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Offline Matto

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How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
« on: June 19, 2015, 09:28:21 PM »
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  • I just got an email from the SSPX about modesty. Although it doesn't go into detail it does say that women should not wear pants. I am glad to see that is not too 'rigid' for them. I would expect with the liberalization that they would abandon the old traditional positions that liberals hate like the belief that women should not wear pants.

    http://sspx.org/en/news-events/news/how-catholics-ought-dress-2203

    How Catholics ought to dress
    Now that the heat of summer is upon us, this is a good opportunity to briefly review the topic of how Catholics should apparel themselves.

    Pastor's Corner for Sunday, June 21

    Summer is on us and with it, the heat. Which makes us feel the need to discard layers of clothes and be freer with our movements. With this desire though, necessarily comes the obligation to continue dressing modestly, and here are some tips about accomplishing this in our own day and age.

    It is good to review the dress code that should be posted at the entrance of churches in accordance with Canon Law (CIC 1262, 2). Though this reflects the Church’s mind for sacred places, it nonetheless also comprises a general rule of thumb for public life.

    And while every Catholic has rights (to receive the sacraments), he or she also has duties to fulfill in order to maintain these rights; thus why the Holy See has gone so far (for the preservation of souls) to prescribe: “to remove from Communion and even from Church, improperly dressed women.”[1]—this rule can of course be applied also to men.

    Another quick rule of thumb is to dress in a dignified manner that will evoke respect. For in addition to providing an edifying example, our dress also defines who we are in society. Thus the appropriateness of a mother’s or father’s dress (particularly in the privacy of home life) can positively or negatively impact the formation of their children—this important aspect is not only contingent upon the modesty of the clothes worn by the parents, but even by their quality, that is, dressing shabbily versus well within one’s means.

    An even further consideration for men and women is to dress properly according to their nature, or respectively, according to their masculinity or femininity. For men, this means they should not wear tight-fitting clothes or in general, go shirtless in public (especially for fathers, even around the home in front of their children).

    For the ladies, to dress like a man (such as wearing pants) is improper and contradicts a woman’s God-given femininity. That this is not merely an “old fuddy duddy’s” quibble, should be evident when we realize that the proponents of unisex clothing have also been the same “gender theory” people behind the promotion of sins against nature.

    It is interesting to note that the “Lion of Campos”, Bishop de Castro Mayer, once famously remarked in a pastoral letter that he would prefer a woman to wear a mini-skirt rather than pants. For while the mini-skirt was immodest, it was at least feminine, while pants contradicted a woman’s nature (thus the former attacked the senses, while the latter warped the intellect).

    Therefore, so-called “woman’s pants” (usually worn out of pleasure or commodity) are not the proper garb of a Catholic (or Marian-like) girl or lady, either in the parish, domestic or social life. However, if the wearing pants by women cannot be completely avoided due to the circuмstances of our time (profession, security, extraordinary activity, etc.), they should at least disappear from family, social and parish life.

    Concerning modest dress—and this applies to both men and women—the underlying principle is that it should more cover, rather than expose oneself to the allurement of the public eye. Thus both men and women should dress so as to inspire respect and chaste love, as opposed to the enkindling of lust.

    Albeit, finding proper clothes today can be very difficult today, as most fashions are terribly provocative and have been designed to induce impurity. This is especially the case for women’s fashions; however, good women (using a bit of resourcefulness) can still manage to dress with modest attractiveness and charm—and without appearing that they have just stepped off a set of Little House on the Prairie!

    A last word regarding the issue of swimming. Unfortunately there is little available in the stores today that is even half-way decent, or modest, though some have attempted to alleviate this deficiency by wearing t-shirts over their swimwear. But even more importantly perhaps are the oft-ignored ecclesiastical admonitions against the dangers of swimming in public places. Thus we are compelled to exhort families to make the effort to find a secluded place to swim amongst themselves—or not at all. Better to forgo the recreational (and optional) pleasure of swimming then to endanger the souls of one’s family (or of others)!

    In concluding this brief review on the importance of dressing modestly, here are some pertinent quotes (and one illustrative example)—which far from being ancient, are of recent date, and thus ever new.

    Quotes

    G.K. Chesterton: “unless we live as we believe, we’ll end up believing as we live.”

    Pope Pius XII: “The purity of souls living the supernatural life of grace is not preserved and will never be preserved without combat.” Many women and girls stubbornly persist in "following certain shameless styles like so many sheep." "They would certainly blush if they could guess the impression they make and the feeling they evoke in those who see them."

