Knights Honor God in Holy Attire
Fr. Rick Heilman | Aug 28, 2010 | Comments 0
Knights of Divine Mercy are asked to lead the way, by example, in recovering a sense of the sacred on Sunday mornings by letting their choice of attire speak to the seriousness they give to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Thank you to Fish Eaters for this great article on proper attire for Mass:
People have no problem, it seems, dressing for weddings, funerals, office parties, or dates — but seem to think that dressing to meet Almighty God at the Mass is passé. But dressing for Mass is simply a matter of showing proper respect, not only for God, but for others around you. It’s certainly not a matter of showing off one’s finery — lots of people don’t even have fine clothes. Certainly, too, some people may attend certain Masses — say the 5:30 PM Masses — on their way home from their construction jobs. Fine! There is nothing to worry about in these things! Never let circumstances out of your control make you feel embarrassed or keep you away from the Sacraments! But one should always wear clothes that are modest, and, if possible, all things being equal, clean and the nicest clothes one has. Below are some guidelines for proper attire (which also apply for other liturgies, such as Eucharistic Adoration or the Divine Office, etc.
| Shorts & Sweats: | Just say no. |
| Blue Jeans: | Nice blue jeans can be “OK” (but just OK), especially if dressed up, but are not ideal. But if jeans are all you have, by golly, wear jeans! |
| Ties and Jackets: | Typical for men and considered the mark of the “well-dressed” in the West. If you have no suit or jacket, then come in the best you have, if possible. |
| Head Coverings: | Laymen never wear hats in churches (except for rare ceremonial reasons on the part of some confraternities and lay associations).On the other hand, women do cover their heads and have from the very first day of the Church. Please read more about veiling here. Some parishes and chapels will have veils available for women who don’t have one. |
| Special to Women: | Like men, women should wear their “Sunday best,” which in the West is typically considered to be a dress or skirt. Hemlines should cover the knees when standing and sitting, shoulders should be covered (i.e., “tank top” dresses and spaghetti straps are not kosher), and necklines should be modest. If you have no dress or skirt, then wear the best outfit you have, if possible.Just a note on lipstick: if you wear some, be sure to blot really well before kissing icons, statues, the priest’s hands, etc. (“Oprah ‘Girlfriend’ Tip”: get the kind that doesn’t “kiss off” or smudge…) |
| Cell Phones/Pagers: | Turn them off. |
