What is the appropriate dress attire for Mass?

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your attire should at least be modest, clean, and not distracting. besides that you have to ask yourself how much you would dress up for work, a party, etc. and then realize that church is more important than all those.
 
Fr. Benedict Groeschel has remarked time and time again on EWTN how the extremely poor from the slums of the South Bronx dress in suit and tie for church…
 
Hmmmm, I don’t know why someone always has to start up this thread, lets see, its been asked at least 2 times maybe more and both times it was closed down as naturally no agreement could be reached and pretty soon the mud starts flying as we go from christian acting adults to mud slinging children. For the person who dresses up for Mass they feel they are right and will find any and all reason to let you know they are right you are wrong, for the person who doesn’t dress up quite so much, they feel like they are being told that they don’t take mass as serious etc. so of course they feel hurt that someone is saying if you take Mass serious you would dress up, ok, seen it heard it all on Catholic answers forum before and it always ALWAYS turns nasty, I wonder how long it takes this time :confused:
 
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kamz:
Hmmmm, I don’t know why someone always has to start up this thread, lets see, its been asked at least 2 times maybe more and both times it was closed down as naturally no agreement could be reached and pretty soon the mud starts flying as we go from christian acting adults to mud slinging children. For the person who dresses up for Mass they feel they are right and will find any and all reason to let you know they are right you are wrong, for the person who doesn’t dress up quite so much, they feel like they are being told that they don’t take mass as serious etc. so of course they feel hurt that someone is saying if you take Mass serious you would dress up, ok, seen it heard it all on Catholic answers forum before and it always ALWAYS turns nasty, I wonder how long it takes this time :confused:
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So…one group cares about respect for Christ…and the other group cares about personal feelings?? Who is being prideful here??

“I’ll wear whatever I want!” is a prideful statement.

No one is asking for everyone to wear armani suits and such!!

Suggesting that people treat Mass as an EXTRAordinary event by dressing in “their best” is somehow mean??
 
there is, of course, a fine line between ‘wanting to look nice for an important event’ and being WAYYY too caught up in ‘what i’m wearing’ or ‘what she’s wearing’ to be thinking about the important part of mass - Christ.

you have to understand, folks. some of us DON’T EVER wear suits or ties. ever. if i have to wear a suit or tie, all i’m thinking about is how uncomfortable i am. maybe that’s an exaggeration. but it DOES distract me.

i would say that we should dress modestly, cleanly, decently. but what’s going on in your heart is 5000 times more important than what you’re wearing.

Jesus talked about throwing out some folks that came to His wedding without wearing their wedding garments. i’m pretty sure He didn’t mean what kind of suit they had on.
 
oh ya - one more thing. bring to mind the life of st francis of assisi.

that’s all i have to say.
 
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jeffreedy789:
there is, of course, a fine line between ‘wanting to look nice for an important event’ and being WAYYY too caught up in ‘what i’m wearing’ or ‘what she’s wearing’ to be thinking about the important part of mass - Christ.

you have to understand, folks.(1) some of us DON’T EVER wear suits or ties. ever. if i have to wear a suit or tie, all i’m thinking about is how uncomfortable i am. maybe that’s an exaggeration. but it DOES distract me.

i would say that we should dress modestly, cleanly, decently. (2)but what’s going on in your heart is 5000 times more important than what you’re wearing.

Jesus talked about throwing out some folks that came to His wedding without wearing their wedding garments. i’m pretty sure He didn’t mean what kind of suit they had on.
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(1)So? I know a great many people whose only suits or blazer/slacks are their “Sunday best.” Just about the only time they dress-up is for Church…

(2) Please, no morte straw-men! It’s not a zero sum game. People CAN dress well WHILE ALSO having a good “heart.” Trying to make your point by comparing the two as if they are mutually exclusive is garbage.
 
All I’m saying is, I never wear a dress, I don’t even own one at this time, my mom gave me one a year ago and I gave it to goodwill, I just hate dresses. I have one pair of black dress pants and tons upon tons of jeans, so for Mass I alternate my black dress pants and my black dressiest pair of jeans and a nice shirt that covers up well so as not to ever be a distraction, my children dress almost exactly as I do. I take the Mass very very seriously, my mind from the moment I walk into church is on the mass until the moment I leave, I don’t notice who, what, whatever is around me except my own children, what anyone else wears, does, etc. is none of my business, I know not why etc. etc. their circumstance is and it is absolutely none of my business, my body is covered, I’m very clean and no stains or holes will be found in my clothes nor dirt etc. I dress in darker colors so I won’t annoy anyone around me if they are petty enough to be annoyed by me.
I know what is in my mind, my heart, my soul, I know exactly where I am with God and he knows me and if anyone has an opinion on how I’m dressing, if I should dress better, would I dress better if visiting the pope etc. etc. Who cares, I just don’t get the point, it has got to be between God and me and thats what I need to focus on, the moment I start to question you or how you dress or could you dress better if you wanted, etc. I no longer am thinking of my relationship with God, now I’ve lost my focus and I’m focused on you and your attire and really, what good can that do me? I go to a church where in the summer you will see most everyone in nice respectful shorts or short skirts, jeans are common in almost half the people at mass and dresses are rare in winter, I think alot depends on where you live, what your individual parish is like, each is so different, some are really conservative and some are less but I don’t think that God cares unless we are so focused on it that it is more in our minds than God is, I think God would then have some problems with that, for all we know God sees us naked standing before him, how do we really know? I certainly will not cast a stone and judge Anyone lest they judge me. Focus on yourself and your own family if you want but don’t pass out your judgement onto others.
 
