Posted on 09/26/2011 2:03:46 PM PDT by Morgana
Imagine seeing your parish priest approach the altar to say Mass wearing a T-shirt displaying a beer logo, while sporting a pair of shorts and a set of flip-flops. Or, listening to the sister in charge of your parish make an announcement at Mass dressed in a miniskirt and spaghetti straps.
We’d be shocked, because priests and nuns represent the Catholic church, are intermediaries between God and us, and they’re not supposed to dress like that.
What about some Catholics who attend Mass wearing tight-fitting shorts, sleeveless blouses, and even less than that? What gives them the right to enter the house of God dressed that way?
If we expect our religious leaders to follow a dress code, which they do, shouldn’t we, as representative of the same Catholic church, reciprocate in a similar manner and dress modestly for Mass?
Over the years, the Catholic church has repeatedly nudged Catholics to dress modestly with the likes of the Marylike Dress Code, and although many do follow it, shamefully, too many circumvent it. Deep down Catholics know the responsibility to dress modestly and responsibly when they attend Mass really rests squarely on their shoulders. Yet, we procrastinate.
It all begins at home. Mom and dad, don’t let your children attend Mass in inappropriate clothing. Adults, lead by example.
The next time we attend Mass, let’s surprise our priests and nuns, our families and friends, our neighbors and co-workers and make them proud of the fact that when Catholics join together to pray in the house of God, we dress modestly for the occasion. Then, too, hopefully decent dressing will carryover to our other activities.
This applies to ALL Christians, dress appropriately, at church and elsewhere.
i always have. always at least shirt and tie, if i will be on stage (alter, whatever you call it) also a jacket.
and i have commented many times on the inappropriate attire of the members of my congregation.
i may enjoy seeing some of these outfits at a club or a bar.. but not church.
I wouldn’t mind the flip flops, as long as the feet were clean. But ladies, i don’t need to see your racks...and then you spend all your time covering them, when you could have done so with modest clothing.
for those to whom it would apply...
A church I was a member of for many years was located in Palo Alto, CA., just a few miles from Stanford U. When I first started attending there, about 60% or the members were under 30, never married. About half were either students, or recently graduated. Very young Church.
The pastor had to bring up the issue of modest dress several times before some of the very nice looking ladies and gentlemen got the message.
It all begins at home. Mom and dad, don’t let your children attend Mass in inappropriate clothing.
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I am appalled at the clothing that parents allow their daughters to wear. Why would a father want some guy leering at his daughter?
Last week when I was picking up my child from St. -— School I saw a beautiful teenage girl get out of a car parked behind the rectory, wearing a short skirt and high heels - she looked like she was going to a nightclub, a little more classily dressed than most. Then other people got out of cars, dressed up, in black - oh, it’s a funeral. And any man not actually crying for the deceased is going to be thinking about that girl’s legs.
When one of my son’s classmates died, the girls were all in short tight black skirts, tight tops. Their mothers don’t tell them how to dress? Their mothers can’t tell them how to dress? The stores don’t sell modest clothes for girls to wear to church? True, but, mothers, lend your daughter your own matronly, dowdy, unsexy clothes. It’s a funeral.
During the summer months I have to admit, I wear what are called the “clamdigger” shorts which are long shorts with a modest shirts. The problem we have is a world that “dictates” to the members of the Christian faith.
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