    Padre Pio (+1968) repeatedly refused to absolve women who did not wear a skirt that extended at least 8 inches below the knee, while also insisting that they did not wear slacks.

    Our Lady of Fatima:

    The sins of the world are too great! The sins which lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh! Certain fashions are going to be introduced which will offend Our Lord very much. Those who serve God should not follow these fashions. The Church has no fashions; Our Lord is always the same."

    Footnote

    1 January 12, 1930, S.C.C.


    R.I.P.
    Please pray for the repose of my soul.


    Offline Matthew

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #1 on: June 19, 2015, 09:51:54 PM »
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  • Quote from: Matto
    I just got an email from the SSPX about modesty. Although it doesn't go into detail it does say that women should not wear pants. I am glad to see that is not too 'rigid' for them. I would expect with the liberalization that they would abandon the old traditional positions that liberals hate like the belief that women should not wear pants.


    To paraphrase a famous quote, "Rome wasn't destroyed in a day."

    Remember also that part(s) of the neo-SSPX will sometimes do what it can to "stem the tide" and even take a few steps back, in order to keep the largest number of people long-term. The pace of "modernization" will vary by district, by location, and by priest. Even the manner of modernization -- what will be updated and when -- will also vary.

    So this doesn't surprise me at all.

    If you expect your local SSPX to unveil a Novus Ordo parish next Sunday, you're deceiving yourself. They'd never do that. It would be stupid not only on a supernatural level, but even on a human/business level. They'd instantly lose their entire congregation. The most pessimistic among those in the Resistance wouldn't expect them to do this.

    A group as large as the SSPX is a very complex animal. You have good priests, bad priests, and a lot in between.  You have priests desperately trying to hold on to both (the Faith, the SSPX) as well as those fervently marching towards Modernism (Fr. Pfluger advising the European priest meeting that it's "prudent" to have only 4 or 5 children).
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    Offline Matto

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #2 on: June 19, 2015, 10:28:02 PM »
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  • Quote from: Matthew

    To paraphrase a famous quote, "Rome wasn't destroyed in a day."

    Yes this is true. But in my experience the first two things that liberals want to do away with is the belief that women should not wear pants and the belief that women should cover their heads in Church. Like Father Chazal said in a sermon I listened to in europe at SSPX Masses you can tell right away that liberalism is flourishing because so many of the women wear pants to Mass and do not cover their heads.
    R.I.P.
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    Offline stgobnait

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #3 on: June 20, 2015, 03:01:28 AM »
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  • I agree with Fr Chazal, in my chapel it is astonishing the amount of matronly women wearing trousers,  who when I first came to sspx as a 'young mother' frowned at my modern dress code, once things were explained to me, I happily conformed to traditional  dress , now these ladies wear trousers and say they feel the cold! veils for a lot of the younger women, are 'old hat# so to speak!

    Offline Viva Cristo Rey

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #4 on: June 20, 2015, 08:57:35 AM »
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  • May God bless you and keep you


    Offline Graham

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #5 on: June 20, 2015, 09:42:47 AM »
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  • I think this is an old article by Fr. Peter Scott. Good for them for circulating it again. I particularly like the paragraph on swimming.

    Offline Jaynek

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #6 on: June 20, 2015, 12:43:44 PM »
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  • Thanks for posting such a great article in the OP.  I found this part especially thought-provoking:

    Quote

    It is interesting to note that the “Lion of Campos”, Bishop de Castro Mayer, once famously remarked in a pastoral letter that he would prefer a woman to wear a mini-skirt rather than pants. For while the mini-skirt was immodest, it was at least feminine, while pants contradicted a woman’s nature (thus the former attacked the senses, while the latter warped the intellect).

    Offline Matthew

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #7 on: June 20, 2015, 12:51:52 PM »
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  • Quote from: Jaynek
    Thanks for posting such a great article in the OP.  I found this part especially thought-provoking:

    Quote

    It is interesting to note that the “Lion of Campos”, Bishop de Castro Mayer, once famously remarked in a pastoral letter that he would prefer a woman to wear a mini-skirt rather than pants. For while the mini-skirt was immodest, it was at least feminine, while pants contradicted a woman’s nature (thus the former attacked the senses, while the latter warped the intellect).


    I've seen that quote many times, and if you think about it, it's true.

    One aspect I just realized -- that the miniskirt and pants are BOTH immodest and draw attention to things that shouldn't be emphasized.

    Pants show every curve, and their very design focuses attention on the groin.

