What would you do if your new pastor imposed a uniform for lay liturgical ministers?

[Duesenberg]

You only offer choices as you want included. Very clearly you have not covered all the bases in your options. You are free to post your choices, but they are not complete just because they are complete to you.

Absolutely not. If you honestly believe this, please list which options I missed? I take polling/sampling quite seriously. It’s possible I missed a legitimate option or two, but “none of the above” is CERTAINLY not one of them.

 

[Irishmom2]

Continue to dress as usual despite the dress code.

 

[Maximilian75]

Why would you not comply? I don’t want an arguement… simply asking

 

[DarkLight]

You don’t know another person’s circumstances. It is really, really inappropriate to question their ability to balance their own budget in real-life circumstances.

It’s honestly not just my budget. Especially with a collared shirt. I’m an interesting combination of petite and well-endowed, which means your average collared shirt, finding something that isn’t either gapping and stretched tight over my chest, and isn’t falling off the rest of my body, isn’t easy without going to a fancier retailer. It’s not something I can run to walmart or target and buy. Plus white makes people come up and ask me if I’m sick, because of how pale my skin is, so I’m not likely to wear a white top outside of Mass. So you’re talking about making me buy a hard-to-find shirt, that I’ll never wear outside of Mass, and that I probably have to go to a specialty store just to buy.

What I’m used to is more like, no cleavage showing, your shirt must meet your pants/skirt, and if you wear a skirt it must go to your knees. Nothing with words on it and nothing tight.

 

[Duesenberg]

Continue to dress as usual despite the dress code.

It’s covered:

“Quiet resignation from all liturgical ministries requiring a dress code.” OR

“Angry/loud resignation from all liturgical ministries requiring a dress code.”

Think about this a bit more. If you come up with something I actually missed, I would appreciate knowing. But effectively resigning by not following the dress code is something I covered.

I suspect most pastors would use just that language – “You choose to no longer take part in this ministry by refusing to follow its requisite rules, yada, yada, yada.”

What else?

 

[Usige]

Y’all need to get longer albs.
[/quote]
Seconded. Both my albs are about 2-3 inches from the floor.

When training altar servers we help them fit their cassocks, write down the size and tell them that they should come to the top of the shoes. We also tell them that they should wear solid color shoes (preferably black). That being said inevitably we have boys with cassocks that are 8 -10 inches from the floor with neon green tennis shoes, no socks and shorts. I close my eyes alot when the servers are in the sanctuary.

 

[AngelusDomini]

Why would you not comply? I don’t want an arguement… simply askin

Because there is no precedent for it except in the case of altar servers (who wear a distictive attire anyway in most places) or in choral tradition. (Believe me I still find it odd to see choirs without robes, being from Anglican patrimony, but it’s not a massive issue - if they are good singers I’m just glad they are there!)

 

[Usige]

Are flip flops really that wrong? Aren’t they just a variation on the sandal which Our Lord would have worn?

You must not have had to listen to 4 pairs of flip-flops walking through the sanctuary after communion when it is mostly silent.

 

[Duesenberg]

When training altar servers we help them fit their cassocks, write down the size and tell them that they should come to the top of the shoes. We also tell them that they should wear solid color shoes (preferably black). That being said inevitably we have boys with cassocks that are 8 -10 inches from the floor with neon green tennis shoes, no socks and shorts. I close my eyes alot when the servers are in the sanctuary.

You can only do so much with off-the-rack albs or cassocks for kids. We have our share of high-waisted stringbeans. Yes, they can swim in their garb to get the right length or they can wear stuff that fits their upper bodies and are (at least) 8-10" too short.

 

[AngelusDomini]

You must not have had to listen to 4 pairs of flip-flops walking through the sanctuary after communion when it is mostly silent.

On the contrary, one doesn’t notice in certain parts of Spain as that’s all one can hear lol

 

[Usige]

On the contrary, one doesn’t notice in certain parts of Spain as that’s all one can hear lol

Good to know… I guess I’ll need to avoid those parts of Spain. The slapping of flips-flops is just this side of finger nails on a chalk board to me.

