J
Jimmy_B
Guest
What is the appropriate dress attire for Mass? I’ve seen people wearing shorts and t-shirts.
- Status
J
J_Mo
Guest
As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter. I don’t understand how what someone is wearing has anything to do with how they accept God. Isn’t Mass about your relationship with God? The clothes one wears shouldn’t dictate whether or not they can communicate with God.
J
Jimmy_B
Guest
J Mo:
I agree with you to a certain extent. Some people do not have the means. However it’s like my mother always said, “It doesn’t matter how poor you are, soap and water is pretty cheap”. If one has a choice of clothes, should they make an effort to dress appropriately? If you own long pants and a shirt with a collar, should you wear that instead of shorts and a tank-top, out of respect? What about shoes as apposed to flip-flops if you own both? Your thoughts?
JMJ
I agree with you to a certain extent. Some people do not have the means. However it’s like my mother always said, “It doesn’t matter how poor you are, soap and water is pretty cheap”. If one has a choice of clothes, should they make an effort to dress appropriately? If you own long pants and a shirt with a collar, should you wear that instead of shorts and a tank-top, out of respect? What about shoes as apposed to flip-flops if you own both? Your thoughts?
D
DVIN_CKS
Guest
Keep in mind that we are going to the Lord’s table when we gather for mass. I just attended a mass where the young women bringing up the gifts were all wearing tight hip hugging jeans, tight t-shirts with their belly’s showing. I thought this a bit inappropriate. I believe we should show modesty in church. Current fashion trends today leave absolutely NOTHING to the imagination (as my mother used to always say). I would think it would be hard for young men to concentrate on the mass if the women there are dressed “to kill”. Certain high schools now have a dress code restricting the wearing of clothes that show off the mid-drif or are too sexually provocative. I think churches should do the same.
M
MonicaPA
Guest
Modest & clean
T
Tantum_ergo
Guest
Wear what is clean, modest, and appropriate for your circumstances–i.e., if you live in Alabama and it’s July, and you unexpectedly had to change your planned Mass on Sunday for Saturday, at virtually a moment’s notice, and you were wearing shorts, then go ahead and go to church. (However, it’s always good to keep something like a pareo in your car or bag. . .very light-weight and can be tied around the hips to make a skirt or around the shoulders as a shawl to cover up a tank or halter top). God doesn’t hold us to impossible standards, and sometimes we have to roll with the punches. But I would hope that the usual routine would be for men a pair of slacks and a nice top, and for women a dress, a skirt or dressy pants and nice top and maybe even a mantilla.
One thing to consider, in places like the broiling Sahara, men and women are covered from head to toe. . .because it’s actually cooler for them that way. A lot to be said for natural fabrics like cotton and linen and silk rather than polyester and rayon. . .
One thing to consider, in places like the broiling Sahara, men and women are covered from head to toe. . .because it’s actually cooler for them that way. A lot to be said for natural fabrics like cotton and linen and silk rather than polyester and rayon. . .
C
Chickamauga
Guest
Recently I’ve taken to wearing a suit and tie. I don’t care what other people wear, but if I’m going to have an audience with the King of Kings I’m gonna dress the part. 
C
catsrus
Guest
We had a thread on this topic recently.
The parish I used to belong to was a Newman Ctr. in a downtown venue. We had several homeless persons who would come in to Mass whose lack of “proper” attire and general unkeptness I found to be not at all annoying. I thought it was wonderful that they were there.
OTOH, we also had an inordinate number of students that were practically undressed - especially in the summer. No bras, butt-crack showing jeans, backless halter tops, minis and short shorts showing more butt. It was offensive. I got tired of hearing, “At least they’re here.”
There is a HUGE difference between dressing in the only clothing available and dressing (?) in what will get you the most noticed.
It’s about respect! If they have no more respect for their Maker than showing off as much as possible to Him who already knows what they’ve “got”, then they should stay home. Would they show up at a job interview undressed to that extent and expect to be hired? I think not. So how much more should they be cognizant of their God and what He thinks of their lack of common sense, taste and regard for Him?
Yes, I’m on a rant here! We’ve gotten to the point where we accept almost anything anymore and make excuses for it. If my parents had ever seen me undressed to the point of young people today, MUCH LESS go into to Church that way (though I’d never have even considered it) I’d have a couple of footprints inbedded in my tail end for all eternity.
(rant over…for now
)
The parish I used to belong to was a Newman Ctr. in a downtown venue. We had several homeless persons who would come in to Mass whose lack of “proper” attire and general unkeptness I found to be not at all annoying. I thought it was wonderful that they were there.
OTOH, we also had an inordinate number of students that were practically undressed - especially in the summer. No bras, butt-crack showing jeans, backless halter tops, minis and short shorts showing more butt. It was offensive. I got tired of hearing, “At least they’re here.”
