What You At Mass Wear Does Matter!

[aimee]

 

[Chuy]

For the record… I am not saving them. I said I don’t want to wear them every time. You are still missing my point. Blue jeans are not inappropriate. Excuse me for sounding country, but I am a born and raised Oklahoman. The slacks probably come out twice a month.

As for the other scenarios you mentioned. Yes, again, I would dress like that for restaraunts, government functions (I have worked at the Department of State Headquarters in Washington, D.C. for two years now; remember, I don’t have a desk job), and just about anywhere else, I don’t feel a need to put on slacks to prove I am prepared. I believe it is a generational thing. Most people over the age of 40 don’t wear jeans because they have had a lifetime to accumulate a decent wardrobe. I am only 29.

On a side note, perhaps I am cheap, but it is not new or a reflection of me. I wore my dress blue army uniform to my wedding. It is still the only suit I own to this day.

As a parent, I am more concerned with my children’s behavior than I am about them wearing “school clothes” to mass. No, they never wear shorts. I would rather hear compliments on how well behaved they are, and people say it regularly to my wife and me. As I said before, this is not about modesty. The fact that you are offended because you assume someone is not wearing their best clothing and is too lazy to purchase something to your standard speaks volumes about your priorities, and it says far more about you than someone who wears blue jeans.

Just more excuses…

I honestly believe the harder one reacts to this topic the more they know down-deep that they should be dressing differently for Mass.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Why not carry a pair of rolled-up lightweight pants to slip on?

That’s precisely what I do.

You wouldn’t have a choice at St. Peter’s at the Vatican or MANY other churches throughout the world.

Because I usually forget my lunch, now I have to remember to bring a pair of pants, because Jesus will be offended if I stop by to visit him wearing shorts?

 

[Lisa44]

…
I think wearing a Rosary is offensive for one reason. As I type this it’s a fashion statement – worn by a lot of people who have no clue what a Rosary actually is.

Oh so Catholics should hide their rosaries, because there are some people have no idea what it is???

That logic makes no sense… Its rediculous. preposterous…

It’s your loss. You should try wearing the rosary all day and taking the virgin Mary with you everywhere you go. I assure you, you’ll become quite self aware.

 

[ElectricMayhem]

Why not carry a pair of rolled-up lightweight pants to slip on?

That’s precisely what I do.

You wouldn’t have a choice at St. Peter’s at the Vatican or MANY other churches throughout the world.

very true, but they have no kneelers or pews and I received communion at st. peter’s many times in the hand, but st. peter’s does have a dress code, so it must be a true catholic church.

 

[aimee]

Oh so Catholics should hide their rosaries, because there are some people have no idea what it is???

That logic makes no sense… Its rediculous. preposterous…

It’s your loss. You should try wearing the rosary all day and taking the virgin Mary with you everywhere you go. I assure you, you’ll become quite self aware.

perhaps Choy could share with us what a Rosary actually is ???

 

[ahollars]

Just more excuses…

I honestly believe the harder one reacts to this topic the more they know down-deep that they should be dressing differently for Mass.

What part of I only have one pair are you not understanding? You are the type of person who would criticize me for wearing the same thing everytime if I actually did what you’re suggesting. My wife already says that about the clothes I wear outside of mass, so if she thinks I look great on Sunday morning, I’m doing something right. I am left to assume that you either think I am lying about my personal life, or you just don’t care because you think that if you can afford it, then everyone should be able to.

I know plenty of people who think the way that you do, and all their words have done nothing to put extra money in my wallet for purchasing clothes on top of what I have to buy my kids because they grow too fast.

www.myspace.com/ahollars

Trade places with me… I’m the one baring my life here. You can keep thinking I’m making excuses, but I am too proud to ask someone to give me something like that. (Now that I’ve said it, my mother-in-law will probably do it for Christmas)

 

[xmydreamsfadex]

using Chuys logic, i could say the holocaust was a hoax and the more people reacted, i could say, the more they know it is a hoax.

 

[Aramis]

All I care about in dress of others is, in order:

1. Modest
2. Appropriate for the weather.
3. not bearing offensive words nor images
4. Clean

 

[Veronica7978]

If you are dressing immodestly it certainly matters…the CCC says we are not to be our neighbors tempters

I have never seen anyone dressed like a slob at mass

This brings up another good point. Some start by saying women shouldn’t wear something too revealing because it’s tempting to a man, then the next thing you know, women aren’t allowed to attend, or they are ordered to wear a veil covering their faces. It is the man that is sinning. He needs to put himself into check - it’s his eye.

 

[Veronica7978]

P.S. I don’t like it when I see people dressing in the parking lot. I’d rather see somebody wearing shorts and flip flops than explain to my 7 year old why a man is dressing in the lot. But that’s just me…I’m judgmental like that.

 

[benedictgal]

First of all, the primary rule of thumb should be that the clothing should be modest. When I was a college kid at UT, I didn’t have much money. My wardrobe had to multi-task. What I wore for class had to make the transition to my internship at the Capitol, and, it had to be fit for Mass. Allohers, even though I don’t have children, I can certainly understand your perspective. I had to make that financial aid check stretch from the beginning to the end of the semester and be very frugal. So, I had to take care of what little I had. And, since I didn’t have a car, I had to do a lot of walking. I wore sneakers to class and walked from UT to the Capitol and just changed my sneakers into suitable shoes for work.

Thus, I got teased a lot by my friends because I didn’t have “fun” clothes. I had my jeans, but, I also had my skirts, slacks and tops. Yes, I had shorts, but, these I only wore to go to the mall or to ride the Greyhound back home on the weekends (naturally, jeans took over in winter).