 

[AngelusDomini]

It’s ok as it’s usually drowned out by the noise of fans anyway.

 

[Duesenberg]

And if those happen to be the only attire in the reader’s wardrobe? Whilst outward clothing may show respect it does not reflect the interior respect in the heart. There are numerous scripture references to this too. If you’re prepared to make the call that someone is disrepecting the Holy Sacrifice and God by their attire, go for it. I wouldn’t be so bold.

Please don’t offend me. If a pair of shorts and a t-shirt are really the only clothes owned by someone who wants to read at Mass, then the parish needs to take measures to assist the individual in procuring suitable clothing to wear at Mass.

It’s amazing that you could write what you did above and then go on to mention “invest(ing) in a range of cassocks to fit a range of sizes if it is that big a deal.”

 

[Maximilian75]

How do you do GIFs on here?

 

[Maximilian75]

ahh… thank you

 

[DarkLight]

I’m sorry that you’re choosing to be difficult. Unfortunately, you will be replaced by someone who’s properly disposed to showing respect for the Mass.

Ok, got $50+ for me to buy a new shirt that meets those guidelines? Because that’s what those sorts of shirts would cost me.

 

[Gertabelle]

on_the_hill:

I’m sorry that you’re choosing to be difficult. Unfortunately, you will be replaced by someone who’s properly disposed to showing respect for the Mass.

Ok, got $50+ for me to buy a new shirt that meets those guidelines? Because that’s what those sorts of shirts would cost me.

I’ve got similar problem with wide shoulders and a large front.

I’m going with a t-shirt and a sew-on collar. And personally, I prefer a cream color to white – do you think this imaginary pastor at this imaginary parish will kick my off the imaginary organ bench if I wear an imaginary t-shirt of an imaginary off-white instead of an imaginary white?

And if it is wrong, would it be an imaginary venial sin, or an imaginary mortal sin?

 

[Gingersnaps4]

I voted quiet but unhappy compliance, because I feel that the dress code is too strict. A more reasonable one would be a button down or polo shirt with khaki or dress pants for men, and for women a blouse or shirt with sleeves that cover the shoulders and no cleavage, khakis, dress pants, or a skirt that is at least knee length or a dress that covers the shoulders and is at least knee length. I feel like it is a little petty to dictate the footwear, although maybe not so to just state no flip flops. People should be able to choose from things that they already own and not appear to be wearing a uniform, in my opinion.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

Missing option: None of the above.

There is one missing option I am most happy to supply:

Appeal to the diocese to overrule the parish priest for implementing a draconian and inappropriate “uniform”.

I can state unequivocally that if such a thing had been done by a priest in my diocese, and the chancery received appeals along the lines of what I am reading in this thread, the priest’s action would have been abrogated by diocesan order and he would have been called in to be counseled by one of the senior priests – presuming the bishop did not himself dress down the man.

If the priest were barring people from their ministerial functions based on the colour of their stockings or of their shoes or for their choice of footwear, he would likely be sent for a mental health check-up.

As a priest who is Presider at the liturgical assembly, I am not there to impose my personal tastes on other people. Those who are between childhood and dotage quite rightly exercise their prerogative of self-determination and dress themselves…without directive from me.

I will add that the whole purpose in choosing to have laity not wear the alb is to emphasise that they are, in fact, laity…laity drawn from all aspects of the parish family. The type of specificity being put forward for how they should present themselves is simply abhorrent

 

[Augustinian]

Ok, got $50+ for me to buy a new shirt that meets those guidelines? Because that’s what those sorts of shirts would cost me.

Not at all. Dress shirts aren’t more expensive than athletic gear or casual attire. They have dress shirts for sale for $19.99 at Macy’s this week. The red Geoffrey Beene shirt I am wearing now , I bought at Macy’s for $9.99 6 months ago. Bought the blue Countess Mara tie for $12 in the same store.

The expensive clothes are Nike and Under Armour. Not dress clothes.