http://www.sanpaolo.org/madre03/0105md/images/0105md24.jpg

This is St Gianna Beretta Molla...in pants ;)

There is nothing wrong or immoral with pants - just like skirts they can be worn modestly or immodestly. The great thing about the Catholic Church, is that while Her teachings never change, she does ``move with times.``

And as such, and as Catholics, we are called to be in the world, and fit in it without being ``of it.``

The advantage of keeping up with the fashions, and doing it modestly and with class, is that one is more liable to `draw` people into dialogue, than if you look like an extremist Duggar type. Not fair, I know, but true.

A well informed, well educated, well and stylishly dressed woman will have a listener, no matter what she says. That, my dear, is a wonderful thing to be able to claim and do for your faith in this day and age.

Because, lets face it, we live in a visual culture in which you are taken much more seriously if you fit in (with elegance and class, and with modesty), than if you somehow look like something out of a bygone era.

I have nothing against skirts, per - se, pencil skirts are gorgeous, flowy skirts for summer are fun and cooling. But I do have a problem with the belief that skirts somehow lead to sainthood, or are what God likes best, or express womanhood better.

Times change, and we must move gracefully and and beautifully, and yes, with womanly charm into them. Doing it with skirts only is not necessary or, I would say, wise.

"There is nothing wrong or immoral with pants - just like skirts they can be worn modestly or immodestly."

Yes pants can be worn in a more or less modest manner. But if we are to compare which is a more feminine, modest choice between modest pants and modest skirts the skirt is more definitely the more modest choice. There are occasions where it is more prudent to wear pants, eg. riding a bike, climbing a mountain, skiing, doing heavy labor (though my mom does some very heavy labor in skirts quite easily).

"The great thing about the Catholic Church, is that while Her teachings never change, she does ``move with times.` And as such, and as Catholics, we are called to be in the world, and fit in it without being ``of it.``"

We are called to live in the world but not be of the world...true, but we are not called to "fit in to the world" as this in fact would be being of the world." In fact Christ calls us to stand apart from the secular world. Our very choice to live the Catholic Faith sets us apart, "For I came to set a man at variance against his father...and a man's enemies shall be they of his own household" Matthew 10: 35, 36

"The advantage of keeping up with the fashions, and doing it modestly and with class, is that one is more liable to `draw` people into dialogue, than if you look like an extremist Duggar type. Not fair, I know, but true.
A well informed, well educated, well and stylishly dressed woman will have a listener, no matter what she says. That, my dear, is a wonderful thing to be able to claim and do for your faith in this day and age."

So are we really called to follow the trends and fashions in order to be more accessible to those around us? Well Our Lady had a definite warning on this front.

"Certain fashions will be introduced which will offend Our Divine Lord very much. Those who serve God ought not to follow these fashions. Our Lord is always the same." -Our Lady of Fatima, warning the people of the 1920s of the fashions that were to come for Catholic women. It wasn't a warning of the fashions that were to come for protestants and pagans since they were already indulging in indecent fashions. It was a warning to the Children of God, who are going to imitate them.


Padre Pio was so concerned about women wearing pants that he denied women confession is they were not properly dressed and specifically if they wore pants. "By Padre Pio's explicit wish women must enter the confessional wearing skirts at least 8 inches below the knee. It is forbidden to borrow longer dresses in church and to wear them for the Confessional." He even sent a Canadian woman who owned a woman's clothing store back to Canada compelling her to get rid of all her trousers in stock.
Pope Pius the XII warned about the dangers of women falling into the trap of being a slave to current fashions, that a Catholic woman is called to dress with dignity and modesty as befits her God given gift of womanhood.

Nowhere are we told or taught by our Faith that we are to be with the times, charming, classy. We are on the other hand called to be dignified, feminine, and modest. There is nothing "elegant" about a pair of tight jeans.

