Dress Codes

[Priscilla]

Has there been a thread about dress codes for worship on this Forum? If so, could you direct me to it?

If not, could I ask: is there a problem (or not) with youngsters dressing immodestly for church amongst Catholics?

Some young prots dress very badly for worship: tight T-shirts revealing cleavage/nipples, hipster trousers revealing bare bellies, tight jeans etc etc, high hem-lines revealing thighs.

Or are all young Catholic modest? Or if they aren't - don't people mind?

Just curious. Thanks.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I don't think there is any technically laid out teaching on this, but common sense and the true spirit of worship tell us that modesty and clothing which reflects the solemnity of Mass is appropriate.

Unfortunately, there are Catholics who think Mass is all about trying to meet people and socialize. It really ticks me off when I find gum under a pew.

That general attitude is something that really needs to change.

Among devout Catholics, however, you will find modesty.

[track2004]

As a "young Catholic" (I'm 19 and in college) I find that most of the time people dress okish for Mass. I go back and forth between the Newman Center parish and a townie parish and for the most part at the Newman center one kids dress more like college students. Lots of jeans and t-shirts and the like. At the townie parish the college kids dress more conservatively, but it's a more conservative parish and atmosphere so it'd be expected. I favor the townie parish, personally. The clothing at the Newman Center doesn't really bother me unless the shirts are made for going out instead of dressing up. Girls show up with a bit of their stomach showing (I'm guilty too), but most of the time they aren't trying to. It's how pants and shirts are made and most of the girls aren't being all showey about it.

Personally, if people aren't 'showing it off' then I'm ok with what they are wearing. Girls clothes, espically for my age kids, aren't the most conservative things. So if I show up wearing my pink oxford shirt (which I don't consider tight, though it's fitted) and my pinstripes and you can see a little itty bit of the sides of my stomach, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to get that attention. And that's about how I view it. It's a nice shirt and nice pants and I try to keep the shirt down and the pants up but it doesn't always work.

Ok I don't know if all that was clear, but... um... I may have confused myself a bit... I'll be around for Q&A if you don't get it...

[Priscilla]

Yes that's clear - thanks.

[franciscan13]

i personally have a bad habit of passing jugment on what people are wearing to mass, teens as well as adults. i see the girls wearing alot of jeans and t-shirts, and i agree todays styles are not leaning to the modesty side. at my parish its not that bad i suppose it could be worse. as for myself i think of my "sunday best" not that its a fashion show but if you respect yourself and were you're at and what you're doing there you want to look nice

[Cam42]

I always promote "Sunday goin' to church" clothes. When I am home in Minnesota, it is easy for me to dress for church, because I am normally in a cassock and surplice.....as an installed acolyte, I often times serve Mass or read. The same holds true when I am at my parents home in Iowa. The pastor has me assist at Mass, as it is that which I am properly disposed and have been installed to do, formally.

While here in Detroit, I usually wear slacks and a button down. I will sometimes put on a suit coat or blazer, but that is for bigger feasts.

Cam

[Aloysius]

St. Pius X said something about it I recall... but I'm sure a pope-saint pre-vatican ii wouldn't quite be listened to

[Socrates]

I think (as do many good Catholics) that Catholics should both dress modestly and "dress up" for Mass, especially Sunday Mass.

At our parish, the pastor posts a message reminding parishioners to dress modestly.
Modesty should go without saying. I know, as a man, that it is easy to get distracted by women's bodies duing mass.

Also, we would do well to wear our "Sunday best" for mass. This is part of the concept of showing that we think the Mass is something of importance and of giving our best to God. Sloppy, casual dress at mass, unfortunately has become a common practice.

I usually wear at least a tie to mass, and often a blazer.

It is sometimes said that this discriminates against the poor, but this is nonsense, as inexpensive dress clothes can be bought by most people. There is a nearby black church where all the men wear suits and ties, and I am sure most of those people are not rich. I think Catholics could do well to follow their example to show respect to the Lord.

[Guest Eremite]

It's not uncommon for me to have to change seats two or three times before Mass begins because an immodestly dressed person sits in front of me.

Whether that says more about me than about them, I don't know.

[FutureSoror]

[quote name='Aloysius' date='Apr 24 2005, 08:39 PM'] St. Pius X said something about it I recall... but I'm sure a pope-saint pre-vatican ii wouldn't quite be listened to [/quote]
I know what you're getting at, Aloysius. Although I try to stay somewhat close to that standard myself, I find it hard to say that it necessarily holds fast for today's society. Maybe it does, I don't know. Of course it can hardly be called a dress code . I have slowly been holding myself to a higher standard modesty-wise, though. As far as what Pope Pius said, I hold to the neck-line thing and don't wear sleeveless tops.

