for thinking that about you. I guess what I really THINK is that the way each of us worships and praises the Lord is a private and personal matter. My customs and practices at Mass might not be exactly like yours, but they are no less correct or holy.
Walk in Peace
 
Eric_Peter said:
I heard “jeans are discouraged”.

how about this type of jeans?
http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/mavi-hunter-organic-jeans.jpg

I’m asking because wear this to Sunday Mass sometimes.
So if anyone can convince me why is that immodest, I won’t wear it Sunday Mass anymore.

peace.🙂
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I can’t imagine that anyone would think that style of jeans was immodest in any way, but that’s just me. Personally, I would rather see loose jeans at church anyday than any type of so-called “dress-shorts” or skin-tight whatever. (BTW, I never knew they made organic jeans. I wonder how they made a zipper organic.)
 
Springkeeper said:
I can’t imagine that anyone would think that style of jeans was immodest in any way, but that’s just me. Personally, I would rather see loose jeans at church anyday than any type of so-called “dress-shorts” or skin-tight whatever. (BTW, I never knew they made organic jeans. I wonder how they made a zipper organic.)
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They used non-GM heirloom zipper seeds and didn’t treat them with pesticide.
 
kozlosap said:
This could go on forever - I think you are judgmental for complaining about the way people dress and you think I’m hateful and judgmental for thinking that about you. I guess what I really THINK is that the way each of us worships and praises the Lord is a private and personal matter. My customs and practices at Mass might not be exactly like yours, but they are no less correct or holy.
Walk in Peace
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You might want to reread what I wrote before you are so hasty to jump to conclusions. Unless you are someone who runs around calling others nasty names because they dress more conservatively or are more dressy than yourself, what I wrote does not apply to you. I (and I would say this is true of most people) have never been at church and thought I was a better Christian than someone else because he/she was wearing jeans. One of the sweetest gentleman I knew down here wore denim overalls to church every service and no one thought they were better than he (even though it was a fundamentalist Baptist church and they sure can dress). You, of course, are free to think whatever you like- I’m so happy I am finally going to be able to join the Church that I’m okay with that. 😃
 
This discussion is getting way carried away. I think it is sad to see catholics being at each others throat.
But i get the point: dress as you behave in the church and show the Lord your respect.
 
I love the number of personal anecdotes in this thread. That’s all well and good but the issue of dressing properly (which I distinguish from merely dressing modestly, btw) is an objective issue because it deals with an objective fact (worshipping God).

Therefore, as nice as all these personal experiences are, they ultimately have no bearing on the final question, namely whether one ought to be obliged to dress as nicely as possible at Mass. Surely, given what is going on at Mass (and assuming that we all here believe in this), the answer ought to be simple.

And there are exceptions - of course. But for the vast majority of us, we have a decent set of clothes in our closets which go beyond the mere standard of being “modest” (after all, a giant T-Shirt and jeans are technically “modest” but are not, I would argue, proper attire for Mass). The comfort argument is pure silliness. We can live with not being comfortable one day of the week. In fact, it would do most of us good - teach us to conform our bodily actions to our will for once.

It’s not a fashion show, it’s an attempt to represent on the outside a reverence for what we believe on the inside. Simple as that.

I’m surprised that so many people are taking issue with this.
 
Padraig1972 said:
This discussion is getting way carried away. I think it is sad to see catholics being at each others throat.
But i get the point: dress as you behave in the church and show the Lord your respect.
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The jeans pictured don’t look appropriate to me, but, I would say that the person is a laborer in 2010 with children and a wife, bills, etc. My Dad, who was a laborer, born in 1917, never wore jeans in his life, nor has Mom. I stopped wearing jeans, and, was talked into them again by a friend who has a clothing shop … her jeans are over $100, but, they were on sale before I saw them at $20. I don’t wear them to Mass. I could for a daily morning Mass, without school children. Those expensive jeans make me feel/look bad, as they are getting worn. Very soft though. Mom says to keep them for gardening. There were some new dresses worn Sunday, so, the parishioners are shopping. We bought Dad a shirt that is deep coral in color, and he actually wore it, with his suit pants. My Dad will wear older wool perhaps poly/wool pants for day wear, no shorts. He is 93.
 
kozlosap said:
  • I have taught teenagers with various degrees of disability.
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Oops- I forgot to add thank you for your work with the disabled. My youngest son is disabled and it is always a blessing to know that there are those who have such a heart for God’s special ones that they take the effort to talk to them and work with them and make them feel like the valuable children of God that they truly are.

