SSPX PASTOR'S CORNER: AUGUST 3rd--Is a “Christian Morality Dress Code” needed in the year 2012?

[Dawn Marie]

Is a “Christian Morality Dress Code” needed in the year 2012?

1st Sunday of July:
9th Sunday after Pentecost

Daily we are the eyewitnesses of the degradation of the dress code among our own traditional folks, ladies firstly, yet not excluding the men either. What we are seeing also is that the problem is extended from teenagers to parents and even to the elderly.

Christian modesty is a direct application of the principles of faith (that is, of original sin and its consequent concupiscence), of morality (on Christian modesty and the removal of scandal). It is not irrelevant to notice that the unisex clothing has been promoted by the same people who now are behind the promotion of sins against nature and the gender theory – a few months ago we spoke of it in this column. Whereas up to now, we acknowledged that the sex makes the gender, now, gender ideologues affirm that the gender makes the sex. For them, “the sex is a social category,” meaning that it could be modifiable according to the desires of each in connection with the ‘construction’ of the social models.

No one should object to the parish pastor implementing a dress code in accordance with Canon Law (CIC 1262 #2), and usually these rules are posted in the church vestibule for everyone to see. In fact, the Holy See itself has prescribed the removal “from Communion and even from Church, improperly dressed women” (January 12, 1930, S.C.C.). It cannot be stressed enough though that the authority of enforcement ultimately belongs to the pastor, and great discretion, prudence and charity must be employed to salvifically apply the rules of modesty in a church.

Some resistance may be felt amongst the younger generation who do not understand the problem and are immersed in a world foreign to Christian modesty. They need to be taught about the effects of original sin and its consequences. They need to know that, often we are led to obey laws which we do not understand, and to obey these is quite meritorious. And if, alas, they have already been victims of others’ immodesty, it, the young men should request young ladies to dress femininely and modestly. Need we stress that the parents of the teenagers are the first ones responsible in these matters. This duty is especially incumbent on the head of the family who should not allow a slackening of modesty for either his wife or his children.

Regarding the use of pants, which has been the avant-garde tool of the Gender theory, we may suggest these broad lines for remedy. The feminine pants, often worn out of pleasure or convenience, is not the correct garb of a Catholic girl or lady, either in the parish, domestic or social life. Perhaps women cannot always avoid wearing pants due to the evils of our times (e.g.,one’s profession, security, extraordinary activity, etc.), but despite this, there is no reason why it should cease to appear in family, social and parish life.

So unless we react against the broad stream, our practical attitude will turn out to be a fiasco. As foretold by G.K. Chesterton somewhere: unless we live as we believe, we’ll end up believing as we live.

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