[Iacobus]

I normally just wear a polo or non-white button up shirt. I don't always tuck it in, it really depends. During the winter, I wear sweaters. I dress better then normally, and better then summer job interviews, but by no means three piece suit.

[Priscilla]

Thanks everyone - that's really helpful.

I agree that we should dress our best for the Lord - and I agree that it can be done very inexpensively these days.

I do feel for men when they go to worship to draw near to Christ in holiness and they may have to sit next to a half naked young teen who hasn't thought much about how she dresses might affect a man: after all, men don't go round with a placard on their back saying "I sometimes have a problem controlling my sexual desires" do they? I always think that modesty should be the utmost importance in dress for worship: but it can still be fashionable too.

[Aloysius]

wait... you mean we don't have to where the placard? I thought that was required and everyond did it... no wonder I get such funny looks

[Priscilla]

How do you all feel about females wearing trousers?

Is that allowed by the Pope?

And what about head coverings? Doesn't the Apostle Paul say that ladies should not pray or prophesy without wearing a head covering?

[Myles Domini]

[quote]How do you all feel about females wearing trousers?

Is that allowed by the Pope?

And what about head coverings? Doesn't the Apostle Paul say that ladies should not pray or prophesy without wearing a head covering? [/quote]

The apostle was teaching something restricted to the community. Its a practice, a very venerable one, but not one explicitly required for salvation. Unlike, of course, being born again by water and by spirit as Our Lord explains to Nicodemus. That being said I LOVE Mantilla's I always feel joy in my heart when I see a woman in Church wearing the Mantilla. I saw one on the internet the other day for sale with Our Lady of Guadelupe sewn into it. It looked so beautiful. Women who wear the Mantilla look so masterful, so dignified, so right...It brings to life what is written in 1 Peter 3 about a woman's beauty not coming from braided hair etc. but of something else. Lots of people I know dont feel this way, both male and female, but I think the Mantilla is awesome. Dont care whether or not she's wearing trousers or a skirt (especially since, thank heavens, trousers can only be shortened so much unlike a skirt...) but I love the Mantilla.

God Bless every woman who wears the Mantilla a thousand times over in this life and the next.

[Aloysius]

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen considered head coverings a divine command... and I have recently come to fully side with him on this, I think it is a divine command and the Vatican ought to issue new regulations to at least re-normalize if not re-require the head covering

currently, however, there is no requirement and women are just fine if they don't wear one, as most no longer do. however, when I looked into it it came accross to me like the Vatican never really wanted to take away this tradition it just sort of happened and pandora's box syndrom set in throughout the Church. so yeah, I'd at least like to see some document that makes them out to be normal in the Church at least.

[Priscilla]

Well I agree with you both - I believe a head covering for women is very appropriate and comely in worship.

What is a "mantilla" - is it a scarf?

I always wear a head-covering and it is usually a scarf. I used to wear hats, but they can get showy and I stuck out like a sore thumb because I was the only woman in church to wear one.

But I'm glad to see it is a practice which is considered divine by the Catholic church. I believe that to be true.

Edited April 25, 2005 by Priscilla

[Myles Domini]

Mantilla: [url="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=mantilla"]http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=mantilla[/url]

A good article on the Mantilla: [url="http://www.latin-mass-society.org/wearmantilla.htm"]http://www.latin-mass-society.org/wearmantilla.htm[/url]

[FutureSoror]

Thanks, Myles, I'll think of you and what you said next time I try to deciede whether or not to wear a chapel veil/mantilla at a church where most people don't.

[MichaelFilo]

Mass is the pinnacle of Catholic worship. No other form of sacrafice or worship is as pleasing to God as the Mass is. Dressing appropriatly is very neccessary. As I've noticed, the parish closer to me has alot of girls with shorts that violate school dress codes at Mass. The skirts are abominable. The cuts on the shirts are scandelous. Albiet, I decided long ago that there are less people who go there for sincere worship than to fulfill a Sunday obligation that they were brought up to respect but never understood (since this generation(and by that, I mean the adults) seemed to have skipped out on the learning of the Faith).

Over at the parish I go to on Sunday's dress is much more modest, and everyone is beautifully dressed, although once in a while those "dress-to-impress" types seem to over do it.

At the downtown parish, a request to dress properly was posted on all the doors. There wasn't much of a problem, but it is prevelant amongst the young.

Catholics have standards. Catholics who go to Church for the Mass tend to dress within those standards. Catholics who go to fulfill an obligation usually don't.

As for myself, even to daily Mass I dress up. It would be blasphemy to show less than your utmost respect in dress, manner, posture, and Faith in the Mass.

God bless,
Mikey