There is a HUGE difference between dressing in the only clothing available and dressing (?) in what will get you the most noticed.
It’s about respect! If they have no more respect for their Maker than showing off as much as possible to Him who already knows what they’ve “got”, then they should stay home. Would they show up at a job interview undressed to that extent and expect to be hired? I think not. So how much more should they be cognizant of their God and what He thinks of their lack of common sense, taste and regard for Him?
Yes, I’m on a rant here! We’ve gotten to the point where we accept almost anything anymore and make excuses for it. If my parents had ever seen me undressed to the point of young people today, MUCH LESS go into to Church that way (though I’d never have even considered it) I’d have a couple of footprints inbedded in my tail end for all eternity.
(rant over…for now
)
S
StratusRose
Guest
I go to church at the University of Maryland and I see some young women in there dress immodestly (for my standards), however, I try not to let it bother me because they are a distraction and I’m not there to scorn anyone’s clothes. Other than that, I wear jeans, t-shirts, and fleece jackets to Mass. In fact, that’s what I wore yesterday and I was a Eucharistic Minister.
T
Tantum_ergo
Guest
Rose: Your attire sounds modest to me.
One caveat: You aren’t a Eucharistic Minister. Only the priest is a Eucharistic Minister. You are an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. . .and thank you for your efforts on behalf of all you help in your work.
One caveat: You aren’t a Eucharistic Minister. Only the priest is a Eucharistic Minister. You are an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. . .and thank you for your efforts on behalf of all you help in your work.
B
buffalo
Guest
One should dress reverently. You are going to visit Christ. How does this visit compare to shopping? the beach? casual dining? a wedding? How do you dress for a formal affair? Isn’t Christ worthy of more?
J
Jimmy_B
Guest
Great point!
P
pippin
Guest
It is amazing to see how much effort people will put into picking the right outfit for a date, even a blind date, and what they wear to church. Sometimes it looks as though they grabbed whatever was on the top of the pile on the floor. I think God is more important than any date. I realize our society is more casual than years ago, but modesty is still important. There still have to be standards.
D
ddimitro
Guest
I wear a suit to the Latin Mass on Sunday, and chinos/khakis and a nice shirt or sweater to daily Mass.
I find it appalling to see people in pants hanging off their butt, and big oversized Phat Farm sweatshirts in Mass. I firmly believe your attire is important- it’s all about reverence. Don’t wear to church what you wear out to the movies, or skate park, or Burger King.
I am certain that anyone who says it’s all about your relationship and not your clothes would NOT wear jeans, shorts, etc. if they were to see Jesus face to face physically at that Mass.
I find it appalling to see people in pants hanging off their butt, and big oversized Phat Farm sweatshirts in Mass. I firmly believe your attire is important- it’s all about reverence. Don’t wear to church what you wear out to the movies, or skate park, or Burger King.
I am certain that anyone who says it’s all about your relationship and not your clothes would NOT wear jeans, shorts, etc. if they were to see Jesus face to face physically at that Mass.
G
Genesis315
Guest
See, this is one reason why I think there is a lack of understanding of the Real presence today. We ARE seeing Jesus physically at the Mass. I don’t know why there is this lack of reverence. I think it just reflects our society’s general rejection sacredness or mystery. Any thoughts?
D
ddimitro
Guest
Oh yes, I truly believe in the Real Presence. And my attire supports that. If Catholics are truly believing in the Real Presence, there is absolutely no way - under normal circumstances - they would wear what they wear to Mass.
I believe it’s excessive modernism seeping into the Sacred. But mostly, I think there is much misunderstanding, even general ignorance, about teachings such as the Real Presence. Not judging the person, but the behaviors suggest to me lukewarmness, at best.
I believe it’s excessive modernism seeping into the Sacred. But mostly, I think there is much misunderstanding, even general ignorance, about teachings such as the Real Presence. Not judging the person, but the behaviors suggest to me lukewarmness, at best.
G
Genesis315
Guest
I wasn’t saying you didn’t believe or that you were implying He wasn’t present. You made an excellent observation that people are not dressing as if they are meeting the physical Jesus. I just wanted to point out that since He IS physically present, people should treat Him the same as if He were there in human shape, so to speak. Since many do not act as if He were actually there, it makes me doubt if they understand that He is truly physically present. Make sense? Sorry for any confusion on my part.
A
A.Pelliccio
Guest
Your Sunday’s Best! ( based on your ability of course, but always your best)
D
ddimitro
Guest
J
jlw
Guest
One man wore jacket and tie at high school graduation
Dennis Prager (archive)
June 1, 2004 | townhall.com/images/icon_print.gif Print | townhall.com/images/icon_email.gif Send
http://www.townhall.com/graphics1/columnists/prager.gif Last week, the producer of my radio show, Allen Estrin, attended his niece’s graduation at a public high school in St. Louis. At a certain point in the proceedings, he noticed that he was the only man in the audience wearing a jacket and tie; and only three other men wore a tie without a jacket.