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"I have nothing against skirts, per - se, pencil skirts are gorgeous, flowy skirts for summer are fun and cooling. But I do have a problem with the belief that skirts somehow lead to sainthood, or are what God likes best, or express womanhood better."

You are correct in your statement that skirts will not lead to sainthood, for it is in the interior disposition that we come to our holiness. But the journey toward holiness begins with temperance or the mastery of our passions by our reason. Part and parcel of exercising temperance is the exercise of modesty, and part of the exercise or modesty is exercising modesty in dress. There are many reasons for this one of which is in charity toward others.

“… just as it is wrong for a man to use his physical strength to lord it over a woman, so it is wrong for a woman to use the feminine characteristics of her physical body to dominate a man.”

What is the purpose of clothing? It is to cover us. Does that mean that women must walk around in burlap bags...no! Does that mean that in dressing we should consider the impact of what we are wearing may have on others...absolutely!

Whether we like it or not men are weak in the area of visual stimulation. If we dress in a manner that attracts their eyes to parts of our bodies that will invite to think of us in an inappropriate manner we are guilty of a sinful lack of charity. No matter what you want to believe trousers draw the attention of the eye to the bum, it shows the contours of the bum far more than a "modest" skirt. And yes there are very provocative skirts but we are talking about modest and feminine skirts!

"Times change, and we must move gracefully and and beautifully, and yes, with womanly charm into them. Doing it with skirts only is not necessary or, I would say, wise."

Yes times change but consider this, almost two thousand years Catholic women clothed themselves in dresses, and it has only been in the last sixty years that it has become commonly accepted for a woman to wear what has traditionally been male clothing. Just because the current fashion trends dictate that this is acceptable does not mean that it is!

What is more wise, to follow ever changing trends or adhering to a tradition that will bring us closer to Christ and enhance our own holiness?

Dear Anonymous: I chose not to publish your last comment, because it was thoughtless, rude and antagonistic. I have no problems with people disagreeing with my posts, but I do have a problem with uncharitable and insulting comments. From now on, I will not be publishing comments from anonymous people. Please put your name up. If you have any problems, please email me at beautifully.feminine55@gmail.com

Gwenea, I don't think there was anything wrong with your post. You stated your opinion, and ya know what... you're absolutely right. People that disagree with you are those people that enjoy their tight pants, so they defend them and don't wanna admit that you're right. Now, I do wear pants when I have to. Like one time I was going up to our church to paint and I had NO skirts that I wanted to "ruin", so I slipped on a pair of (baggy) jeans. My reasoning for knowing when to wear jeans instead of skirts is: "If you're doing something that would look wrong and inapropriate in a skirt (such as rock climbing, go carting, etc.), then wear pants (that are modest) because it's better to wear pants than to flash everyone. Then what's the point to wearing the skirt?" Do you get what I'm saying? I'm not disagreeing with you, becuase I COMPLTETLY agree, but there are times when it would be more apropriate to wear pants than skirts. All the same, I do wear skirts ALL THE TIME and rarely EVER have to wear pants. :) Great post, Gwenea!

Hugs,
Eldarwen

Miss Gwen!
I Agree with your points here, and you opinion is much like mine.
Anonymous Commenter:
I think the duggars are actually really pretty and feminine in their attire. I personally think that Men and Women treat you differently when you are in a skirt than otherwise.

The Men especially feel like they can talk to you without staring at your crotch/and or/ bottom. Because it is covered up.

oh, and Miss Gwen Was never implying that a skirt makes you saintly. She implied that a woman carries herself differently. She never implied if you wear a skirt you will become a saint.

In Christ
Milisande

Thank you Millie and Eldarwen! Dear Anonymous: Yet again, you tried to post a rude comment. I take exreme offense to being called "heretical". There is NOTHING heretical about quoting Our Lady, and using the translation that A POPE used. In my comments box, I specifically say to be charitable. Calling people names is neither charitable or mature.
In Christ,
Lady Gwen