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

[widefuel390]

The priest would be dressed like that only if all his vestments had been destroyed -- like by Sandy.

This is just another useless "what if" question. As we say, if my grandmother had *different equipment*, they'd call her "grandpa."

[Kumquat]

I would find it really unusual and strange but I wouldn't be offended or anything

[Jfredrick]

Catholics have added to the words of our Creator and have become very ceremonially religious, everyone who has a relationship with Jesus are priest not on their works but on their faith and not the amount of faith like some have you believe but that even a tiny amount of faith in the right place is way more real than a lot of faith in the wrong place and unlike their religion there is no one but God who can forgive sins catholic confessions are a joke set up by the god of this world satan

[tallmom638]

It's not what your pastor was wearing, dear.

In general, we Catholics can not understand how some denominations (or non-denom as the case may be) can treat the King of Kings in such a casual manner.

I was shocked attending "church" with a non-denom friend of mine to find a cafe there. IN the "church." People getting up and ordering a latte while the Gospel is being read.

It seems very disrespectful.

We all turn our phones off before entering the church. Or at least we should. There is always the mad scramble of someone who forgot. Questions and issues are addressed outside the sanctuary AFTER the service.

[Sancho]

A visiting priest in a hoodie and jeans giving a sermon is OK, provided his head is uncovered. He might be a missionary or work where this is his chosen garb.

The priest saying Mass should be properly vested or be wearing more respectful clothing for the liturgy of the Eucharist. That being said, I have attended Mass in a hoodie and jeans, head uncovered with no intent of disrespect for the Blessed Sacrament.

I can image people objecting, so I sat in the back. No need to give scandal unnecessarily.

priests in prison camps have said Masses dressed as poorly as the other prisoners. Circumstances matter.

[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.