What to wear...

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dean24us

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Despite the title, this ISN’T a fashion question. 😉

I would like to wear some outward sign of my Catholic faith. There are several different options out there, from scapulars, to medals, to simple crosses or crucifixes. I’d like to keep the number at pieces I wear at one at the moment (I don’t fancy myself the next Mr. T), but I’m not sure which one to select.

What do you wear & why? Any recommendations for me?

God bless,
Dean
 
I wear saints braclets, and that’s always a good way to let others know that I’m Catholic, and I also occasionally wear a cross necklace, when the catalog that my mother ordered it from said when you shine it to the light you can read the Our Father…it lied, but it’s still a beautiful necklace,and shows my faith.

I don’t really know your style, or anything, I say wear whatever you find most comfortable wearing, and aw c’mon you could be the Catholic Mr.T. 😛
 
dean24us said:
Despite the title, this ISN’T a fashion question. 😉

I would like to wear some outward sign of my Catholic faith. There are several different options out there, from scapulars, to medals, to simple crosses or crucifixes. I’d like to keep the number at pieces I wear at one at the moment (I don’t fancy myself the next Mr. T), but I’m not sure which one to select.

What do you wear & why? Any recommendations for me?

God bless,
Dean
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I wear a smallish sterling silver cross, always. I like to see crucifixes on men, though. Or a nice medal. Scapulars are meant to be inside your clothing so you could wear that as well as a necklace.
 
dean24us said:
Despite the title, this ISN’T a fashion question. 😉

I would like to wear some outward sign of my Catholic faith. There are several different options out there, from scapulars, to medals, to simple crosses or crucifixes. I’d like to keep the number at pieces I wear at one at the moment (I don’t fancy myself the next Mr. T), but I’m not sure which one to select.

What do you wear & why? Any recommendations for me?

God bless,
Dean
Click to expand...
I suggest a nice miraculous medal. These are beautiful and, while some wear crucifixes as “fashionable” and less about “faithful”, Miraculous Medals are seldom abused by such secular treachery. I wear the miraculous medal and I urge you to do so as well.
 
"I PITY THE FOOL! who thinks crucifixes are gaudy. :mad::mad:

(j/k):)😉

I wear a Miraculous Medallion, but usually only other Catholics know what it is. You could always wear both a small MM and a plain cross on the same chain.
 
A cross made out of nails, a silver chain with three saint medals, and a rosary bracelet are among the most common religious items that I wear. I have several other “prettier” religious necklaces that I occasionally wear when I’m wearing certain outfits or I want to mix it up a bit. 🙂

The cross is one that I received at a retreat, and so it has special significance to me. The saint medals are to the three saints to whom I have a special devotion (such as St. Joan of Arc, my Confirmation saint). And the rosary bracelet, well, I just like bracelets (and it’s a rosary…what could be better?). 😉
 
While the primary reason one wears a symbol of one’s Catholicism should not be fashion, there is absolutely no reason why a piece of religious jewelry shouldn’t be beautiful and elegant. Think of the great cathedrals of the world, and their beauty. Then recall that St. Paul said that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

My late father, God rest his soul, was in the jewelry business after he retired from his engineering career, and taught me a few things about selecting jewelry. A certain piece can look stunning on one person, and tacky or silly on another person.

A few questions: Are you a man or a woman?

Do you have a yellowish or blue-ish skin tone? Check an area which does not ordinarily get tanned, such as the inside of your wrist, to determine the answer to this.

What is your general body build? Slight? Lean? More massive?

Sorry to say, but there are more choices for women than there are for men. It just seems that women tend to be more interested in variety. The more ornate crucifixes also tend to be worn by women, whereas the more rugged ones look well on men. Women also tend to look better in neck chains 18 inches or shorter, the longer, 22 to 24 inch chains look better on men.

Those who have more yellow-toned complexions look better in gold tones. Those with more blue-toned complexions look better in silver tones (or white gold.) The gold tone medals need not be prohibitively expensive, there are many choices in gold over sterling silver which is perhaps one tenth the price of a solid gold medal or crucifix.

A larger person looks better in larger scaled jewelry; conversely, the same scale would be overpowering on a smaller person. A crucifix that is less than 1 1/2 inches tends to look better on a smaller person, the two and a half inch ones look well on a larger person.

There are alternatives to crucifixes for Catholics: Consider a Miraculous Medal, a four-way medal, a medal of your patron saint, an ichthos pendant (fish–symbol for Christian,) a Holy Spirit pendant (shaped like a dove,) and many others.

One of my personal favorite pieces of jewelry is the one that was given to me by my godmother, God rest her soul, on the occasion of my First Holy Communion: It is a gold-framed crystal pendant containing a mustard seed. The box it came in bore the message: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto thee.” That pendant, and the message it bore, has seen me through many trials.
 