The only time that I ever wore anything “dressed down” was when I lived at Newman Hall, which was across the courtyard from my parish. I was just recovering from the flu and made myself go to Mass. Of course, it was biting cold and I bundled myself like an Eskimo, but, my clothing was neat and clean (even though it was a ghastly colored pink set of warmups with a couple of layers beneath) and sneakers.

Even now, I still hold by the same standards that my wardrobe has to multitask. I go to daily Mass during my lunch hour. I need to wear clothes that are suitable for both my work (I work at a Job Corps Center) and for Mass. I still don’t own any “fun” clothes (strapless, mini-skirts, etc) nor do I ever intend to buy any.

When I talk to the kids, I tell them to invest their clothing allowance into a wardrobe that can multitask. I tell them to stay away from low-rise, low-cut pieces that are neither suitable for work nor appropriate for a young lady to wear. I still get teased a lot by my coworkers who tell me that I should loosen up a bit. However, I always go by the rule of thumb that if it is appropriate for Mass, it is appropriate for anything and anywhere else.

 

[Chuy]

This brings up another good point. Some start by saying women shouldn’t wear something too revealing because it’s tempting to a man, then the next thing you know, women aren’t allowed to attend, or they are ordered to wear a veil covering their faces. It is the man that is sinning. He needs to put himself into check - it’s his eye.

Don’t be silly. Tempting clothes (male or female) have NO place at Mass.

 

[Chuy]

P.S. I don’t like it when I see people dressing in the parking lot. I’d rather see somebody wearing shorts and flip flops than explain to my 7 year old why a man is dressing in the lot. But that’s just me…I’m judgmental like that.

Why? Does it bother you that some people actually make the effort not to dress like slobs for Mass even when they are traveling, coming from work or maybe a sporting event?

 

[Chuy]

What part of I only have one pair are you not understanding? You are the type of person who would criticize me for wearing the same thing everytime if I actually did what you’re suggesting. My wife already says that about the clothes I wear outside of mass, so if she thinks I look great on Sunday morning, I’m doing something right. I am left to assume that you either think I am lying about my personal life, or you just don’t care because you think that if you can afford it, then everyone should be able to.

I know plenty of people who think the way that you do, and all their words have done nothing to put extra money in my wallet for purchasing clothes on top of what I have to buy my kids because they grow too fast.

www.myspace.com/ahollars

Trade places with me… I’m the one baring my life here. You can keep thinking I’m making excuses, but I am too proud to ask someone to give me something like that. (Now that I’ve said it, my mother-in-law will probably do it for Christmas)

Do you need more than one pair to go to Mass – even daily Mass?

 

[Chuy]

Oh so Catholics should hide their rosaries, because there are some people have no idea what it is???

That logic makes no sense… Its rediculous. preposterous…

It’s your loss. You should try wearing the rosary all day and taking the virgin Mary with you everywhere you go. I assure you, you’ll become quite self aware.

YOUR logic makes zero sense.

And if you want to have an actual discussion about critical thinking, bring it on…

Very few wore Rosaries until people like Madonna (the entertainer) and other wore made the practice popular. Right now it’s a hot fashion statement and it’s sad to see people climbing aboard the trend-train.

P.S. Not sure what you meant by “taking the virgin Mary with you everywhere you go?”

You may not have seen many Rosaries but the GREAT MAJORITY have a Crucifix with the Corpus of Jesus Christ and a medal of Him or some saint including at times His Mother. Are you talking about the medal?

 

[Chuy]

Because I usually forget my lunch, now I have to remember to bring a pair of pants, because Jesus will be offended if I stop by to visit him wearing shorts?

Is it too much to ask to dress appropriately while being in His sacramental presence?

 

[Chuy]

very true, but they have no kneelers or pews and I received communion at st. peter’s many times in the hand, but st. peter’s does have a dress code, so it must be a true catholic church.

Have you been talking to Lisa44?

 

[_Jenn]

Last I checked, the 3rd commandment is “Keep holy the Sabbath”

Not “keep holy the Sabbath, but only in Chuy approved clothing”

The way I see it - God sees me 24/7. He sees me in my finest moments, and my less than stellar ones. And yet He still wants me to come and worship in His house. Somehow I don’t think that’s conditional on the “appropriate” clothing. I think He’ll just be happy that I am there.

You have your “litany of excuses” that annoy you. Well, let me give you my list.

Why is it that so many people can leave church and tell you the following…

who was there
who they sat with
what they were wearing
if they went to communion or not
if they came late, left early, etc.
if they got up and left (presumably to use the restroom) during Mass
how their children (if any) behaved

and so on and so on

But these SAME PEOPLE usually can’t remember one lick of Father’s homily.

Yep - I’ll take being there for the right reasons and not giving a flying fig what anyone else wore over your attitude anyday of the week, and twice on Sunday.

 

[DJgang]

I really am curious why at least around here Protestants and the Orthodox dress a lot better for their services on the average than Catholics do for the Mass?

I don’t see a lot of suits, sport coats or ties when I drive by and see them in front of their buildings. But I also NEVER see shorts, tank tops, tube tops, other skimpy tops, ball caps, blue jeans, offensive t-shirts, etc.

Admittedly my sample is not large, but I would love to know why it’s the way it is?

I was raised Southern Baptist. We wore the best clothes that we had, which were usually home made.

Through the years, I’ve attended lots of different Protestant churches and people DO dress nice. They do not wear shorts at all. The very first time I saw shorts in church was at the Catholic Church.

I have absolutely no idea why people dress the way that they do at Mass. It’s disrepectful and majority of the time, avoidable.

The other morning, the EMHC had on black dress pants and a sleeveless summer sweater. The sweater was cut just enough that both of her bra straps were showing. It looked horrible and was avoidable by simply wearing something over that sleeveless sweater.

Dignity. Respect for ourselves as well.

Dana