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

[babochka]

I would – unless there is a nice way to so “no cleavage.”

The presence of a collar does not preclude cleavage, nor does its absence guarantee it. A reminder to avoid low-cut necklines seems nicer than dictating what is to be worn.

 

[dallas_r]

I wouldn’t mind being in the dress code that you set as an example; the issue with me would be that my shoes are all basketball shoes. Like Jordan’s or Curry’s, a few running shoes. I would say as long as your shoes are shoes (not sandals) and clean, your good.

 

[Augustinian]

I wouldn’t mind being in the dress code that you set as an example; the issue with me would be that my shoes are all basketball shoes

I don’t understand this, I have a pair of athletic shoes, as well as some Timberland boots for the colder weather.

But my standard every day wear are Ecco loafers, athletic shoes don’t look right if you are wearing a tie and jacket.

 

[DarkLight]

I wouldn’t mind being in the dress code that you set as an example; the issue with me would be that my shoes are all basketball shoes. Like Jordan’s or Curry’s, a few running shoes. I would say as long as your shoes are shoes (not sandals) and clean, your good.

I expect this is another gender difference. Dress sandals are a thing for women - in fact there are formal events where sandals are expected of women. There doesn’t seem to be an equivalent for men.

 

[Duesenberg]

If the lay ministers really were dressed inappropriately, rather than just to your expectations,

Your keep trying to sell the “preferences” bit and you’re wrong to do so. We all have our preferences – particularly “traditional Catholics” it seems, but objectively speaking there are some things that are simply bad form when it comes to the Mass. The reader who is dressed too provocatively (e.g. slinky cocktail dress) or too casually (e.g. shorts and a tank top) are two examples. Spin it any way you like, those are not merely my “preferences.”

 

[dallas_r]

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?

Imagining what you said, I would imagine that your imaginary pastor would see you playing the imaginary organ on the imaginary organ bench. Then the imaginary pastor would be on his way and imagine celebrating the imaginary mass and imagining people receiving our Lord (who is not imaginary) on their imaginary knees. As the imaginary day would progress, the imaginary priest would imagine hearing all sorts of weird imaginary confessions in the imaginary confessional. Sometimes, in my imagination, I will imagine my self being an imaginary priest, baptizing imaginary people in my imaginary parish. This imaginary parish would be in the imaginary territory of my imaginary diocese which would reside imaginarilly in the state of california. I am getting on a bit. All in all, your imaginary pastor would not care about your imaginary shirt and would not stop you from playing the imaginary organ.

This is the most times I have ever said the word imaginary or imagine. I just realized that after saying it a zillion times, it sounds pretty weird, maybe cause my brain is getting fried.

1 like on this post=1 prayer for my brain

 

[DarkLight]

I feel I should point out, when it comes to women’s collared shirts, stuff like this isn’t uncommon:


That really doesn’t help much on modesty.

 

[DarkLight]

I’m just pointing out that, for women’s dress codes, “collared” and “modest” really don’t have a whole lot of relationship to each other, and making it a collared shirt might actually make it harder to find something modest.


If I went shopping for a white button-down, that would be fairly common cut that I’d find. On some women that might cover everything, but it’s not going to work on a lot of women without exposing cleavage.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I would say as long as your shoes are shoes (not sandals) and clean, your good.

There is nothing wrong with sandals. The vast many of the friars I know wear sandals…even in Winter. That is why their observance is called “discalced”. There are many other Religious who use them, too.

 

[Don_Ruggero]

You are a member of a fairly casual parish. Lay liturgical ministers (readers, EMsHC, cantors, servers, etc.) have often worn inappropriate (e.g. overly provocative and/or casual) garb to Masses where they minister. Pleas from previous pastors to dress appropriately have fallen on deaf ears. A new pastor begins and his pleas are also ignored. Finally he sets a dress code, defining a required uniform as:

Simple white top with sleeves and a collar (e.g. all-white dress shirt or blouse, all-white polo/golf shirt, all-white sweater, all-white guayabera, etc.)
Simple black pants in good repair (black dress slacks, chinos, jeans, etc.) or skirt, or alternately, a simple all-black dress. No shorts.
Simple all-black shoes – no flip-flops, sandals or kicks emblazoned with swooshes.
Black socks or hosiery.

Such a policy would not require any “careful review” or “thoughtful discussion” by the officials in my diocese’s curia since such concepts in my diocese would never even be considered.

 

[Duesenberg]

Maybe have a slogan “Game the dress code and you’re gone?” That might save a lot of time and effort.