    Have you seen the latest trend -- jeans with sparkly rhinestones on the back pockets? That's great -- draw attention to the woman's butt cheeks. Don't worry, men aren't that visually stimulated or quickly aroused. Oh, wait a minute -- they are.
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    Offline Marlelar

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #8 on: June 20, 2015, 01:20:23 PM »
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  • At our chapel the only women I have EVER seen without a veil and wearing pants are the odd NO'ers who stumble in unaware that they are not at any ordinary new order church.  They really stand out with their spandex leggings, tight tank tops and flip-flops!

    Offline MaterDominici

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    « Reply #9 on: June 20, 2015, 01:24:25 PM »
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  • Quote from: Marlelar
    At our chapel the only women I have EVER seen without a veil and wearing pants are the odd NO'ers who stumble in unaware that they are not at any ordinary new order church.  They really stand out with their spandex leggings, tight tank tops and flip-flops!


    Same here except I'll add the people who come in off the street looking for a free restroom along their Sunday morning jogging route.
    "I think that Catholicism, that's as sane as people can get."  - Jordan Peterson

    Offline clare

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #10 on: June 20, 2015, 02:57:12 PM »
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  • Quote from: Matthew
    One aspect I just realized -- that the miniskirt and pants are BOTH immodest and draw attention to things that shouldn't be emphasized.

    That's why long tunic tops are a good idea.
    Quote
    Pants show every curve, and their very design focuses attention on the groin.

    That second aspect means that men shouldn't wear trousers either, or should wear some kind of tunic as well! Remember, men never used to wear trousers.


    Offline saintalice

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #11 on: June 20, 2015, 03:19:06 PM »
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  • Sorry to be so crass but men are far more "boob" oriented than"crotch" oriented.  Pure FACT.  Therefore the whole "ban on pants" argument is far less convincing than the ban on ladies wearing tight shirts/tops.  

    Offline Matthew

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    « Reply #12 on: June 20, 2015, 03:42:17 PM »
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  • Quote from: saintalice
    Sorry to be so crass but men are far more "boob" oriented than"crotch" oriented.  Pure FACT.  Therefore the whole "ban on pants" argument is far less convincing than the ban on ladies wearing tight shirts/tops.  


    You're right; you know more about the inner workings of men than I do -- even though I'm a man.

    Seriously, though, I would answer that there are slight differences in what turns each man on -- but what they all have in common is that it's something physical -- some part of a woman's body. That's how men are wired. That is why it is important for women's clothing to to conceal, rather than reveal.
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    Offline saintalice

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    How Catholics ought to dress (email from SSPX)
    « Reply #13 on: June 20, 2015, 04:02:37 PM »
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  • Quote from: Matthew
    Quote from: saintalice
    Sorry to be so crass but men are far more "boob" oriented than"crotch" oriented.  Pure FACT.  Therefore the whole "ban on pants" argument is far less convincing than the ban on ladies wearing tight shirts/tops.  


    You're right; you know more about the inner workings of men than I do -- even though I'm a man.

    Seriously, though, I would answer that there are slight differences in what turns each man on -- but what they all have in common is that it's something physical -- some part of a woman's body. That's how men are wired. That is why it is important for women's clothing to to conceal, rather than reveal.

    Yes.  A woman does know the "inner workings of a man" better than men.  You betcha!  It is the reason men are so easily manipulated by women.  

    I agree, with you and others, however that women should dress modestly.  I am saddened at the thought of how many times I was an "occasion of sin" for men some 10-15 years ago, for which I have repented, nevertheless the "curse of memory" still haunts me.  

    I'm just not convinced that pants are immodest in as much as they are masculine.  I learned that long ago when I was in theatre.  If we were rehearsing for a "classic" play (Shakespeare, Ibsen, Chekhov, etc.) and we did not have a "rehearsal skirt" we were sent home.   The reason being that "in a skirt you will sit differently, you will walk differently, you will behave differently than if you are wearing pants."  In other words, you will "act" (pun intended) like a "Lady", not like a tomboy.  I wear skirts to this day because of what I learned in theatre.  

    Online Nadir

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    « Reply #14 on: June 20, 2015, 05:21:25 PM »
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  • Quote from: saintalice

    Yes.  A woman does know the "inner workings of a man" better than men.  You betcha!  It is the reason men are so easily manipulated by women.    


    The majority of young women have no idea how a man's mind works so differently from a woman's. That is one reason why so many otherwise nice young ladies dress as they do. They dress to follow fashion and to turn a man's head, i.e. to to get attention for themselves, but they do not realise just what is going in the man's head. The book "Dressing with Dignity" goes into this.

    That is interesting about the policy in the theatre, saintalice.

    Help of Christians, guard our land from assault or inward stain,
    Let it be what God has planned, His new Eden where You reign.