I wear a brown scapular under my shirt and a tau cross over. The most common questions/statements I get regarding the tau cross include: “What happened? Did your cross break?” “The top half of your cross is missing.” “Why are you wearing a T? Is that your initial?” {It is, funnily enough. xD}
However, I’ve found it to be a great way to teach people about its history/the faith in general.
 
Bl_Pope_Pius_IX said:
I suggest a nice miraculous medal. These are beautiful and, while some wear crucifixes as “fashionable” and less about “faithful”, Miraculous Medals are seldom abused by such secular treachery. I wear the miraculous medal and I urge you to do so as well.
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I know what you mean about crucifixes… It bugs me, but secular society seems to have “hijacked” the crucifix and cross when it comes to jewelry. I haven’t entirely closed my mind to wearing one, but I want it to be clear to others that whatever I have on my neck is a sign of devotion.

I’m leaning toward the miraculous medal. I know with the brown scapular, there is a “process” one needs to go through prior to wearing it. Is there anything similar for a miraculous medal?

God bless,
Dean
 
odile53 said:
One of my personal favorite pieces of jewelry is the one that was given to me by my godmother, God rest her soul, on the occasion of my First Holy Communion: It is a gold-framed crystal pendant containing a mustard seed. The box it came in bore the message: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto thee.” That pendant, and the message it bore, has seen me through many trials.
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My mother had one of those! I have no idea what happened to it after she died, though. 😦 She loved hers too.
 
dean24us said:
I know what you mean about crucifixes… It bugs me, but secular society seems to have “hijacked” the crucifix and cross when it comes to jewelry. I haven’t entirely closed my mind to wearing one, but I want it to be clear to others that whatever I have on my neck is a sign of devotion.

I’m leaning toward the miraculous medal. I know with the brown scapular, there is a “process” one needs to go through prior to wearing it. Is there anything similar for a miraculous medal?

God bless,
Dean
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You have to have it blessed, and I think there is a prayer to be said too. With the green scapular, you’re supposed to pray every day to Mary; I don’t know if it’s the same for the brown. I think you have to enroll in the Society for the brown scapular.

I am thinking about getting a MM too.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
My mother had one of those! I have no idea what happened to it after she died, though. 😦 She loved hers too.
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It sounds like a beautiful token. My daughters would LOVE it. 🙂

If you do come across anywhere that sells them, please let me know.

God bless,
Dean
 
Kind of related to this thread…

I wear a miraculous medal but I have sensitive skin. Lately, I’ve been getting a small rash from the medal (which has started to oxidize around the edges) but I don’t want to stop wearing it. My friend said putting clear nail polish on the back of the medal will probably keep my skin from getting more rash-y, but are there other alternatives?
 
krystia said:
Kind of related to this thread…

I wear a miraculous medal but I have sensitive skin. Lately, I’ve been getting a small rash from the medal (which has started to oxidize around the edges) but I don’t want to stop wearing it. My friend said putting clear nail polish on the back of the medal will probably keep my skin from getting more rash-y, but are there other alternatives?
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I looked it up,and the only thing it said was clear nail polish, or getting it replated. 🤷
 
Can Medals be worn by men or are they ment for women? (I am a man)
I am thinking of getting one you see:) Maybe a St. Fancis of Assisi and/or one MM.
Becouse Im New as a catholic I want to wear it as a sign of my faith.

Especially a Mary Medal is something that I would love, as I am interested in starting a devotion towards her:)

Thanks for any answers:)
 
HeadingBackHome said:
Can Medals be worn by men or are they ment for women? (I am a man)
I am thinking of getting one you see:) Maybe a St. Fancis of Assisi and/or one MM.
Becouse Im New as a catholic I want to wear it as a sign of my faith.

Especially a Mary Medal is something that I would love, as I am interested in starting a devotion towards her:)

Thanks for any answers:)
Click to expand...
A lot of people, both men and women, wear the medal with the inscription “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!” - this medal is popularly known as the “Miraculous Medal”. Both men and women can wear the same medal.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
I wear a smallish sterling silver cross, always. I like to see crucifixes on men, though. Or a nice medal. ** Scapulars are meant to be inside your clothing **so you could wear that as well as a necklace.
Click to expand...
Oh dear Oh my your scapular has come out over your collar

Heaven forbid:rolleyes:
 
HeadingBackHome said:
Can Medals be worn by men or are they ment for women? (I am a man)
I am thinking of getting one you see:) Maybe a St. Fancis of Assisi and/or one MM.
Becouse Im New as a catholic I want to wear it as a sign of my faith.

Especially a Mary Medal is something that I would love, as I am interested in starting a devotion towards her:)

Thanks for any answers:)
Click to expand...
It’s all right for a man to wear a medal or cross/crucifix. I am a man and I wear a greek cross alternating with a Russian 3 bar crucifix.

I also wear a silver ring with the Alpha Omega in 14k.
 
I wear a silver crucifix necklace. This way other Catholics know.
 
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