Well it seems you’re just being an iconoclast and hold an extreme poition on this Hugh

Well it seems you’re just being an iconoclast and hold an extreme poition on this Hugh

I don’t deny that people think what you wear is important; my contention is that they shouldn’t and have no rational reason for doing so.

Such an insight is both reasonable and realisitic

Life involves a little give and take and some senistitivity to both standards, and to what other people think. It is true that such things are not the ONLY things but they are factors as we negotiate life’s road. Insisting that clothing should be absolutely no factor is just not reasonable. There is a range of the acceptable so this is not just a matter of one uniform standard but the range has some limits.

Really Father I don’t think ad hominems are warranted; an iconoclast!? And neither are my views extreme. The very fact that you bemoan the tendency for casual dress is surely an indication that a large number of people do not regard their atire as being disrespectful. Unless of course one assumes that they know they are being disrespectful but just don’t care, or are hoplessly naive or just stupid. Or could it simply be that cultural norms are changing and that the suit and tie are becoming less de rigueur?

I’m certainly not advocating a free for all but I am confident that when people truely understand why they are at Mass and what is actually happening they will act accordingly. Wearing a particular set or style of clothing does not automatically translate into appropriate respect.

I wear jeans and solid color t-shirt with no slogans. Sort of loose fitting, not revealing at all. I am middle aged. I am a Benedictine oblate and wish third orders would wear the habit. There is a homeless shelter down the street from our inner city parish. There needs to be one person at Mass who looks more like potential visitors do. At work I wear the same jeans and t-shirt because I don’t work with customers.

Our parish has a variety of people, jeans and t-shirt people all the way to entire families with the little girls in Dorothy sparkle shoes.

Jeans and t-shirt are my habit

Can we at least prohibit game jerseys from being worn at Mass? I find it very disturbing that we are gathered together to honor the Lord on His day, and in walks father and son with their Eagles game jerseys. Is it game day, or the Lord’s Day? It’s like nails on a chalkboard!

Try enforcing a ban on jerseys in the Diocese of Pittsburgh. During football season, you’d have a schism on your hands. I once met a priest who had vestments with the Steelers logo on them (stole, chasuble,) just for mass on game days.

Firstly, thank you Msgr. for your posts – I read them much appreciate. Your ideas here prompted two thoughts. The first being that https://loan-on.com/payday-loans-me/ I attend a rural, small, parish Mass and many of our congregation do wear rural clothing. As an example, a cordouroy jacket, jeans and a pair of boots would be typical. Everyone is neat and clean, but of a more rural ilk. Also, I have attended Mass in summer, lake communities where the clothing is “casual”. Immodest clothing should always be avoided, but I think “situational context” may be important. Even in the 60s when I grew up also, the 6:30 AM Sunday Mass had folks dressed suspiciously like they might be going to the golf course afterwards :-). The second thought is of a church my cousin’s family still goes to that never accepted Vatican II changes but that does “pledge allegience” to the pope and evidently is considered in communion with the Church, Their 1960’s dress code is impeccable, but their humility in accepting what the Church believes feels a little wanting. I guess in both cases, the expression of “in essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity” would be my take. BTW, thank you so much for the description of “girding one’s loins”! I did not know WHAT that meant :-).

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