How Do You Dress for Church? Some Helpful Encouragement from a New Video

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 07-12-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[miss marmelstein]

But why do southern blacks manage to go to church looking so very spiffy?

[FrdmLvr]

This is timely. I went to Mass with my mom yesterday at her church and I was pretty shocked to see so many short shorts (really short shorts), cami’s and other similar-strapped sundresses. I tried not to be judgmental, but there it is. I thought “come on people. You don’t have a decent pair of slacks or skirt and a top with a back and some sort of sleeves?” Pretty disrespectful.

[DoodleDawg]

I dress for mass at least as well as I dress for work, which is business casual, and frequently a step or two above. I’m constantly amazed at the folks who come in shorts, tee shirts, and sandals. If I had tried that as a kid my parents would have had a fit.

[DoodleDawg]

But why do southern blacks manage to go to church looking so very spiffy?

Respect and reverence.

[coloradomomba]

at my church, women are encouraged to wear skirts or dresses, dress modestly and veil. Men in slacks and button up shirts. However, this Sunday, I saw a woman breast feeding in mass. She covered herself, but I could not help but wonder if that was appropriate. Part of me sez, the mass is so important that she did not want to exclude herself or her child from it, yet another part of me found it a distraction...thoughts?

[Mr Rogers]

"I would not go to a meeting with the president of the United States in blue jeans. I would not go to visit the Queen of England in a Tee Shirt. In those two circumstances you can bet I would be wearing a freshly cleaned suit with a winkle free clean white shirt and nice tie. My shoes will be shined, my skin will be clean and my hair combed.

Some people probably don’t feel as close to The Lord as I do and to them they don’t understand this feeling of respect..."

Well, Obama isn't my father. And if the Queen of England was my Mom, I might not wear formal attire 100% of the time around her.

The problem with judging the clothes of others is tied to this: "Some people probably don’t feel as close to The Lord as I do". I don't think wearing a suit has much to do with being close to God, or showing God respect. I'd have to go buy a suit, first, since I don't own one. And then the pastor and I would be the only ones wearing them - and like as not, the pastor would take off his coat before the start of the service.

If I wore a cloth tie, the pastor & I would probably be the only ones wearing them - and the pastor has asked me about getting a bolo tie for himself.

If the Queen of England came to visit my home, she'd find me wearing clean jeans, a button down shirt and a bolo tie - out of respect for her position. I wouldn't wear a suit. If I was visiting her, then I'd adopt the standards appropriate for Windsor Castle.

The Lord values a reverent heart, I think. How that translates into dress depends on where you are at. If I wore a coat and tie to church, I'd be drawing attention to me. In a different environment, wearing a bolo tie would draw attention to me. Or wearing jeans. What I wear should reflect respect, but also a desire not to draw attention. That is best done by watching what others wear, and adjusting one's scale accordingly.

This can be respectful and discrete, or an attempt to draw attention to oneself. You might feel underdressed in it, but I border on overdressed. Depends on where you live and where you worship:

[metmom]

I’m with you on that one.

Men wearing hats in the sanctuary bothers me as well as women dressing like hookers out for a night on the town.

[circlecity]

If someone is respectful in church and sincerely tries to live a Christian witness I don’t care what they wear to Church.

[Jeff Chandler]

I remember a particular mass which was packed to standing room only. One of our parishioners had just been ordained a permanent deacon, and this was the first mass he was assisting at as a deacon. The extra attendees were his friends and family. I mentioned to Mrs. Chandler afterwards that it was easy to tell which people were non-Catholic. They were the ones dressed appropriately for mass.

[Jeff Chandler]

But why do southern blacks manage to go to church looking so very spiffy?

Because they are not slobs.

[notsofastmyfriend]

I’m an usher at the Saturday evening Mass, and often select the family who will be the gift bearers. It’s amazing how many families are appropriately dressed - except for the dad who is wearing shorts. I can understand the kids, but grown men? Maybe its a strategery to avoid taking up the gifts? LOL.

[SMARTY]

I don’t think it’s appropriate.

It’s TOOOO easy to step away into a private space and return.... no need to be ‘in your face’ with that stuff

[Tennessee Nana]

We wore dresses or suits, hats and gloves and our handbags matched our good high heel shoes

Even as a teenager I owned 6 hats..

But when my mother read in the paper in the early 1960s that someone had rented a building right on the beach in California and was holding church services there and allowing people to come in off the beach in shorts or bikinis, my hat and glove mother said “Well at least they’re going to church. God doesn’t really care how you dress as long as you go”

Of course she didn’t mean people could be half dressed..

[Tennessee Nana]

I would not go to a meeting with the president of the United States in blue jeans. I would not go to visit the Queen of England in a Tee Shirt
_______________________________________

The standard uniform of the POTUS is cargo pants and golf shoes

For the queen, the every day is a raincoat, a scarf on the head and gum boots..

[Vaquero]

I went to Our Lady Of the Assumption in Pelham Bay. In the Bronx. The Domincan Sisters could be brutal. But I got a good education

[miss marmelstein]

I had the Sisters of (sans) Mercy. Boy, could those old broads diagram a sentence! And try telling them you don’t write cursive.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I guess I am torn on this issue.

Some young women appear at Mass in shocking immodest attire.

Yet the fact is that they did come. If we drive them away by harping on their dress is that a “win”?

[Buckeye McFrog]

I am with you. Even here in the north I am impressed with how nicely church going black families dress for church.

[elcid1970]

At the A.M.E. churches in my town, the black folks enter into the house of the Lord dressed to the nines, right down to the small children. They are a reproach to the rest of us.

For reasons of piety & decorum, or for other reasons. For working class folks in a past era, dressing for church was a weekly occasion & a chance to set aside one’s drab proletarian garb for respectable finery.

Now, it’s just a matter of convenience, only would it break the bank for us guys to wear slacks, a dress shirt & sport coat in the place of worship?

As for the ladies, my standards are far more liberal.

;^)

[defconw]

My priest solved this problem some time ago. He cranked up the AC, seriously it's like being in a morgue. Amazing how people can find more clothes to put on. ;)