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catsrus:
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.
:mad:
(rant over…for now :o )
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:amen: TO THAT!
 
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catsrus:
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.
:mad:
(rant over…for now :o )
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Agreed! To those who are given more, much more is expected. Something to chew on.
 
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jeffreedy789:
if i have to wear a suit or tie, all i’m thinking about is how uncomfortable i am. maybe that’s an exaggeration. but it DOES distract me.

.
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What a difficult cross that must be! Try and think about the 3 hours Jesus hung on the cross and the pain He was in. It may help you put it all in perspective. :banghead:
 
quote=Nota BeneSo? I know a great many people whose only suits or blazer/slacks are their “Sunday best.” Just about the only time they dress-up is for Church…

(2) Please, no morte straw-men! It’s not a zero sum game. People CAN dress well WHILE ALSO having a good “heart.” Trying to make your point by comparing the two as if they are mutually exclusive is garbage.
[/quote]

Don’t forget that the amount of time and effort you make in your outward signs is transmitted to the young ones.

Mom and Dad dress in suits for a wedding. That must be important. On Sunday we go to Mass and they dress for the beach. What does that signal your child?
 
Its pretty obvious that everyone has an opinion on this and really there is not right or wrong answer, I think we can agree upon that.
What it comes down to is you have to make your own decision for you and your family, your opinion is that this is how I will dress and this is how my children will dress, maybe I don’t agree with your attire but again, this is none of my business and is strictly between you and God. What is the point of going on and on and on about your opinion? I can write all day on my opinion but its just that “my opinion” it works for me and mine but it doesn’t have to work for you and yours and in no way does my opinion mean that you don’t have just as good a relationship with Jesus as I do.
It is so pointless to go on in these type of debates if you go back and read each one it starts as an opinion and pretty soon it comes down to " how can you not do this for God he did this for you" none of us can claim to know what God does or does not think of our dress code at mass and anyone who says they do must have died, gone to heaven and come back again. So, lets state our opinion, admit to eachother that it is merely our personal opinion and not the golden rule to live by and let it go, is there not so much more we could discuss than how one should dress for mass? Geesh :eek:
 
I try to dress the best that I can to go to church. There are some exceptions when I will wear jeans. My son wears jeans every Sunday to church. I see nothing wrong with that. Me personal opinion is as long as it is tasteful its ok to wear to church.

Now, what I see wrong is when a woman walks into church and goes to communion wearing a strapless dress. I think that is completely rude and disrespectful. I personally wear a sweater when wearing a sleeveless shirt or dress. I have seen women in church wearing backless tank tops with vnecks that hang almost to their bellies. I have seen thongs peeping out from waistbands because the jeans are too low cut. I have also seen little girls wearing similar clothes.

I know that these people have better clothes that they can wear to church. I see NO excuse whatsoever for people to be dressed like that in church.
 
I think “clean, neat, and modest” should be the basic guidelines. Does it have to be very fancy? I don’t think it’s really necessary. Have you ever been to church in a wealthy parish, and felt totally out of place because your clothes were shabby by comparison? I have. In some churches, “Sunday best” means you will see a sea of mink coats. In other parishes, it may be very simple outfits; a plain skirt or slacks and blouse.

As long as the clothes are respectful. I don’t expect the homeless man who lives under the bridge to show up in a suit and tie. On the other hand, I don’t think Mass is the appropriate place for bare midriffs, skin-tight sausage-casing attire, thongs sticking out of wastebands, or strapless tops (and don’t even get me started on strapless wedding gowns :rolleyes: ).

It isn’t only women wearing the immodest clothing, either – men are not immune from offending. So many times, I’ve seen men at Mass wearing shorts that were so short, that when they sit, they leave absolutely nothing to the imagination (usually grown men; never teenage boys). And this is supposed to be OK because “women aren’t visual”? Says who?
 
Let’s not forget what’s really important: that we continue to judge reverence based on externals. That man wearing jeans and a T-shirt? He’s not as holy as me because I’m wearing a suit and tie!

http://home.houston.rr.com/mchance3/rolleyes.gif

I wonder how some folks manage to participate in Mass at all what with all of the mental lists being compiled about who is dressed inappropriately, about how hand-holding is an offense against God, about unacceptable ratios of EMHC versus attendees, about how that horrible altar girl’s shoes show her toes, about how receiving Communion in the hand destroys the efficacy of the Lord’s Real Presence, et cetera.

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.’”

– Mark L. Chance.
 
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Chickamauga:
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. 👍
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Oh I think you are wonderful!!!
I go in my best dresses (Salvation Army but clean and unripped), my daughter’s in their best as well.

I cover my head to show my “head” respect.

Best is not always pricey nor fashionable. Just ONE’S best is all that God deserves.
 
used to attend a Cathedral parish that welcomed homeless to breakfast Sunday morning, and many came to Mass in some of the most bizarre attire you can imagine, but NEVER did I see one of them dress immodestly, which could not be said of regular parishioners, most of whom are quite affluent enought to afford the latest outrageously soft porn attire, dripping with designer labels.
 
Modesty is important. We should be careful not to pay attention to clothes. Looking down on someone because of their shabby attire is not Christlike, they maybe poor or not as superficial as those who would judge. Jesus reached out to outcasts.
 
I wear a suit half the time and a tie, the rest. I am ususally one of a dozen or less in church with a tie. Still the attire of others doesn’t usually bother me. The one exception is immodest attire. I do not like to see that in Mass for the same reason I do not like to see it anywhere.

I always like to dress my best for the Lord, but I understand that this is my own personal devotion and do not try to foister it on others.
 
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