Peace also with you.
 
Springkeeper said:
You might want to reread what I wrote before you are so hasty to jump to conclusions. Unless you are someone who runs around calling others nasty names because they dress more conservatively or are more dressy than yourself, what I wrote does not apply to you. I (and I would say this is true of most people) have never been at church and thought I was a better Christian than someone else because he/she was wearing jeans. One of the sweetest gentleman I knew down here wore denim overalls to church every service and no one thought they were better than he (even though it was a fundamentalist Baptist church and they sure can dress). You, of course, are free to think whatever you like- I’m so happy I am finally going to be able to join the Church that I’m okay with that. 😃
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I’m sorry if I sounded shrill - I think I should stay off the boards after midnight when I tend to be more reactionary than thoughtful. I’m happy that you have found the Church. Peace.
 
Hahah. Oh man. I was camping this weekend. Sunday morning we hauled off to church in our camp clothes (we had forgotten to bring ‘church’ clothes), which meant we were wearing jeans, shorts, tank tops, plaid shirts to cover tank tops, crocs and in my case a hat (because I hadn’t showered in days and my hair was scary). NOT going was NOT an option, despite our lack of ‘appropriate’ attire.

The congregation did NOT know us. We were camping far from home. Not knowing who we were, not knowing why we were dressed like rag muffins and looking like dirty little hobos, they were so sweet and so kind and so wonderful. 🙂 Every person we encountered greeted us with smiles and love, I didn’t see a glimmer of judgment in anyones eye.

I get that attire is important, but if you approach others with judgment what service are you doing to your church?

Anyway, my point is, stop worrying about what everyone else is wearing. Let your priest handle that. If he feels someone needs reprimanding he’ll do it. That’s not your place or your job. Your job at Mass is to love. God, your neighbors, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and yourself.

Just my two cents. 🙂
 
I’d much rather clothe my heart with the wedding garment instead of play dress up every day at Mass. In fact, if people saw me show up in a suit and tie they’d ask me who the heck I was I trying to fool! 🙂

And it’s about voluntary simplicity too. When I think about going to purchase a new fancy wardrobe this quote from St. Basil quickly comes to mind and then I’m happy to be a humbly yet devout denim-clad Catholic.

The bread which you use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit.

That’s just me. I’m not casting any aspersions at anybody else. It’s all I can to do type this with the plank that’s in my eye…

Peace.
 
People

I haven’t read all 92 posts but please knock it off with the PC sorry if I offended you I can wear what I want because God loves me anyway bunk. This is the God of the universe we are talking about here.

Most Catholics only go once a week to supposedly give back to our Lord who gives us everything we have. You mean to tell me that if you have the means you can’t dress appropriately and show reverence and respect for your God for one hour? What would you wear to your bosses dinner party? A wedding? A funeral?

We have watered down the reverence and importance of the Mass so much that our kids now attend with their underwear showing. Dresses (if they wear one at all) cut to here. Basically its beach wear. Often times the lectors, psalmists are a disgrace to the altar. Unbelievable.

He knows what you are capable of and not capable of wearing and He doesn’t care. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us or not love us. He deserves so much more than we sinners can even attempt to offer. Is it too much to ask that at least try?
 
