Catholics: What would you do if you went to a church where the priest was wearing a hoodie and jeans?

[sparki777]

1. In the Catholic Church, the pastor is not the most important person in the room. He covers up all his clothing, hiding himself as a way of dying to himself, so that our focus is on Jesus, not the priest.

2. Priests can wear jeans on their own time, but when they are functioning as a priest, they always wear all black as a reminder (to themselves as much as to anybody else) that they've died to themselves and live only for Christ. A priest could wear a black hoodie over his clerical clothing if his clothes weren't warm enough. I've even see a priest wearing a black down vest over his clerics.

3. The Catholics who were appalled at the tale of your pastor preaching in jeans and a hoodie were probably confused at his utter lack of respect for the Christ and/or his utter lack of respect for the office of sharing the Gospel and/or the idea that a pastor and his sermon are the key part of your service. I'm not a mind reader, so you'd have to ask them specifically what they found upsetting.

4. There are plenty of priests who take questions about their homilies via text or email (though all the priests I know prefer having a face-to-face chat after Mass). However, what you fail to understand is that sermons are not that long in the Catholic Church, and they come near the beginning of the service, not at the end. The main reason WE go to Mass is not for the sermon, but for the opportunity to worship Christ and commune with Him via the Holy Eucharist. The second half of Mass is devoted to Holy Communion, and the priest would be too busy to even look at his smartphone from the end of his sermon to the end of Mass. Anyway, questions are most appropriately responded to later, after Mass is over, so that the focus remains on Christ, not on the preacher and not on the congregation.

5. Using one's cell phone during what is supposed to be a WORSHIP service is completely ridiculous. You don't talk to Jesus on your cell phone, do you? A cell phone is not an instrument of worship, is it? Turn it off and keep your eyes fixed on Christ. I realize that might be difficult for you if you've been convinced that church is all about what YOU get out of it or all about that awesome, inspiring, charismatic preacher who stands up in front of you, commanding the stage for 45 minutes to an hour so he can show off his Bible prowess, but none of that is worship. Worship is supposed to be directed at THE LORD and Him alone. The rest is gravy and deserves very little time.