As a kid I hated "dressing up." Our preacher would often tell the congregation that it doesn't matter what you're wearing as long as you come (I think this was meant to encourage new people to come - tell them not to worry about their attire, especially if they couldn't afford a suit or something). I would use this on my parents to try and get out of dressing nicely. "The preacher says I don't have to!"

Serious exchange that I had with my dad circa 10 years ago...

 

Me: Dad, Jesus wore sandals into the temple.

Dad:That's because I wasn't his father.

I do shorts in the summer, jeans in the winter. I'm guessing God would rather have me there than worried about what I was wearing.

I have worn gym shorts and a dirty T before on a Saturday afternoon mass trying to squeeze it in after working in the yard. I sat in the back.

Also had mass in a swimsuit one day. I was at Lake Norris and a buddy had a priest with him so he hosted a mass in the water.

Pretty cool.

Serious exchange that I had with my dad circa 10 years ago...

 

Me: Dad, Jesus wore sandals into the temple.

Dad:That's because I wasn't his father.

 

:laugh: Sounds like my dad. :lol2:

I remember when I was younger, perhaps 10, there was a mild stink raised by some of the longtime members of the parish, and I seem to recall our old-school, very German, very uptight, pre-Vatican II priest, over this issue of dress-up.

 

Seems the church always was a lot more full during the summer months, and most all those extra people would come to Saturday evening or Sunday morning Mass in shorts, flip-flops, T-shirts and such.

 

Then they realized that those boater types from Cincy, Columbus, Indianapolis, etc., who were staying in my county for their weekend getaways, were also significantly adding to the collection plate take, and attitudes toward them changed somewhat in the parish. Although not seriously so until our old priest retired and a more friendly, outgoing, not-stuck-in-the-1500s priest replaced him.

 

Still, some of the talk would linger on for decades among some of the members. Never finally got quieted for good until about 15 years or so ago when the old church building had grown too small, and a new church and parish hall needed built. Those weekenders' contributions made those building projects possible, because the contributions from the year-round members would never have come close to covering it.

 

Another note about my old-school priest from my childhood:

 

One Sunday morning I come in to serve, am putting on the gear and getting everything ready, and I look up and notice Father has affixed a football to the big crucifix on the wall behind the altar. "This sermon should be a doozie," I remember saying to myself.

 

Sure enough, he launched into a tirade about keeping the Sabbath holy and how sad it was that so many people were skipping church on Sunday to watch football, and that he might get those folks who worship the pigskin back in the fold if he made a big show by putting the football on the cross.

 

When informed afterward that the first football game of the day on Sunday wasn't until 1pm — generally 3+ hours after 9am church let out and more than enough time for someone in Warsaw to drive to Cincy and engage in nearly 2 solid hours of tailgating before kickoff — he was kind of dumbfounded.

 

Given some of his other dramatic displays during sermons over the years, it occurred to me then that people might have been skipping church on Sundays because of him.

There are definitely some "old school" people out there that believe you should dress up for church, that it's very disrespectful if you don't, and most of those old schoolers are old themselves and were raised in that fashion. And I get that and understand where they are coming from. I just have never agreed with it.

[edit]

 

Given some of his other dramatic displays during sermons over the years, it occurred to me then that people might have been skipping church on Sundays because of him.

 

I dunno, he sounds very entertaining.

For me, it kinda depends on what church I go to. I could not imagine going into (in Louisville) St. Martin of Tours or St. Louis Bertrand wearing any less than business casual and a coat and tie would feel appropriate also due to the sacredness of their masses, where as going into Epiphany or St. Williams, I would feel odd wearing anything more than business casual and would feel appropriate in jeans and a T shirt also.

While I don't get worked up about shorts in church I do feel how we dress does affect how we interpret something unconsciously. If you were to tell me to attend something and shorts, t shirt and flip flops are fine, without you telling me anything about what I am going to, I am going to go in thinking it is a laid back, not serious affair if I zone out during it, no big deal and heck, if my phone buzzes, I may step out assuming whatever I am at is not so important that I cannot take this call.

 

However, if in the same example, you tell me a dark suit is appropriate, I immediately this is something important and requires my full attention and I need to take it seriously.

 

So, saying that, I do see some validity in those who feel there is value in dressing up to a small degree for church.

While I don't get worked up about shorts in church I do feel how we dress does affect how we interpret something unconsciously. If you were to tell me to attend something and shorts, t shirt and flip flops are fine, without you telling me anything about what I am going to, I am going to go in thinking it is a laid back, not serious affair if I zone out during it, no big deal and heck, if my phone buzzes, I may step out assuming whatever I am at is not so important that I cannot take this call.

 

However, if in the same example, you tell me a dark suit is appropriate, I immediately this is something important and requires my full attention and I need to take it seriously.

 

So, saying that, I do see some validity in those who feel there is value in dressing up to a small degree for church.

 

Good post, Bert. It's another way to look at it.

I thought churches were a "no-judgment" zone?!

 

This reminds me of a story that the Bishop had a couple of months ago at the Cathedral.

 

Part of his homily was about how a couple of years ago he and one of his people went to Chicago to visit someone. They went into a church there incognito and sat towards the back, and was talking about how these two lady's in the pew behind them were talking and judging about everyone who walked past them. And he wondered what they were thinking/saying about them, not knowing one was a priest and the other was a Bishop.

My parents believed that your should wear dress clothes to church. While my dad didn't wear a tie when I was younger, he typically does now. We have been attending with them some the past several weeks, I would say, business casual.

 

I wore jeans a couple weeks ago with a nice shirt and just knew my mom was going to give me the look…some things just don't go away.

 

I try to wear "dress clothes", out of respect for the church and probably my parents.

 

I suspect that wearing nice clothes came from years ago when people had a set of clothes for Sunday, their "Sunday best" because their work clothes were just not fit for God's house.

My parents believed that your should wear dress clothes to church. While my dad didn't wear a tie when I was younger, he typically does now. We have been attending with them some the past several weeks, I would say, business casual.

 

I wore jeans a couple weeks ago with a nice shirt and just knew my mom was going to give me the look…some things just don't go away.

 

I try to wear "dress clothes", out of respect for the church and probably my parents.

 

I suspect that wearing nice clothes came from years ago when people had a set of clothes for Sunday, their "Sunday best" because their work clothes were just not fit for God's house.

 

Yep..."Sunday go to meeting clothes" is a term I grew up with.

I'm not wearing a dress to church! Now a teddy, that's another issue.

I'm not wearing a dress to church! Now a teddy, that's another issue.

 

Sick, sick, sick....but I get it