F_Rudy said:
People

I haven’t read all 92 posts but please knock it off with the PC sorry if I offended you I can wear what I want because God loves me anyway bunk. This is the God of the universe we are talking about here.
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One thing we have to be clear about is that the Church has not set forth a dress code and with the exception of modesty leaves it up to the prudential judgment of individuals as to what is appropriate to wear to mass. This of course, opens up the topic to much debate, as there is no universal standards as to what kind of dress constitutes respect and what does not.
Most Catholics only go once a week to supposedly give back to our Lord who gives us everything we have. You mean to tell me that if you have the means you can’t dress appropriately and show reverence and respect for your God for one hour? What would you wear to your bosses dinner party? A wedding? A funeral?
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Just who is it that determines what is appropriate? Are jeans inappropriate? Perhaps in your opinion, but we have to remember that it is nothing but your opinion.
We have watered down the reverence and importance of the Mass so much that our kids now attend with their underwear showing. Dresses (if they wear one at all) cut to here. Basically its beach wear. Often times the lectors, psalmists are a disgrace to the altar. Unbelievable.
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This argument adds nothing to the discussion because nobody has argued in favor of dressing immodestly.
He knows what you are capable of and not capable of wearing and He doesn’t care. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us or not love us. He deserves so much more than we sinners can even attempt to offer. Is it too much to ask that at least try?
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God deserves our love and respect. What that has to do with whether or not we wear jeans or dress pants is beyond me, just as if I wear jeans to Christmas dinner at my parents. In that case it reveals nothing about my love and respect for them.
 
I’ll admit I did notice the woman sitting next to me Sunday evening in the tight blue jeans. And also the woman a few rows up in her jeans and shirt. However, I get the feeling if you start pushing a dress code you are going to lose a good number of people.
 
Onegin said:
To me the whole issue is absurdly simple:

If you honestly and truly believe that, when you go to Mass, Christ is truly and completely present AT MASS in the Most Holy Eucharist, then you will dress appropriately. It will be second nature, like genuflecting, kneeling during the Consecration or any other outward sign we adopt to show our reverence and respect for what is going on at Mass.

Anything else just shows a lack of respect and, ultimately, a lack of real understanding of what the Mass is.
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Very Well Said !!! I think its like this. If you were to go to a Job interview or you were to go to meet the President or you were to go to meet the Bill Gates how would you present yourself. On Sunday when we go to Visit the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings we dress down? I agree - I think it is as if some people have lost the understanding of the Real Presense with all it entails.
 
Robert_Burns said:
Very Well Said !!! I think its like this. If you were to go to a Job interview or you were to go to meet the President or you were to go to meet the Bill Gates how would you present yourself. On Sunday when we go to Visit the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings we dress down? I agree - I think it is as if some people have lost the understanding of the Real Presense with all it entails.
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I am not sure where you get a necessary correlation with manner of dress and respect? And the idea that if I wear jeans to mass that it says something about my belief in the real presence is well out in left field. There are times when I have gone to adoration in shorts and a t shirt. If I didn’t believe in the real presence going to adoration would be a waste of time wouldn’t it?
 
stinkcat_14 said:
I am not sure where you get a necessary correlation with manner of dress and respect? And the idea that if I wear jeans to mass that it says something about my belief in the real presence is well out in left field. There are times when I have gone to adoration in shorts and a t shirt. If I didn’t believe in the real presence going to adoration would be a waste of time wouldn’t it?
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Forgive me if you take what I wrote as criticism. It certainly wasnt meant to be so. The point I was trying to make is that we as Catholics often times may not properly respect the dignity of the real presence and all that is due to GOD. It wasnt directed at the Laity. After all - some people may not be able to afford nice clothing and some people may wear flashy clothing to draw attention to themselves. Certainly there can be all manner of abuses and I really dont want to get into a litany of what people do or dont do , should do or shouldnt do. The only point i was trying to make is that GOD is present. And for each of us to think about how we are going to appear before GOD today when we pull those clothes out of our closet. Does that make sense? For it to be a personal item to consider? Like when we examine our conscience before confession. The idea being to honor GOD as the end result. Not for me to tell others what they must do. So forgive me if you took it that way.

Mea Culpa
 
So, what we’re saying is that the guy in the photo below would not be appropriately dressed for mass. What if he put his tie on?

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
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