Friday, August 13, 2010

Wearing jeans and t-shirts to Mass... Man! Where is the respect?!

I came across the following from the com-box at Fr. Z's:
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I am constantly amazed at the lack of respectful clothing during Mass… even among good and faithful Catholics! And this is not passing judgment on anyone … but do parents realize the message they’re sending their kids when they wear dress clothes to work, but go to Mass in jeans? Come on people … the Creator of existence has made Himself FOOD for you… put on a tie!  -  Comment by SuzieQ — 12 August 2010 @ 11:34 am
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Very good point SuzieQ!  I also thought SuzieQ's comment worked well with this photo I found on Angela's blog.
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The Creator also made animal-hide clothing for Adam and Eve - why not dress like that?

23 comments:

  1. I wear "business casual" for work, meaning dress slacks, nice leather shoes, button blouse or NICE polo shirt, no jeans, tshirts, sneakers. I don't wear a dress to work... except once last summer where the A/C was out and I wore a long flowy gauze skirt. Don't ever want to be confused with the secretary :) When I attend Daily Mass at noon on base that is what I wear. No time to change plus the military usually wear their uniform of the day.

    On Sundays that I am scheduled for EM I mostly wear a dress unless the weather is really terrible/snowy...other than that I wear slacks as I like to kneel and I don't do that well in a dress. When the weather is nice and I ride my motorcycle to church I wear jeans, motorcycle boots, and a conservative t-shirt. I usually remove my biker leathers/jacket/chaps in the entrance area so I don't scandalize anyone :)

    I used to get some snarky looks when I started riding my bike to church....then a couple of summers ago when gas hit over $4.00 a gallon all of a sudden alot of people became very interested inmy bike....I average about 65 miles per gallon in the city..and once people saw mine parked in the church parking lot more started riding their bikes to church..

    Sara

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  2. I often wear jeans to Mass. It's the only clothes that I fit into since I am overweight. I wear jeans to teach RCIA too. Oh, and to parish council, when I coordinate our fund raising drive for our mission in Peru, when I stand in Life Chain, when I got to prolife meetings, at Adoration when I pray for my friend who has cancer....shall I go on? No, I didn't think you'd want me to.

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  3. +JMJ+

    I always wear flip flops to church. Scandalous enough for you, Terry?

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  4. What would one wear to meet the Governor of your state in his office, or the President at a dinner in the White House? That should be the standard, and nothing less.

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  5. oooooo, I just can't wait for Cathy's reaction...LOL

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  6. Anonymous7:05 AM

    What do you wear to a wedding?

    The Church is the Bride of Christ.

    That's all folks.........

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  7. Hey! You found my comment!

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  8. Hi Suz! It was so good it formed my post. ;)

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  9. Sorry - I have nothing to add 'cause I can't get past the image of those two hunks in jeans and black T-shirts helping to carry Our Lady's statue. I know - I'm a shallow old lady...

    OK - I guess I can add this; when I was a wee girl if someone showed up at Mass in jeans (dungarees in those days), my Dad would have a conniption fit. My Mom would just tut-tut and say perhaps that was all they had to wear. Some things never change...

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  10. Adrienne- why do you think I posted that photo in the first place ?!

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  11. I rarely ever wear jeans to a weekend Mass, though I do sometimes for a daily Mass. My kids are a different story. Our rule for them was "neat, clean, and modest", which could include jeans or walking shorts. They were good boys, never gave us any trouble about trying to skip Mass. So I didn't worry too much about the jeans. Did threaten them into a sportcoat and tie to get confirmed. I don't think they ever wore that ensemble again; but their cousins needed something for Confirmation, too, so it wasn't a total loss.
    I kind of like the picture of the guys carrying the Blessed Mother statue (hey, they're wearing crosses!)

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  12. There is a context for most everything (maybe...!).
    We ask people who attend Holy Mass at our Oratory to wear modest and appropriate attire out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament and that it is an Oratory of monastic religious...sometimes people think they have to be dressed "to kill" in order to attend (which, from rumors, as been the reason why some will not attend).
    There's got to be some "middle ground" here;
    but if you're dressing for the beach when you attend Holy Mass here...well, we've got Sr. P. to give you wrap-around skirts to the ankles (!)for both women AND men...just kidding!:<)!

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  13. Anonymous2:32 PM

    I understand some christians may feel disrespected about people wearing jeans and t shirts to church but in my opinion I dont see what the big deal is. People from all over want to just celebrate their religion so why do you have to be dressed up to go to church?