This story exemplifies yet another aspect of the age in which we live, the Age of Stupidity. Only in an age that rejects wisdom could most people believe that clothing is unimportant. Callers to my radio show have often told me, for example, that it is entirely unimportant what people wear even to church – after all, God sees people’s hearts, not their clothing, right?
Clothing has come to have no other purpose than providing comfort to the wearer. Fewer and fewer people appreciate how much what we wear affects both us and the people around us.
That is why the dummies who award and receive doctorates in education almost universally reject school uniforms. They don’t (or don’t want to) realize how much the clothing that students and teachers wear affects the way students and teachers act and regard school.
Until very recently (specifically since the Stupid Revolution of the late 1960s and 1970s), every elevated civilization has placed great emphasis on what people wear. Judeo-Christian civilization, for example, teaches that God Himself made the first clothes.
What we wear communicates what we think of ourselves, but even more so, what we think of the world around us.
When guests dress up for a wedding, they do so in order to honor the bride and groom and to proclaim how much they honor the marriage ceremony.
When students and teachers dress up for school every day, they are honoring education. It demonstrates the foolishness of the people who run American education that they, of all people, so often lead the attack on school uniforms. Incredibly, they don’t understand how much respect education loses when students wear to school what they wear to the mall.
When parents and others attending a high school graduation show up in shorts, T-shirts, Hawaiian flower shirts and jeans, they are saying to the students that this night is no more significant than any other time they wear the same clothing. Just ask students how they would react if all the male guests wore jackets and ties and all the women dressed equally formally.
How has this devaluation of clothing come about?
As usual when explaining the origins of the Age of Stupidity, one answer is secularism.
At my older son’s graduation from a religious Jewish high school a few years ago, every single man in the audience wore a jacket and tie and the women were similarly formally dressed. Secularism not only induces stupidity (“Wisdom begins with awe of God,” the Psalmist correctly noted), it also de-sanctifies almost everything. In the radically secular age in which we live, nothing is holy. Not even schools.
Continued…
Dennis Prager (archive)
June 1, 2004 | townhall.com/images/icon_print.gif Print | townhall.com/images/icon_email.gif Send
http://www.townhall.com/graphics1/columnists/prager.gif Last week, the producer of my radio show, Allen Estrin, attended his niece’s graduation at a public high school in St. Louis. At a certain point in the proceedings, he noticed that he was the only man in the audience wearing a jacket and tie; and only three other men wore a tie without a jacket.
This story exemplifies yet another aspect of the age in which we live, the Age of Stupidity. Only in an age that rejects wisdom could most people believe that clothing is unimportant. Callers to my radio show have often told me, for example, that it is entirely unimportant what people wear even to church – after all, God sees people’s hearts, not their clothing, right?
Clothing has come to have no other purpose than providing comfort to the wearer. Fewer and fewer people appreciate how much what we wear affects both us and the people around us.
That is why the dummies who award and receive doctorates in education almost universally reject school uniforms. They don’t (or don’t want to) realize how much the clothing that students and teachers wear affects the way students and teachers act and regard school.
Until very recently (specifically since the Stupid Revolution of the late 1960s and 1970s), every elevated civilization has placed great emphasis on what people wear. Judeo-Christian civilization, for example, teaches that God Himself made the first clothes.
What we wear communicates what we think of ourselves, but even more so, what we think of the world around us.
When guests dress up for a wedding, they do so in order to honor the bride and groom and to proclaim how much they honor the marriage ceremony.
When students and teachers dress up for school every day, they are honoring education. It demonstrates the foolishness of the people who run American education that they, of all people, so often lead the attack on school uniforms. Incredibly, they don’t understand how much respect education loses when students wear to school what they wear to the mall.
When parents and others attending a high school graduation show up in shorts, T-shirts, Hawaiian flower shirts and jeans, they are saying to the students that this night is no more significant than any other time they wear the same clothing. Just ask students how they would react if all the male guests wore jackets and ties and all the women dressed equally formally.
How has this devaluation of clothing come about?
As usual when explaining the origins of the Age of Stupidity, one answer is secularism.
At my older son’s graduation from a religious Jewish high school a few years ago, every single man in the audience wore a jacket and tie and the women were similarly formally dressed. Secularism not only induces stupidity (“Wisdom begins with awe of God,” the Psalmist correctly noted), it also de-sanctifies almost everything. In the radically secular age in which we live, nothing is holy. Not even schools.
Continued…
- Status