Author Topic: DRESSING FOR MASS (Read 3434 times)

Lover of Truth · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2009, 10:25:11 AM »

I admire Raoul and Gladius more than anyone else I have read on this site. Though I disagree with you both on this. Casual attire worn at the most Holy Mass reeks of liberalism in my opinion.

I respect your opinons however as I look up to you both as being more knowledgeable than I. And I am sure people attended in sandals and robes after Christ.

Dressing as if you were dressing for an important occasion would show the potential convert that you are attending something important, something not to be taken lightly.

Telesphorus · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2009, 10:35:15 AM »

Quote from: Lover of Truth

Dressing as if you were dressing for an important occasion would show the potential convert that you are attending something important, something not to be taken lightly.

I lean towards the position that people should dress very respectably, and that it should be expected and enforced. As for saying no one should notice - well, that's not realistic. People will notice, and it's important that what they see should create an atmosphere appropriate for worship.

Suits that actually fit and are well-made might draw more attention than they should.

Sometimes it's a dilemma.

CMMM · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2009, 11:09:07 AM »

I read an excellent article once on attire for the mass, and the point which clung to me most was dressing so as not to distract another from the mass itself.

With that in mind, modesty of dress would be what I advocate most, and dressing in such a way that you do offer as little distraction as possible.

SJB · « **Reply #8 on:** September 03, 2009, 03:23:21 PM »

Quote from: Raoul76

I'm with you on this one gladius.

Maybe I'm the only one, but I find the suit-and-tie dehumanizing and bureaucratic. Not that I'm trying to be "punk," but I do question it as a standard of Christian wear. I'd far prefer to wear a shaggy robe like the Church fathers.

I wear the same thing every day which is a dress shirt and slacks. Because of my poverty, I usually wear the same outfit all week, taking it off when I get home and putting on wrinkled clothes from the hamper. For Mass, however, I will break out a clean shirt and pants.

I thought Catholics were supposed to be unconcerned with appearance, but now suddenly a crisp suit and tie are mandatory? Isn't that the opposite of being unconcerned with appearance? This strikes me as a symptom of bureaucratic attitudes that have somehow blended with Christianity. That being said, it is the style of the time.

I plan to start wearing a suit for penance, because I hate them so much. To me it's worse than a hair shirt. I hate, hate, HATE modern men's clothing.

I'm also fed up with the obsession about dress. Yeah, if people start coming into Church carelessly dressed and showing no respect, it's a problem. Sometimes the priests don't have the gumption to say anything, such as one priest I know who didn't even rebuke a man who came to Church in a short-sleeved shirt -- with a bikinied female tattooed on his arm. That was not at CMRI by the way.

But in general pretty much everyone in tradland seems respectably dressed to me. Get over it. Move on. Use your short time being in the presence of the Holy Eucharist to pray instead of sternly eyeing peoples' dress length. No one is wearing Hawaaian shirts and flip-flops to traditional Masses.

Being concerned about ones appearance is important in many states of life. Too much concern is immodest, too little concern (according to one's duty of state) is the opposite error (which I cannot think of at the moment).

SJB · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2009, 05:30:24 PM »

Quote from: Telesphorus

Quote from: Lover of Truth
Dressing as if you were dressing for an important occasion would show the potential convert that you are attending something important, something not to be taken lightly.

I lean towards the position that people should dress very respectably, and that it should be expected and enforced. As for saying no one should notice - well, that's not realistic. People will notice, and it's important that what they see should create an atmosphere appropriate for worship.

Suits that actually fit and are well-made might draw more attention than they should.

Sometimes it's a dilemma.

Really? So an ill fitting and poorly made suit is more modest?

So is a Catholic Tailor sinning when he makes well tailored and good fitting suits?