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  14. I have to say this is not a big deal for me - I was only trying to start trouble and see what people post. From a fashion perspective, it is so fun to push this button.

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  15. Anonymous6:42 PM

    The most handsome guy in the picture is the one in front--oh, my! Well, the only reason people wear jeans to church and slacks to work--is because the boss' won't allow jeans--if you could wear jeans to work, people would.

    And also, people always say if you were to meet someone important what would you wear? Well, if you were to meet with them everyday, and you were not rich, or heavily into fashion--it would be clean and modest. I'm sure Jesus loves those two guys in their jeans (and so do alot of girls)--and is not in Heaven with His nose in the air, saying, "Oh, so disrespectful!"

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  16. I go to mass every Sunday dressed in a nice suit, tie and shoes....and then go to daily mass in t-shirt,jeans and shorts, among other things that I probably shouldn't wear to mass. It's fun to scandalise people when they see me out of my Sunday outfit.


    *No flip flops. Too hard to genuflect or kneel in them.

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  17. Yeah Tara--I'm sure Our Lady is not minding at all those handsome buff guys carrying her in procession...look at those muscles...

    I'd like to hire them to carry my casket at my funeral... :)

    Sara

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  18. It looks like it is a boys' summer camp so of course they would be in jeans.

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  19. Gals,
    calm down...buff "t-shirt" Marian devotees...so what?:<)! Let me tell you (and I'm not lettin' out any info from confessions)...it's a dead end, here...
    If it's 'eye candy' you're after...go to the beach...
    LOL!!!
    I'm just a celibate monastic havin' fun here!!

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  20. Fr NP--I'm inland so no decent beaches around here..so for my "eye candy" I have to settle for the next best thing..

    My gym..the local university football (American) players work out there on the weekends...major distractions :)

    On top of that the priest who works at the university Newman Center (plus a couple of other places), works out there too...he is in his early 70's, doesn't look a day over 50 and MAJOR buff..Jack LaLane buff..he cross-country skies also..I need to get him a workout shirt that says "I'm a Catholic priest" as I'm positive he gets hit on ALL the time...he's uber HOT.

    I will always remember a couple of years before I became Catholic and I snuck into the Newman Center during his noontime Mass..no one else was there and he was so into saying the Mass that he didn't notice me come in. He said the Mass out loud, so reverently and devotedly even though he thought no one was there to hear. As he was preparing to put the hosts away he noticed me sitting in the back, invited me to come forward for Communion..I said I wasn't Catholic yet and he gave me a very nice reverent blessing. A very good holy priest :) (even though he's hot--another Father What a Waste :)

    Sara

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  21. Sara: LOL!
    I'm dyin' here!!
    "Father-what-a-waste"...if you only knew, dear...
    No, sorry.
    The whole gymn scene for consecrated celibates just freaks me out...I know I sound like a real "Jansenist"...I'm not really...the folks who know me wouldn't call me that...but I know in seminary they had the gymn-thing; a way for the seminarians to exercise, etc.
    I found it completely disgusting;
    and when I heard about what the seminarians were experiencing (later, not in confession but just in general chatting) I was NOT impressed...leave it at that.
    There's nothing wrong with taking care of your health; exercise and good diet are part of being responsible, yeah.
    But this whole "fitness" thing can be an "occasion of sin", if you want to be chaste, celibate...Christian!
    I'm not dissing gymns, per se, but we have to be realistic about this...seminarians watching very attractive young ladies in skin tight apparel, doing whatever...exercise bikes, gymnastics,...that's just too much!
    And I won't even go into what can happen in a men's locker room (yea, even there...)...Sorry, TMI!

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  22. I agree with 3 puddytats! Those guys look great and the Blessed Mom is not complaining at all!

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  23. Anonymous7:52 AM

    a "tie" to mass, Why? A tie is a symbol of being yoked to the world, which is why priests wear collars, as a symbol of a yoke to Christ. As a fashion statement a tie is great, but then again people spend lots of money on ties, dress, fashion and that money could be given to cloth people who don't have any jeans. Does Jesus really care about clothes or is it just us. The expensive robes are not really worth it either. I think Jesus is looking for a greater extravagance than our clothes. Why are priests the only ones to take vows of poverty? Then again, jeans can be more expensive than dress slacks. Catholics already have a shortage of men and now we want them to wear church clothes rather than man clothes, its like telling a hippie in the 60's get your hair cut before you come to church, for real? Just dont come to church naked.

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